Ceiling Insulation!

[Scarlett]

I live in a listed large house, converted into several flats. The people above me have inconsiderately put wooden floorboards down throughout their flat, moved out and let it. This means that I feel like murdering the tenants who clomp above my head all day and night. My flat mate has been driven literally mad by the washing machine and conversations above his head. We literally have one room each to live in and there is no escape. I've complained to everyone to no avail. The flat is up for rent again and they show no signs of putting carpet down. Would it be possible for me to get MY ceiling insulated sound wise, so I wouldn't hear them above? I would even pay towards it for a better quality of life. Or get my landlord to complain to the owner of the whole building? What might it cost to get this done?

[Buenchico]

There are plenty of firms which can sell you (so-called) soundproofing for ceilings. (Simply google 'ceiling sound insulation'). However those who've tried it don't seem to rate it very highly.

e.g. see the post from Liz1966 here:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=482333

[tonyav]

if they're noisy when making love (as my neighbours used to be) shout some words of encouragement so it's over a little bit more quickly or record it & play it back when her mother is visiting etc.

Good luck!

Best wishes,

LOL LOL.

[johnk]

Nice one Tony!!

[waterboatman]

I like it! :o}

[EDDIE51]

Buenchico's post says that most leased flats have a condition that the floors must be carpeted.It may be worth checking the lease for your flats.

[Scarlett]

Yes the lease says "sufficient insulation". The people upstairs were right hacked off with me when I complained to the estate agent that they now had wooden floors as they had just spent loads doing the flat up to rent it out. But they had taken up the carpets and replaced with awful laminate! So "sufficient" is subjective. I say it's not sufficient, they say it is.

[The Builder]

Hello Scarlett, it's been a long time ;o)
Yes, there are all kinds of things that can be fixed to a ceiling, but that would only do half a job.
It would help to deal with "airborne" sound, but your problem is mainly "impact" sound.
Separation is the best way to deal with that... i.e. fixing a suspended ceiling away fro the existing. The new ceiling would have to be of a fairly high specification (airborne sound).
I must say it would be quite expensive, and disruptive though.

In my experience of flat conversions, this does in fact come under strict Building Regulations rules. I guess this building was converted some time ago.

One long shot ... in one conversion I was involved in, the lease held a covenant forbidding bare floors in flats "above". Worth checking this.

A bit heavy-handed, I know, but Environmental Health should be told. I wouldn't hold out a lot of hope that they would act, but it may be a last resort.

[Garaman]

Definitely worth checking the lease. Something along the lines of 'All floors in the flat should be covered with underlay and carpets except for the kitchen and bathroom.' is a fairly common clause in conversions.

[Scarlett]

Many thanks! Hiya The Builder! Nice to hear from you again :) I've told my landlord and he is checking the lease again. Fingers crossed they will do something before new tenants move in :/