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Author Topic: Sound transference issues between ground floor and upstairs flat  (Read 5001 times)

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Sazzla

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Sound transference issues between ground floor and upstairs flat
« on: September 12, 2019, 04:06:48 pm »
I bought my ground floor flat from Keepmoat in April 2018.
Initially my upstairs neighbour had not fully moved in so I was unaware of any sound from above.
As soon as she was in fully I realised I could hear very clearly everything that she was saying especially when she was in her bedroom. This is not faint murmurs of conversations I can clearly her taking on the phone etc. I can also hear all your typical bedroom noises in great detail!!!  :-\
Also whenever she plugs anything in it echos down the walls. I can hear her opening and closing her doors. I can hear her getting plates out of her kitchen cupboards. She isn’t having wild parties playing music etc. She I literally just doing daily normal living things.

I complained to Keepmoat and was fobbed off with the standard everything has been built properly.
I then asked as few questions in our estates Facebook page to see if I was the only one with problems. Most people said they couldn’t hear anything from their upstairs neighbour at all. Another resident said she was having the same issues as me and had complained to Keep Moat as well. She was given the same "everything has been built properly" line.

I then contacted NHBC, as they had apparently signed off on the flat, I asked exactly what the regulations were. They then contacted Keepmoat who then arranged for the Contracts Manager who came out to see me and the other resident on the estate. He said after tapping some walls and listening to my concerns that he would request a sound test to be done on my flat. This was on the 6th of June. After chasing this up customer service said on the 17th July they would have a date and time by the end of that week. I have heard nothing since and all emails and phone calls have not been returned.

After checking with the other resident she said after much chasing Keepmoat came to her flat and told her they didn’t need to do a sound test as they had found the plans and everything had been built properly!!! She is furious and is also looking into taking this further.

I have now contacted NHBC again to ask them to step in again as I can’t get a reply from Keepmoat.

I just wondered where I can go from here. Is it possible to get independent sound tests carried out? How can I find out what the regulations are?? I’m feeling like I’m living in the same house as someone and sometimes feel I need to whisper in my own flat.

Sorry for the long post but I feel like I’m going to have a fight on my hands here and I just want to know if anyone has any advice on how to proceed.

Thanks

Sara




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Re: Sound transference issues between ground floor and upstairs flat
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2019, 06:36:22 am »
Just because a housebuilder says everything has been built correctly doesn't make it so.

Keepmoat said they would carry out sound tests and they should have done so by now.
Your flat has not been constructed properly with regard to insulation and sound transference.

Contact the NHBC as soon as possible and get them to deal with this under the warranty.

By the way if you can hear her she can probably hear you.
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