Complete Guide to Dealing with Upstairs Noise: How to Handle Footsteps at Night and Running Children

Upper-floor noise can be broadly divided into two types: "light-impact floor noise" and "heavy-impact floor noise."

Light-Impact Floor Noise: Sounds like dragging chairs, dropping small objects, and footsteps in slippers. These sounds travel easily even in reinforced concrete (RC) structures and are difficult to completely prevent without structural improvements to the building.

Heavy-Impact Floor Noise: Sounds like children running, jumping, and loud stomping footsteps. While rugs and soundproof mats, or wearing slippers can reduce these, fundamental behavior change is ultimately necessary.

Step 1: Document Everything and Report to Your Building Management Company

Documentation is the most important element in resolving noise issues. Rather than emotional complaints, specific records of dates, times, content, and frequency become valid evidence in dealing with management and in legal proceedings.

What to Document:

• •Date and time (year/month/day, start and end times)
• •Type of noise (running, thumping, stomping, etc.)
• •Duration
• •Loudness level (quantify using a smartphone decibel meter app)

Reporting to Your Building Management Company: Report to your building management company by email (a format that creates a record) based on your documentation. Verbal reports alone can easily become "he said/she said," so always communicate in writing.

Example wording: "Between 10:30 PM and 11:15 PM on [date], I heard loud running sounds from the unit above. This type of noise occurs approximately 3–4 times per week, and it is disrupting my sleep. I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter."

Step 2: Demand Action from Your Building Management Company

The building management company can issue written warnings or make in-person visits to the upstairs resident.

If the management company is slow to respond: Follow up with "It has been one week since I reported this on [date], and no improvement has been observed. I will continue documenting the situation and request your continued, concrete action."

The management company has a legal duty to address noise issues (this is the landlord's obligation). If the company ignores your complaint, you as a tenant may have grounds to request rent reduction or contract termination based on "interference with your right of use and enjoyment."

Step 3: Direct Negotiation (After Management Company Involvement)

If there is no improvement after the management company issues a warning, direct negotiation may be an option depending on the situation. However, we strongly recommend starting with a polite letter and avoiding emotional reactions.

Actions to Avoid in Direct Negotiation:

• •Knocking on their door late at night
• •Shouting or threatening behavior
• •Banging on your ceiling to signal them to stop

These actions can escalate the situation and may even result in complaints being filed against you.

Special Approach for Children Running Around

When the upstairs resident has children, they often create noise unintentionally, and there is often room for improvement if they are notified.

When reporting to the management company, using considerate language such as "While I don't believe this is intentional, the running of your child—particularly in the evening—is creating noise. Would you be willing to discuss installing soundproof mats or limiting activities in the evening?" can prevent the relationship with the upstairs resident from deteriorating.

Step 4: Soundproofing Measures You Can Take Yourself

In addition to addressing the upstairs noise, you can improve your living comfort by implementing soundproofing measures in your own unit.

• •Place large bookshelves or dressers against the ceiling (limited effect, but provides some sound insulation)
• •Install high-density soundproof carpeting wall-to-wall (to absorb impact noise from below within your unit)
• •Use earplugs or noise-canceling headphones when sleeping
• •Adjust your sleep schedule to coincide with quieter late-night/early-morning hours (not a permanent solution, but effective in the short term)

Step 5: Legal Remedies and Considering Moving

If the noise continues for six months or longer and both the management company and upstairs resident fail to improve the situation, consider the following options:

Consult a Lawyer: You may be able to claim damages for emotional distress and sleep disruption caused by the noise. Medical documentation (sleep disorder diagnosis, etc.) and your noise records will be needed as evidence.

Contact Your Municipality's Noise Complaint Office: You can request noise measurement and administrative guidance.

Consider Moving: If the noise issue stems from building structure (even RC structures can transmit noise severely) or if the management company's response is inadequate, moving may be the most reliable solution.

Learn how to record 'evidence' needed when reporting noise damage to your property management company or legal authorities. This guide covers noise measurement using smartphone apps, how to save your records, and effective ways to communicate with your property management company.