'My neighbour's kids are so loud my boss can hear – even my dog is annoyed'

It's a nightmare when your own abode becomes a source of discomfort, all thanks to the ruckus from next door.

From incessant dog barking and blaring tunes to the endless shrieks of children, the cacophony from noisy neighbours can drive you to the brink, leaving you desperate for a new sanctuary and pondering over the right way to address the issue.

In a tale of domestic disturbance, one woman, residing in a basement flat, reached her wits' end with the uproar from "stomping and crying" youngsters above. Her distress led her to seek counsel on Reddit's 'Neighbours From Hell' forum.

"Their stomping also stresses my dog out where he hides under the bed most of the day," she vented with exasperation.

"I live in the basement of a 4 floor townhouse. The other 3 floors are rented by one family. The floor right above me is where the kitchen/living room is. They moved from the UK to Canada a few months ago. Since they moved in, their kids (3.5 and 1 year old) have been extremely loud and active starting at 530-6 am.

"I assumed maybe it was jet lag and wasn't upset at the time. When I initially met them, they mentioned that their furniture was delayed overseas. I was completely empathetic and offered wifi, cutlery, plates, blankets for the time being until their stuff arrived. It took about a month for them to receive everything and settle in.

"Fast forward to today, and it is still as loud as ever. They start running around the floor above me at 6 am, even on weekends. I'm fortunate that they are in bed at a reasonable time so I get a couple hours of peace and quiet at night. However, I do work from home and my colleagues can hear them in the background during meetings.Their stomping also stresses my dog out where he hides under the bed most of the day.

"I use the heavy duty Loop earplugs and it does a good job muffling out the screaming and tantrums, but I can still feel the stomping through the ceiling and walls."

She then asked people for advice on how to "approach the family in a respectful manner without upsetting them". She continued: "What is considered reasonable to ask of them? I really don't want to get off on the wrong foot. I've had neighbours living upstairs before with dogs and a newborn and it was never a problem.

"I understand kids can be loud, but this is severely affecting my sleep. I am 27 and sleeping at 9-10 pm to get 8 hours of sleep seems a bit unrealistic and would require a drastic shift in my lifestyle."

In the comments, people were quick to offer advice on maintaining neighbourly relations. One person suggested: "Just ask to talk and tell them that you work from home and are having a hard time because of the running around, and that your coworkers can hear it. Maybe they'll add some area rugs to keep the voice to a minimum?"

The original poster considered this thoughtful gesture, replying: "I've thought about gifting them those foam mats that look like puzzle pieces. I used to love those as a kid!"

Another chimed in with a strategy: "Do you feel able to talk to the parents? Maybe bring one of them down to the basement while the noise is going on, to show them how much disturbance it's causing for you. You could perhaps suggest that the kids stay on the floor above their living room until a more reasonable time."

A third shared their personal experience: "Kids are loud. I have two boys in elementary.

"They were once this old and believe you me my neighbour was not as nice and understanding as you are being. So I definitely recommend maybe talking to them about it.

"If my neighbour had been as polite as you, it would have been different [...] I hope they're receptive to your kindness and reasonable requests."