Do you have hardwood floors?
I'd begin with laying lots of thick wool rugs w/ underpads to help absorb the sounds from below.

Ditto the rugs. You can't talk to him about the quality/condition/existence of insulation between the apartments?

Mello, it's a forum about living in small spaces and that encompasses all aspects of doing so.

Do you have rugs down? Getting some large thick rugs is the only thing I can think might help. Hopefully, someone else will have better suggestions.

Rugs and a white noise machine.
Good luck.

I feel your pain. My previous unit I was catching hell from above AND below (extremely loud, late music).

I just relocated to a different (and the best) unit in the building. So for now I am happy.

Unfortunately outside of construction, or a full floor cover solution, there isn't much you can do except move. Noise has and will bring me to the point of moving.

Thick carpet/underpadding + some combination of the following: white noise machine/air purifier/ac window unit/silicone ear plugs/noise cancelling headphones.

I've been an apartment dweller the majority of my adult life and I can seriously vouch for adding rugs (even if you have carpet already). Also, decorative tapestries or a curtain wall of medium to heavy fabric. Something that provides white noise like soft music or even a fan is another good idea.

Most importantly, find the room where the majority of the noise seeps in and concentrate on it first. In the past it's usually been the bathroom for me. Clearly, you don't want to lay down huge rugs or add fabric to the walls for sanitation reasons. That's why a draft dodger can be your best friend. Another place I've always noticed an issue is in the vents. If you have building-wide temperature control you'll hear everything from everyone. So when it's nice enough outside you can use magnetic vent covers. (These are also great if you need to shut off a room for a while for any reason.)

Mello1: maybe Liz is asking her friends at AP for advice because she wants a smart solution that looks good, too.
Rugs, drapes and pillows will stop the noise from bouncing around your place. Your own music, even at a low volume, will help. The white noise machine is a good idea - and those headphones are great!
Have you asked your landlord for ideas? =)

The folks who have lived in the unit above me have been loud since day one - and I think it's the building itself, not the neighbors. My roommate sleeps with earplugs, but I just hate that... I run an oscillating fan, facing away from me, just for the white noise. It helps.

Blackmail him into silence? ;)

It may not be your place to ask him to have fewer people over, but it is definitely your place to ask him to adjust the TIMES he has them over. If he's making a ton of noise after 11, it's completely appropriate to talk to him about it. No one wants to come off like a jerk, but if the amount of noise he's making is disrupting your life, he has a responsibility (especially as the landlord) to do something about it.

Hmmm...up til 2 am you say? How about being sure to save up all of your loud chores like vacuuming for 7 am? Not retaliation exactly, but it might help prove your point and show the landlord how terrible the sound pollution in the building is.

mass stops sound. sound also flows like water, though, in that it will find a way in. most effective way is to stop the sound at the source--talk to him again? (or blackmail him into silence--hah! love that).

heavy rugs might not help that much. it depends on a lot of factors. although it sounds like it may be worth a shot?

If you have to stay put, try a white noise machine or fan in addition to the suggestions to add soft goods to absorb sound. If possible, you may want to try to locate your sleeping area as far away from the sound area as possible.

Like selftaught, I am a sensitive about noise and in this kind of situation, I have broken down and moved. After having to do that once, I was a lot more careful about checking out noise issues (and ended up not renting a couple of greta places when I found out the owner who lived on site was a musician). Even when we bought our house, we went for an older place and checked out neighborhoods at all hours of the day and night to find a quiet place.

You have my sympathy--I really really hate other people's noise.

Rugs will help, like others have said. Barring that, I would move ASAP. It's the landlord's fault that you can hear everything that's being done below you, and unless he agrees to add some insulation or sound-dampening materials between the ceiling and your floor, it should be obvious to you that he has no intention to permanently solve the problem and you should move.

Do you have floor vents? That might be contributing to a lot of noise. Unfortunately, you can't really block the vents if air is flowing through them (hot or cold), but your landlord might be interested to know that you can hear EVERYTHING that's going on. He might be embarrassed enough to keep it down.

I feel your pain. I was sick Saturday night and my downstairs neighbors were bangin music. It didn't go that late, but I didn't feel good and that steady bass was killing my soul. I have a ground entrance and my stairs run alongside a shared wall with the neighbors in question. That's where the sound was coming from.

I read the comments, and I'm wondering how I can solve this problem aesthetically. I like the idea of hanging something, especially since it would be in an area of my home that has been neglected since I moved in, the entry. It's very small. There's only a couple of feet of tile, and then carpeted stairs. There is NO room for furniture of any kind. I was thinking about hanging a shelf with hooks below for a landing strip, but after reading the comments, I was thinking hanging something insulating there would help with the noise. I'm not really a tapestry person, but would canvas work at all? I was reading house*tweaking and I loved the canvas thing she did in her entry with "You make me happy when skies are grey." Would canvas work, does anyone thing?

As for the original problem, maybe laying down rugs in the bedroom would help, since the noise seems to come up through the floor. You could get small ones and then layer them all cool.

If you have bare or hardwood floors, I suggest you get large, thickly woven, room sized, wool or nylon rugs to cover as much of your floors, (at least 90%) as possible. If you're starting with bare floors, consider ordering wall-to-wall carpet bound as a rug in the exact dimensions of the room. This includes getting runners for hallways and other odd spaces. These rugs should be laid atop the thickest sound attenuating carpet padding available.

If you already have rugs covering 90% or more of your floor, you should replace their existing underlayment with thick padding.

The padding can be obtained inexpensively from any carpet retailer or a big box store like Lowe's or Home Depot. Once you get the padding home, cut it about 2-4 inches smaller than the rug and lay the rug on top of it. You should notice an immediate reduction of both exterior and interior noise.

Good Luck

If your bed or mattress is directly on the ground, I would suggest raising it off the floor: it's like putting a glass to the floor and your ear to the glass to amplify the sound. putting something between your bed and the floor would help too!

I also have lived in apts for most of my adult life. I have always lived on the top floors because of the noise factor but the walk ups proved to be too much for me as I got older. I now live in a 2nd floor apt. (elevators YAY!). It's a one bedroom converted factory apt. Tall, tall ceilings and the walls are like poster board. I have a box fan on in my bedroom when I sleep, every night. This takes care of above, below and side noise. And I have a large woolen, heavy rug over my wall to wall in my living room. It helps.

Part of the chorus: a rug and thick padding. Recommend getting a size that is basically wall-to-wall, because the more coverage, the better. Even thick curtains will help absorb sounds. Do you share a vent in the bathroom? Consider a rug for in there too and draft blockers for all of your doors' bottoms. A sound machine might help at night, or the poor-man's version: a radio set on static (give it a few minutes and your brain will turn it into radiator noise.) Noise-canceling headphones might be something to consider for daytime noise.

If I knew the answer to this, I'd have already put it to use. As it is, we have baseboard radiators and carpeted floors, and even sitting in my bedroom this Saturday night, I was able to sing along with "Golddigger" coming through the floor from my downstairs neighbors.

I don't miss renting! Try banging on the floors!!! Or move into a "quiet, professionals building".

Maybe these (they come in various pack sizes) covered with a nice fabric could serve as wall decoration.
http://provideosound.com/asb6.html
You could also try subtle embarrassment like asking to borrow a dvd or cd of something he was playing the night before.

You may want to review your city's rent laws, in particular the right to "quiet enjoyment". "Quiet enjoyment refers to the right of an occupant of real property, particularly of a residence, to enjoy and use premises in peace and without interference. Quiet enjoyment is often an implied condition in a lease. "Quiet" is not restricted to an absence of noise; it has been interpreted as "uninterrupted". A tenant's remedies for breach of his/her quiet enjoyment are damages and injunctions." Although it is your landlord who is in breach, you might want to consider a very graciously worded letter stating your rights pursuant to the lease...and also contact your local police department about noise laws. You are paying him for something he is not providing and/or respecting.

Hi everyone - thank you SO much for all the advice (and sympathy!). We have hardwood floors, so I think all the carpeting/padding suggestions might work out well. Using a fan for white noise is a great suggestion too.

Maybe I'll also mention that I, too, like The Wizard of Oz...which was what he was watching last night :)

I definitely second the White Noise machine suggestion. You can get a really good (and not obtrusive) one online. We use one in our bedroom at night, mostly so the neighbors/roommates don't wake our Jack Russell and throw her into a barking fit.

Two good ones: http://bit.ly/gdrDXh and http://bit.ly/gdrDXh

my roomate and i used the vacuuming early in the morning technique-worked like a charm. our neighbors below were constantly up until 3 or 4 in the morning with lots of people over, and it was an old building, so we could repeat their conversations back to them if need be. they didn't feel the need to stop, even though we told them we both had jobs that started at 6am [getting us up at 5 to get ready], so we started leaving the vacuum cleaner plugged in and running while we got ready in the mornings. :] kind of vengeful, but a sleep deprived person can't always make the nicest decisions.

I agree this is a home design site. Thank goodness i own my own home. Sometimes when you rent in a building you just have to live with the noise.

I love all of these rug ideas. I live in a middle apartment myself, but am always concerned about how much noise *I'm* making rather than the other way around - the subwoofer when I'm watching an action movie, my music while I make dinner, my dancing around in the kitchen. I've never had a complaint, but I can hear entire conversations from above me at times. I'd like to think that if I threw down a few rugs I might contain some of the sounds I make. My best solution thus far has been to close my bathroom door - the ventilation system/pipes amplify sound like crazy. And I keep my subwoofer elevated on a shelf rather than the floor. Great discussion overall!

I'm with ashk. If he's up to 2am, you know it will bother him if the washer turns on/vacuum starts up/etc at about 6 or 7am. Running a fan at night when you're trying to sleep can work wonders and it's more than likely you already own one.

I'm going to have to concur with the few folks who suggested moving. I know it's not the most reasonable response, but probably the only one that will get you what you really want. It's the only thing that worked for me.

Although, in my case it wasn't just the noise, but also the stress and resentment that resulted from having uncooperative neighbors.

In the meantime, earplugs can also be helpful. I suggest the white waxy kind made by Mack's and its generic doppelganger.

I just moved because of noise from my upstairs neighbours in a poorly insulated low-rise. Now I'm in the top floor of a semi-detached house, with an apartment below me. I hear absolutely nothing from the person below me now, at least nothing that bothers me. I think it must be because of the thick carpeting/underpadding that is everywhere except the kitchen/bathroom. So I would go with the carpeting idea. Make sure it's nice and thick!

Unfortunately I am amazed at the sound that travels through the wall from my next-door-neighbour (and, I assume, they probably can hear me as well). I actually put a big massive rug on the wall where the sound comes from, but it did nothing lol. Thankfully it doesn't seem like they spend a lot of time on their upper floor, so it hasn't been a major issue. But I dream of one day having my own detached home in the country with no one around for miles! :P

Lots of good advice on attempting to muffle the noise. I'd try telling him you can hear every word said in his home; you feel you are eavesdropping on his every conversation, and it is embarrassing for you to know so much about his private life. Mostly, I'd be looking to move at the first opportunity.

I hope it's OK to piggieback on this question.
We live on the bottom floor and it's our upstairs neighbors who make crazy noise. We have heavy curtains and a white noise machine but it hasn't helped.
We've talked to them about it and their excuse was a very apologetic "We're Braziiiiiilian" and then offered us some food. Which was nice but didn't change their attitude towards parties and our reaction to it.
They celebrated Thanksgiving last night (why???) until about 2:00am. All night long laughter and high heels on the wood floors. At least they turned the music off at 10:00.
We own our unit so are there any options for us? Please don't say popcorn ceilings.
FYI... we used to blast Einstürzende Neubauten at 6:00 am but they slept right through it. They say we don't make any noise at all.
Thank you!

@mycagnes - you are aware that "home" means a place in which one lives, not "detached end unit with driveway, two car garage, and screened in front porch" right? Your HOME is where you live, and it doesn't have to be owned to be a real home.

That means that while this is a home design blog, it's also called "APARTMENT Therapy" and as most apartments are rented, apartments obviously constitute as HOMES.

Just because you live around other people does not mean you have to "live with the noise." I don't think you would like it if I moved next door to you and had riotous parties all night, so loudly that you could hear it. But since you think renters should just "live with the noise" maybe you can just do the same.

I'm going through the same thing- but between a shared wall. I'm having someone come in to build a small internal inside my bedroom. I'm dreaming of the silence!

Just a reminder to the unwelcoming comments about "this is a home design site" only: actually, it's called APARTMENT THERAPY. It's original stated goal is to help those living in APARTMENTS live better lives and I'm pretty sure noise reduction would fall under that. For those of us who don't own a 3000+ sq. ft., house in the 'burbs, this is reality and for any number of reasons, sometimes moving just isn't an option. Check your privilege at the door, please.

As far as noise reduction, yes, rugs and carpets are good, as is the fan (or a dehumidifier if you live in a particularly wet place), but also, it's important to have ambient noise yourself. Background noise such as a radio or TV or one of those running water ornamental pieces can help distract you from the noise downstairs. Also, look into one of those sleep noise machines for troubled sleepers. I have friends in NYC who swear by them.

It might not be an option now depending on your climate and location, but sometimes I find that simply opening a window helps. The breeze kind of muffles other sounds and personally I find it very calming and helps me get to sleep.

Best of luck!

I swear by my earplugs -- they are a boon and a blessing to me. It took some time to get used to them but now that I have, I find that I can't sleep without them. If I am awake between 11:00 pm and 2:00 am then I don't really mind noise but if I want to go to sleep, it's my beloved earplugs! I get the kind that hospitals issue to workers and they are great! You can hear the alarm or the phone but nothing extraneous -- I'm the kind of person who finds the fridge noise distracting when trying to fall asleep...

@jmlong - you own your unit, so is there any kind of homeowners association you can talk to about the noise? Do they own their unit? If not, can you find out who their landlord is?

What I find is that sometimes people will feign ignorance and say that in their culture, it's okay - well, this isn't really okay, and you shouldn't feel bad if you "resort" to telling them that being a loud Brazillian is a BS excuse. Can you talk to their neighbors and see whether they find the couple to be loud as well? Maybe a united front is in order.

We used to have a loud neighbor as well - we ended up moving away, but if we had stayed, I do think management would have had the guts to kick the lady out because she was being so unreasonable. The nail in the coffin, as it were, to her case against us was when she suggested that we were being unreasonable and we were just light sleepers - management balked because she had completely admitted to leaving her TV and music on during the night, and management had even told her that it had stood outside her door and could hear it down to the other end of the hall, so it was her unreasonable action versus our completely reasonable request, and her crazy assertion that we were the unreasonable ones that led the apartment management to stick complaint letters on her door, and threatening to fine her.

@ jmlong, is there any way you can add mass-loaded vinyl barrier to your ceiling? It may cause the ceiling to lower slightly as you may have to add drywall to cover the vinyl barrier for aesthetic reasons. Be sure to use acoustical sealant for the seams since 3% opening can allow up to 50% noise to get through, or something like that.

Mass-loaded vinyl barrier work for floors, don't see why it wouldn't for for ceilings.

Check your lease (I hope you have an official signed lease.) There should be a clause in there similar to "the right to quiet enjoyment." Essentially it means that part of what you are paying for is the ability to enjoy the space you are renting in peace.

Your landlord is in violation of your rights as a renter. I am guessing it is a younger landlord that doesn't appreciate the fact that being a landlord includes responsibilities to their tenants...like letting them live in peace.

If you need to move on...check your lease, real estate lease language in your area, give notice and move. He is not fulfilling his role, you don't have to live there and pay for it.

Soon after I moved in my 2nd floor apt two years ago, I realized there was a serious noise problem coming from downstairs - heavy metal music at all hours - and upstairs -a «musician» practiced his clarinet or saxophone or synthesizer with drums, at different hours of the day thank you very much. I can't afford to move. I live in a coop where people are supposed to live in harmony, so I tried the conciliatory approach, first with the downstairs neighbour who after numerous polite calls, accepted to plug her daughter, the heavy metal lover, to a computer with earphones!!! The upstairs neighbour proved more difficult. I had to phone repeatedly and face his aggressive attitude or «surprised denial».

His bad faith made me shift gears. I began taking notes of dates, times, duration and type of noise. I spoke with the previous tenant who confirmed the noise problem which she endured for seven years, before she decided to move seeing the upstairs neighbour's reaction. However, she agreed to support me if ever I filed a complaint. I found that encouraging.

I then made a written complaint to the coop and it was decided that the neighbour could only practice music at certain hours when I was absent. For the other types of noise, he was expected to maintain reasonable levels. One neutral member was appointed to receive calls in the occurrence of unacceptable noise from either my apt or my neighbours and was instructed to come over to verify the noise situation.

The coop's decision dated a few months now and it has been very very effective. I don't hear any noise anymore coming from either apt. which proves that it is possible to tone it down as it should be. For my part, I have purchased a pair of remote cordless earphones to watch tv. They are God's gift to appartment dwellers. Good luck!

Hi All,

I find this question perfect for Apartment Therapy and I'm shocked -- shocked!! -- that some people have posted such unwelcoming and rude comments.

So... I live on the second floor of a low-rise building in Manhattan. I've lived here so long that I can no longer afford to move as I'd never find the same sized apartment at a similar rent. Three or four years ago, the neighbors from hell moved in downstairs and I have evil bass sounds and merengue every weekend.

That said, I have never lived in an apartment in this city that did not have a noise problem. Because of the way buildings are constructed here in the United States (drywall vs. brick walls and so forth), I imagine most apartment dwellers in this country have similar problems. House dwellers might have them too: noisy kids, etc.

This being such a common problem, I am, I reiterate, shocked at the negative responses. Also, if AT excludes house dwellers from the site, then we should forgo being invited into the homes of a large segment who show us their living spaces here.

Sok, I'm very grateful to Zenezie for the suggestion of mass-loaded vinyl, as it seems like a cost-effective way of dealing with a ubiquitous problem. I'm going to look into it, as the other alternative (which I have been saving for) is to have a professional contractor soundproof my place like a sound studio -- and that is expensive.

(I have asthma, so I cannot lay down thick carpeting or pads, although I can attest to their effectiveness from using this method in a prior apartment.)

One final thought: I do not have any say on what goes on in this site, but it seems to me that it is about living well in the spaces we have. Certainly, noise pollution has a negative impact on well being. I find this question to be very relevant.

But... even if a person asked a question that were not relevant to the site, is it absolutely necessary to answer rudely? Surely, ignoring the question and not answering at all is an option the rude posters here might consider.

PS to Liz:

My sympathies! Living with other people's noise is hardly healthy. My hope is that you find a workable solution soon. Take care.

So sorry. I've suffered from this as well, and find that 2 (!) pairs of ear plugs are necessary for best relief. First I put the pink foam ones, and then top them w/ the orange silicone ones meant for child swimmers, as they're smaller than the white ones referenced above. You get used to the way they feel...not very sexy, for sure. The problem is when you FEEL the music in your body. No earplug or noise machine I've tried helps w/ that. I had to move.

A white noise machine saved me before from loud neighbors, and a fan now helps me deal with my roommates' late nights. Watch out for earplugs--I tried them first at night and after 2 weeks I had raging ear infections in both ears.

I would just like to add that this is not a "renter" vs. "owner" problem. I own a condo, but noise is also an issue. So for those who assume that an apartment is always rented --- well, sometimes "apartments" and "condos" are terms used interchangeably. Also, I own a detached house, and noise is still an issue in that context too. In that case, it's not only parties of neighbors but leaf blowers, lawn mowers, rototillers, dogs that bark all night long, etc. Just owning a detached house over a condo is no guarantee of silence.

I think while earplugs can be a reasonable solution, I wonder why it is YOU who should acquiesce if the person is being wholly unreasonable? When my noisy neighbor suggested I wear earbuds, I told her adamantly, NO. It was not I who was being outrageous, it was her for turning on her TV at 4 am and for listening to rap music at 3 am. It was her problem, and if I were to acquiesce and muffle the noise for myself, it would have never modified her behavior. It would have never forced her to change her behavior to consider the quality of life for others.

First of all, you have to negotiate and make an agreement with your neighbours that cause noise in the building.

I.g. Agreement not to play music after 10.30pm til 8am or so. No need to be in any legal form, just reach the friendly agreement with your neighbours.

This is how they resolve the issue in one NZ TV show that helps neighbours settle their dispute with a mediator.

Frankly, I'm not sure how efficient it will be in terms of other comments advising to be equipped with some sort of materials (i.e. rugs, floors, etc). What if they won't work after you spend a lot of money for sound-proof?

I'd rather contemplate moving in to a better place where the building was constructed in sound-proof (between walls), and neighours are respectful, who would well-behave enough not to play loud music late at night.

What on earth is wrong with your landlord? Presumably he owns the building so why isn't he sound-proofing his ceilings? It is possible to get building materials for ceilings and floors that reduce noise to a hum.

However, in the meantime room-sized rugs with smaller ones layered on top seem to be the answer, as already suggested. Thicker soft furnishings and wall hangings reduce noise.

I lived in a building where the neighbors were noisy, the police and the landlord couldn't make them stop. My friend tiled some plywood (with felt on the back to not scratch the floor) and took up tapdancing...at 5 am before I went to work :) I'm pretty good

Liz, I'm assuming from your question that this is a brownstone. If so, I know (from experience x 3 at this point) that they were often constructed with absolutely no insulation between floors. Ceiling, joist, floor. That's it. So, the entire building is one giant noise conductor. We live in a gorgeous top floor apartment and our landlords have the bottom two floors...and although we are all very quiet, we always hear their music and sometimes we can even hear them cough. For us it's OK, because we are all so quiet, and it's a minor nuisance. But, for you, what I wonder is, how's your landlord's heating bill? I'll bet it's high--especially if there is little or no insulation between floors of the building. And I'll bet in these days of escalating fuel prices that reducing that bill would be of interest to your landlord. If you like your place enough, and plan to stay for a while, what about offering to split the cost of blowing insulation into the space between your apartments? A well-maintained owner-occupied brownstone is like gold. Hope that helps...and hope I didn't just get your scenario wrong and made this up out of whole cloth.

bobejina - A small problem with your strategy - not everyone works the same hours. Some people need to sleep during the day since they work at night.

Id move..but if moving isnt an option, foam suppliers have materials used in music studio floors and walls. You can also program your music system or TV with an alarm to go off very LOUD while u are at work and your landlord sleeps. Some folks dont believe its actually loud enough for u to hear everything unless you give specifics. After months of complaining to my upstairs neighbors to tone down the noise i flat out told them knew that their last lovemaking session lasted exactly 6 minutes and 38 seconds. The husband turned deep red and silent. After that the noise level went way down.

You could look at something like Owens Corning QuietR Rotary Duct Liner: http://www.owenscorningcommercial.com/family/ductsolutions/

Made for lining ductwork to reduce sound transmission, it is a thick rollgood that you could put under a large rug....however, I'd think you'd want to put it wall to wall....probably with acoustical sealant around your baseboards so sound won't "creep" through. All it takes is one small hole for sound to find its way through. You want to get as much thickness and absorption as possible between you and the other apartment. It would also help to reduce hard surfaces throughout...fabric wrapped absorptive panels on the walls, draperies, etc:
http://www.tectum.com/interior_walls.htm

These are commercial projects, but if you're desperate and can't move, it may be worth the cost. Good luck!

I’ve read that some restaurants will add carpet padding or carpet tiles to the underside of dining tables to help absorb sound.

Maybe you could try to add noise mufflers underneath everything possible. I’m thinking some old quilts under the sofa (not too close to the edge, don’t want anything showing). Also, try under any tables or countertops.

Anyone have experience with either of these?

Yes you will have to cover the floor with the thickets and heaviest carpets you can find and you will want to cover most of the floor with these carpets. You could further reduce the noise buy laying down MLV (Mass Loaded Vinyl) underneath the carpets, the heavier the better. Note that this will be expensive. White noise is also good with masking noise, a fan or loud air filtration device will also work.

Noise will still enter through and around those carpet. You will also get flanking noise from your walls.

For soundproofing solutions you can visit my blog at http://soundproofingwithdave.com

Rolled cork goods can do wonders under rugs or carpet. You can buy different thickness and cut to size.

It makes a great sound absorbing underlayment and does not cost a lot.

@Mello1: you clearly miss the point of this blog/website. it's for ideas to improve your apartment or house, not just for design tips. also, considering this person needs assistance in a rental unit, the only usable advice we can give them are design related (such as large heavy rugs to dampen the noise).

so don't be a jerk.

omg i have the exact same problem right now. people think i'm crazy when i tell them i can hear the downstairs neighbors. they live in the 1 bedroom basement unit (low ceilings) and they have 2 small kids. they're up until past midnight EVERY NIGHT (kids are up past 10pm). we've complained to the manager 3 times now and they've been told to shut up. we're waiting for another unit to open up in the building so we can move. if they had told us about the family beforehand, we would not have moved in since i am really sensitive to noise. i think the only solution is to move. soundproofing the floors is expensive and since they have low ceilings, it might not work. sorry for venting.
i think you should move. the landlord probably won't put money into soundproofing the floors. rugs might help but only if they're wall to wall otherwise the sound will get in wherever there isn't carpet.

Hi
I have been through the noisy neighbours from downstairs thing. I have laminate flooring with rugs and with sound proofing under the laminate. But there were still gaps around were the floor meets the wall. I got some builders calk and went around the flat sealing all the gaps. It significantly dropped the level of conversation i could hear from downstairs. It wont help with loud music, it should sort out hearing conversations from downstairs. At least it did for me.

I j'adore mello1. what a b1tch! i always look forward to their post and amuse everyone by reading them in a Heidi Klum accent. Auf Wiedersehen! HAHA!

I'm in a bit of an opposite situation right now as I am the landlord and I own a detached bungalow and rent out my basement suite. I just had a new tennant move into the basement and for the first three weeks he was quiet, considerate, and as kind as could be. About 3 weeks into living here he met a girl and she started staying over every single night and having loud, obnoxious and frankly disgusting sounding sex anytime between 11pm and 5am, usually more than once. After 3 weeks I told him I could hear everything that was going on down there and that it might be a positive life choice to move his bed away from under the vent that lead up to my room and try to keep it down. Well he lost it on me and told me I had crossed a line and that I was infringing on his right to enjoyment of the space he was paying for. I don't see it this way. I'm very quiet, rarely home except to have dinner and sleep and have been very courteous and generous with him. I haven't had a good night sleep in weeks now and even after telling him about the noise they've been louder and raunchier just to spite me! What do I do?!