Hard Floors = Noise, Aggravation

London, England According to a 2007 survey, Scots are Britain's noisiest neighbors and uncarpeted laminate flooring may be the reason. The survey said that one in 10 is regularly driven to distraction by banging next door.

People in Scotland are twice as likely to suffer at the hands of noisy neighbors than their counterparts in England where 6% complained about excessive noise. Most people in Britain claim the worst noise is children crying; however, in Scotland, arguments, raised voices and footsteps on bare floorboards are considered a greater nuisance. One in seven Scots say they are regularly disturbed by the sound of their neighbors' footsteps, compared with just 6% in England and 4% in Wales.

"In cities like Edinburgh and Glasgow we have a unique situation," said Christine Schoeck, of the Edinburgh Community Mediation Service, which claims around half its cases are connected to noisy neighbors. "Laminate flooring is the main culprit. There is a case for legislation saying that you must have carpets if you live above someone."

Fall 2009
Cleaning Digest
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