Sheffield has the noisiest neighbours, survey claims

LATE-NIGHT disturbances including rowing couples, DIY fanatics and loud music cost the average person in Sheffield 9.4 hours of sleep a week, researchers discovered.

By comparison people in Brighton have the quietest neighbours in Britain and on average only lose 4.1 hours of sleep a week.

Close behind Sheffield is Edinburgh, where people lose 8.7 hours of sleep because of the racket from next door.

Glasgow is third with residents complaining of losing 8.2 hours’ sleep per week.

Churchill Home Insurance polled 2,011 adults across the country and asked people who lost sleep what kept them up. London came fourth with residents losing 8.1 hours sleep per week. Plymouth and Southampton are joint fifth with each losing 6.7 hours per week.

In total, 13million people – a quarter of adults – lose sleep due to noise from next door and are deprived of an average 6.5 hours of sleep per week – the equivalent of one whole night’s sleep per week.

The most annoying noise is the bass sound from music with 43 per cent of people saying it kept them awake.

Some 34 per cent said neighbours rowing kept them up and 29 per cent said DIY drilling kept them awake.

DIY hammering was next on 24 per cent, followed by crying babies on 22 per cent, children arguing on 20 per cent, phone alarms on 5 per cent, lawn mowing on 4 per cent and footsteps on 2 per cent.

Martin Scott, head of Churchill, said: “Noise can have such a debilitating effect on us, due to the lost sleep, increased stress and sometimes even conflict with neighbours.

“Often those causing the noise do not realise how loud they are. They may have hardwood floors or a highend sound system and not realise how this sounds in the flat below.

“The first step for resolving noise complaints should be to speak to the neighbour in question and try to resolve it amicably. If this does not work, make a record of it and speak to the council.”