Why You Might Need a License Before Installing Wood Flooring in Your Flat (Especially in London)

When our client bought a new flat in Knightsbridge, they reached out to us for a site visit to discuss replacing the existing carpet with a beautiful bespoke wood floor. Sounds simple enough, right? But in high-end flats—especially older buildings across London and beyond—it’s not always so straightforward.

In this case, we discovered that installing wood flooring required a license from the building management. Why? It’s all about noise control.

Why Flats Often Need a Licence for Wood Flooring

Older flats (typically 20+ years old) were often built with carpet in mind. Carpet is a cheap and effective way to reduce noise between floors—both airborne sound (like music or voices bouncing off surfaces) and impact sound (like footsteps or dropped items).

Newer flats may come with laminate, LVT, or hardwood floors, but these are often installed over specially designed acoustic systems that meet certain decibel (dB) requirements. Without those systems in place, noise can easily travel between floors and become a problem for neighbours.

In fact, leaseholders are legally entitled to what’s called “quiet enjoyment” of their property. If your wood flooring doesn’t have adequate soundproofing, neighbours can make formal complaints—and councils are obligated to investigate under Section 80 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Here’s a helpful breakdown of the legal side.

So before we could move forward with any installation, our client needed that licence. They live abroad and weren’t familiar with UK building regulations, so we recommended they instruct a solicitor to communicate with the building management directly.

Enter the Sound Test

As part of the licence process, the building management requested that a professional sound test be carried out. Our client asked us to manage this on their behalf.

We brought in Jostec—a company that specialises in planning and building regulations compliance, including acoustic testing. They conducted a series of sound tests to determine the current state of the flooring and to guide us on what acoustic materials would be needed to meet the required dB levels.

All three tests required access to the flat below, which we coordinated. One of the key tests was done before removing the existing carpet, using equipment to measure both airborne and impact noise levels. Based on the results, Jostec provided guidance on the materials we’d need to use and instructed us to create a small 1x1m sample area of the finished floor for re-testing.

The Materials That Made the Cut

Here’s what we used to create the approved acoustic flooring system:

1. 100mm RW3 Rockwool Insulation – Helps absorb sound between floors.
2. 25mm x 25mm Timber Battens – Framing for the plasterboard layer.
3. 19mm Acoustic Plasterboard – Designed to reduce sound transmission.
4. Joist Caps – Prevent vibration transfer from floor to joists.
5. Tecsound Acoustic Membrane – A high-performance sound barrier layer.
6. Absorbalay High Impact Sound Barrier – Extra impact sound reduction.
7. 15mm SBX Acoustic Panels – Heavy-duty panels to block sound.
8. UK Standard Chipboard – Glued (not screwed!) to avoid sound test failure.
9. Regupol 3912 Acoustic Underlay – Fully bonded to chipboard using standard flooring adhesive.
10. Another layer of chipboard – For extra mass and separation.
11. Regupol 4515 Multi 3mm Underlay – Final acoustic layer before the floor finish.

And finally, we installed the 21mm bespoke wood flooring our client had chosen from the start.

The Final Test (And The Licence Approval)

After the test area was complete, Jostec came back for a final sound test—and it passed! The results were forwarded to the solicitor, who then secured the licence for installation. From there, we removed the existing (double) floorboards, cleaned everything thoroughly, and installed the full acoustic system across the flat before laying the final flooring.

Why This Matters

It might seem like overkill, but in places like Knightsbridge, every detail matters. The rules exist to protect neighbours from noise disruption and ensure buildings maintain high standards. This project is a great example of how to meet those standards with the right guidance and materials—and still achieve a beautiful end result.

TL;DR:

Thinking of swapping carpet for wood flooring in your London flat? You might need a license first—especially in older or high-end buildings like those in Knightsbridge. This blog breaks down why soundproofing is so important, what tests are involved, and how we helped a client navigate the process (including the exact materials we used to pass the sound test). Whether you’re a homeowner or contractor, here’s what you need to know before laying that floor.