Cracks in the ceiling caused by running children?

Hello forum community,

I hope it’s okay that I, as a tenant, am asking a question here because I expect concentrated expertise on the subject...

A few months ago, we moved into a rental apartment on the first floor of an old building (end of the 19th century, three-story brick house). The apartments were renovated five years ago and the walls were plastered with clay plaster.
Now, the tenant in the apartment below us told us that strong cracks have recently appeared in the ceiling plaster in their apartment. In addition, she finds our children relatively loud. That may be true, as they are quite lively and sometimes run around in the apartment. However, we make sure that they don’t constantly jump off chairs or anything like that. Also, all apartments have laminate flooring (according to the owners, impact sound insulated), and we can hear the tenants above us quite well when they walk around, even though they are rather quiet.

She spoke to the property owners about it, and after they examined the damage, apparently the entire plaster downstairs has to be replaced. Of course, that is the landlord’s responsibility, but the time involved is considerable for a single mother with two children, as she has to empty all rooms.

The tenant below connects this, meaning that the cracks only appeared since we moved into the apartment above her. The previous tenants were apparently quieter.
Now I can’t imagine that two children weighing a maximum of 20 kg running around can cause the plaster below to crumble?? If I assume my rudimentary knowledge of house construction, there are always cavities in ceilings so that vibrations do not directly continue, right? Sure, if I had two obese 15-year-olds regularly practicing martial arts in the apartment, I could imagine that, but with slender kindergarten children? What kind of house is it if it doesn't withstand that...?

The noise complaint is another matter, and I understand that. We are considering putting rugs in the most important rooms.

Is it conceivable that running children have such an impact? Or how else can cracks in the clay plaster downstairs appear within a few months? By the way, we also have cracks, but they are probably normal and it doesn’t look like the plaster will come off soon.

Thanks in advance if anyone has taken the trouble to read this!

The construction year refers to a wooden beam ceiling. It has the property of being somewhat springy. If the newly applied plaster below now comes off again, it is because it is either not suitable for the ceiling at all or was not applied professionally. Apart from that: You (the parents) certainly make less noise when walking, but are likely to stress the ceiling considerably more than the children. If the tenant among you finds it too loud, she should please look for accommodation elsewhere. And she can have her pension paid for by her cat as well.

If it’s too loud for the tenant among you, she should please look for housing elsewhere. And she can also have her cat pay for her pension.

How did you come to that? Did you sleep badly? Of course, it’s the landlord’s responsibility if something was botched. He has to fix it. But I would like to point out the well-known neighborhood law again. It states first and foremost that mutual consideration is the highest priority. If the ceilings are known to provide little impact sound insulation, I consider it fair to do everything possible to protect the subtenant from stomping children’s feet. A thick carpet is also much nicer on the children’s feet. And a nice neighbor is much nicer than an irritated one...

How did you come to that? Did you sleep badly? Of course, it is the landlord’s responsibility if there was botching. He has to fix it. But I want to point out again the generally known neighborhood law. It says first and foremost that mutual consideration is the highest principle. If experience shows that the ceilings provide little impact sound insulation, I consider it fair to do everything possible to protect the subtenant from stomping children's feet. A thick carpet is also much nicer for the children’s feet. And a nice neighbor is much nicer than an annoyed one...

I tend to agree more with apokolok, and he hits the nail on the head regarding moving out! Children are children! If the carpet doesn’t help... what then? Fix the kids to the chair with duct tape? Last year we were also "called out" here by such a friendly retiree... that the children should not make so much noise at 6:30 pm!!! The lady received a piece of my mind... now the whole neighborhood knows. After that, there were no more complaints...

How come? Did you sleep badly? Of course, it’s the landlord’s responsibility if sloppy work was done. He has to fix it. But I’d like to point out once again the well-known Neighborhood Law. It states first and foremost that mutual consideration is the highest duty. If ceilings are known to provide little impact sound insulation, I think it’s fair to do everything possible to protect the subtenant from stomping children’s feet. A thick carpet is also much nicer for the children’s feet. And a nice neighbor is also much better than an annoyed one...

Well, I sleep quite well again now. But anyone who has had small children knows that as a devoted parent you sometimes sleep very little or not at all. And if then some people feel the need to complain about the noise, your patience is understandably short. Unlike barking dogs and brass instruments, children are not purely a private pleasure but an essential part of a functioning society. I’ll gladly print out the Neighborhood Law and give it to my kids to make paper airplanes with.

Unlike yappers and brass instruments, children are not purely a private pleasure but an essential part of a functioning society.

Although I am probably alone in this, I see it quite differently. We humans are like the plague, and every unborn child is the best contribution to saving the Earth. And the fact that this plague behaves like a hatchet in the forest only makes it more repulsive.