@audreygreenwood said:
… at the end of the day, what they’re the most concerned about is other people complaining about noise and pollution…
You think? What they may be most concerned about is the likelihood of increased noise transmission from floors that may not have been properly acoustically insulated.
Be clear on this, it you lift carpets and lay down any flooring that impacts on your neighbours below, above and the to side, you could end up having to remove, replace or cover them up.
Your concerns should not be about how you get round the rules, but how you can avoid breaching them.