Having a difficult conversation: key phrases

I knew I had to talk to my flatmate about something that had been bothering me for weeks. I didn't want to beat around the bush , so when I found a good moment, I decided to get to the point and tell him directly that the noise at night was affecting my sleep. I knew I had to tread carefully because he can get defensive. His first reaction was to brush off my concern and say I was overreacting. Bu