Loud, partying neighbors in my building (apartment complex, lease, tenants, evict)

[breakingfree]

I live in a condo and have never dealt with noise as bad as I have here.

I live on the main floor and especially in the late hours I deal with people (mostly kids who just graduated college whose parents are paying their rents) coming home drunk, running through the hallways, talking loudly about how drunk they are, cursing, and so forth. The walls are paper thin and I can hear everything going on. The worst is when they stand in the parking lot outside the building and talk loudly. Their voices echo.

I have tried talking to the offenders calmly (some are hard to catch since they don't live on the floor but use my floor to get to other floors), but they don't care. I'll admit that I've lost my temper sometimes (the noise these kids make is that bad) and have had derogatory comments made to me about my race.

I've brought it up to the condo board, and they sympathized with me and gave me stories about the noisy kids they've dealt with on their floors. All they've told me is to call the police, which I have, but the police either come too late or not at all. I don't want to have to resort to calling the police all the time.

It seems like I'm at a loss as to how to get my noise complaints taken seriously. Please don't tell me to move. Trust me, I'd love to, but I have at least six more months on my lease and am not in a financially feasible situation to move.

What can I do to cope?

[Koale]

Originally Posted by breakingfree

I live in a condo and have never dealt with noise as bad as I have here.

I live on the main floor and especially in the late hours I deal with people (mostly kids who just graduated college whose parents are paying their rents) coming home drunk, running through the hallways, talking loudly about how drunk they are, cursing, and so forth. The walls are paper thin and I can hear everything going on. The worst is when they stand in the parking lot outside the building and talk loudly. Their voices echo.

I have tried talking to the offenders calmly (some are hard to catch since they don't live on the floor but use my floor to get to other floors), but they don't care. I'll admit that I've lost my temper sometimes (the noise these kids make is that bad) and have had derogatory comments made to me about my race.

I've brought it up to the condo board, and they sympathized with me and gave me stories about the noisy kids they've dealt with on their floors. All they've told me is to call the police, which I have, but the police either come too late or not at all. I don't want to have to resort to calling the police all the time.

It seems like I'm at a loss as to how to get my noise complaints taken seriously. Please don't tell me to move. Trust me, I'd love to, but I have at least six more months on my lease and am not in a financially feasible situation to move.

What can I do to cope?

Your Condo Assoc should go to the owners of the Condo, plain and simple. It's unacceptable and I am sure there must be noise control stipulations w/in the HOA rules and regulations.
Koale

[lawmom]

Have you tried earplugs? They do help to ameliorate the noise somewhat.

[manderly6]

Call the police every time.

[jamies]

This is one reason (of many) why I will NEVER buy a condo. You are palying "whack a mole" and you will never win. If it was me I'd move. Life is too short.

I rented one for 3 1/2 years. We had a good HOA that was responsive to noise and life quality issues. But even with that it can take several months to work through the "system." Unlike an apartment where you complain and somebody is going to move.

We had a loser landlord who owned the unit across from ours - I finally late one night went over screaming loud enough to wake the complex, and threatened to throw everyone off the porch. We didn't hear another peep from them and they moved out the next weekend after several neighbors threatened a lawsuit against the owner, tenants and HOA for emotional suffering and stress.

I then rented the unit and left it mostly vacant or for a guest house. We had peace and quiet.

[Opsimathia]

Originally Posted by manderly6

Call the police every time.

A agree because after that is when its easy for a LL to evict legally. Plus the cops will eventually fine them. Less beer money for bozo!

[LoveBoating]

We've had noise issues in both apartments we've rented and a house we were buying!
One apartment we lived in was right above a garage that we were't renting.......garages were optional renting and this was the only 1-bedroom in the complex. So, whenever our neighbor ,who rented the garage, would leave or come we would always hear the door go up and down........day or night! Within a few months, they moved and we took the garage. While in the same apartment, we had three cocktail waitresses that moved in right across the hall from our apartment. Our bedroom was located next to the stairway outside and these ladies would come home at 2AM talking and giggling like it was 2PM in the afternoon. I got up and encountered them a couple of times and they would say "were sorry, we keep the noise down".......but that didn't happen. Finally, after reporting the noise to management, a letter about noise was given to them from management. The 2AM talking/giggling didn't stop, so we let management know again. This time, management gave them a Legal letter from a lawyer explaining the noise policy of the complex. A week later, they moved out. Some people who live in apartments just have no respect at all for other people sleeping!
Next was our house. Bought a house in a nice area next to a small wooded area. The house next to ours was for sale and sold, but the new family had two dogs that loved barking at night. The small city we lived in had a "barking ordinance", but law enforcement didn't really push it. Then, we had to large owls, from the woods next to the development, roost on the roof of the house behind us and hoot at 3AM.......very annoying! I got our boat spot light and shined it up on the top of the roof of the house and both owls took off, but they came back a few times.
One thing is for sure, their is definitely good things to say about 55+ communities..........no partying neighbors! We don't live in one, but the area of our apartment/complex is awefully quiet at night.

[breakingfree]

This is one reason (of many) why I will NEVER buy a condo.

Me neither. A condo is basically a glorified apartment. Who needs that?

I've lived in apartment complexes and basement rentals, and have never dealt with noise like this.

I'm just going to buy earplugs. My complaints aren't heard and the police don't respond, so that's all I can do to keep from losing my cool. Thanks, everyone.

[pendleton42]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

.. Then, we had to large owls, from the woods next to the development, roost on the roof of the house behind us and hoot at 3AM.......very annoying! I got our boat spot light and shined it up on the top of the roof of the house and both owls took off, but they came back a few times.
.

loveboating you should be dam glad that was not my house you was spot lighting for owls. you would have had the cops pounding on your door each time. and i would have got you for harassment of me and the wild life. i have read you post on noise. some of your complaints was a joke, showing mental issues on your part.
and man that was dirt bag rude to spot lite someone else house and land and illegal in many states to spot lite protected animals. your right some people just have no repect.

[lawmom]

People like loveboating need to live in a vacuum-sealed bubble somewhere I think. Seriously, to complain about nature noises for crying out loud?