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Thank you for the advice. The people I've talked to about it (friends, family, etc.) have all tried to diminish the issue (e.g. its no big deal, just tell the management, etc.). Non of them have had the misfortune of being in this situation though -- especially when it's compounded by a very belligerent/aggressive neighbor. I genuinely feel threatened for my safety (retaliation) from this neighbor, if I continue to try to get the situation solved (e.g. file complaints with property, call police, etc.).
Also, the property management company seems very hands offish even though they employ 2 on site managers. It's like they are just there to deflect/make light of any complaints/situation, and not take measures to resolve it.
That's one of the worst parts; people who aren't living it trying to tell you it's no big deal. It feels like one of those movies where the main character never gets believed until something nasty finally happens.
You might want to hire a housing dispute mediation service if there's one around. They can get some apathetic managers to show a conscience.
Maybe you should both look up the definition of "ghetto" before generally ascribing the term to someone whose poor behavior goes against the social norm. A "ghetto neighborhood" is otherwise described as a "slum" but neither does that mean that everyone who lives in an impoverished area is therefore a hoodlum. Paperwork, this would mean that simply by living in a "ghetto mess" you're a lowlife and I'm sure you're not!
Thank you again for all of the sound advice. You guys have helped me through a really difficult issue, and things have gradually improved overtime as a result.
I wanted to chime in with another update and let you know where things stand with the neighbors as of 8-11-2014.
My neighbor directly next door to me, has been silent as a cat since I sent a formal letter into the leasing office. *Knock on wood* I don't know how long this will last.
My neighbor below me, although his bass is MUCH heavier, he chooses his spots much more selectively. E.g. he goes days without using his bass, and when he does, it is louder, but for shorter periods of time. This is FAR more tolerable than my neighbor next door, who just continuously around the clock had his bass/subwoofer up really high when watching TV (and since he's home all day, it was on all day long, with continuous thumping sounds).
This neighbor below me, did have a loud domestic issue over the weekend, but that is far more tolerable than constant floor rumbling subwoofer-producing bass.
As of right now, this apartment has become 100% more tolerable to live in.
It still sounds like everyone directly around you is low-class or self-centered. Subwoofers are relatively new in the context of noise ordinances, and they do their job too well for fools to be trusted with them.
I think noise is an exponentially more serious quality of life problem than managers or law enforcement will admit. Humans never evolved to deal with electronic intrusions and you have to fight for ancient peace and quiet in this age.
I think NMSFM is right. It's not that you don't have a reasonable grievance, it's just that after your recent complaint and resolution you should lay low for a week or two to avoid the appearance of a constant complainer. In the mean time try to make friends with the new offender and try to come to terms such as how loud or what hours.
Oddly enough, making friends with people sometimes works! You might even come to like your neighbors.
And then if that fails after a few weeks, that is the time to begin the process over on the new offensive neighbor.
Otherwise you'll gain a reputation as a complainer/whiner with management and they will get tired of listening to your complaints and will just decide to ignore you and hope you move away.
That's possibly pragmatic but unsatisfying for those with a sense of pride. I would have no interest in being friends with crass people who know they're bothering their neighbors and barely care. They lack moral character as proved by their actions. It would make me feel like a sellout, or one who negotiates with terrorists. I'd only do it in a life or death situation where their approval meant life for me.
Noise polluters are moral criminals just like air and water polluters. All they care about is what they can get away with.
I understand what your going through. When dad bought this property ,it was way in the sticks quiet and peaceful, eventually neighbors bought property and moved in . Homes are generally 100+ yards apart around here.
One neighbor brought their teen kids out here with their band so they could practice with out being hassled by the city cops.
Totally disregarding the rest of us that came here to be away from that noise.
They had parties all the time and throughout the night and dad wasn't getting any sleep with his windows rattling continuously .
Being a generous person and to gain some sanity ,he gave them material to sound proof the garage they were using to play in. This did no good they simply turned up the sound and left the doors open and the window rattling continued.
Finally after the numerous times of calling out cops after mid night , I guess the parents finally got tired of paying the fines and curtailed the noise and eventually the kids moved out.
All this took about 5-6 years.
That's not the end of it.
This was orange groves 15 years ago but they are being taken out and wineries are all over the place , You might think this is a good thing nope ,
I now have 5 wineries with in less than a mile, 3 are with in 500 yards, and when you get all of them having their own band going at the same time, and kicking up the volume to drowned out one another, the noise is indistinguishable as music ,and talk about the window rattle .
My bedroom window is single pane glass and large so it is like a diaphragm literally amplifying every sound .
I think that others in the area finally put the screws on and at least the noise is over with by 9PM but when theres's a wedding it still goes to midnight.
Many whom live here have jobs and not always shifts that are compatible with this, which is why they moved out here to begin with, and these are not rentals these are private homes.
If that's not enough ,a new housing tract is being built less than a mile away or so, and you can hear the heavy equipment through the night .
What rights do people have to the peace, they paid dearly for, when they moved here? None.
The city sees it as revenue ,new money and growth.
Many I know are picking up and moving out further away .
Those staying can't afford to move, or they depend on this influx invasion.
Here we are being hammered by industry, and it ain't gettin any better.
Population growth (which needs to stop) is a major reason it's so hard to escape from noise these days. It chases you down one way or another. We also have wind turbines being forced into rural areas, making life miserable for some people depending on topography and air layers. Those big machines create insidious low frequencies that are hard to measure but create sleep and health problems. The pattern of that noise is not compatible with human nervous systems.
I once read a story where someone created the feel of a haunted house by hiding a "subsonic" device in it. Nobody could tell where the low note was coming from and it was subtle enough that some questioned its existence.
ca_north you make a lot of great points, and I'm in total agreement, but the main problem is turning those points into actionable greivances that can help resolve the situation here.
Anyway, everything was going great, just normal apartment noise sharing the wall with the neighbor since the office sent him a formal warning letter. As of today 8-14-2014, pretty much all morning I've heard the subwoofer back on to previous levels, and needless to say it's extremely disturbing. Basically, I'm hearing it now as I type this with several loud fans on, and an open window with loud city noise in the background.
Here's the letter I'm preparing to write to the leasing office (i'm posting it here for feedback).
For the last 1.5 weeks, there has been a noticeable change in the frequency of disturbances coming from Unit 43. Your letter to him temporarily resolved the situation. However, today, since this morning, approximately 10am, on 8-14-2014, his subwoofer is on again, and it’s cutting right through into my apartment, my living room, my bedroom, and it is extremely disruptive and disturbing.
As you already know, I've personally made an attempt to discuss the matter with my neighbor in Unit 43, but his threatening, hostile, and aggressive attitude make that course of action unsafe at worst, and futile at best.
In Fox Ridge Apartment/Maxx Properties leasing contract (that we all signed) it clearly states “Tenant agrees not to interfere, or to allow any pet, guest or family member to interfere with the rights of peaceful enjoyment of other tenants occupying any building of which Tenant's apartment is a part”. The tenant occupying Unit 43 is in clear violation of this contract.
He’s also breaking local noise ordinance laws: (Ord. No. 34037, § 1, 11-5-96)
Residential property, whether a unit of a multiple-family residential dwelling or a single family dwelling structure, unless the volume of amplified sound shall be so controlled that it will not be audible in any adjoining unit. Provided, however, that actual notice from the occupant of the adjoining residence to the occupant of the property containing the source of amplified sound shall be a necessary element under this subsection.
Since the day I’ve moved in (July 26th, 2014), this has been a mentally and physically exhaustive issue to deal with. I have documented all disturbances coming from Unit 43, and if these disturbances don't get resolved swiftly and permanently, my only option would be to seek legal counsel.
Sincerely,
xxxxxxx
Basically, the most controversial parts are the opening and closing paragraphs. I'm wondering if I should say that her letter temporarily resolved the problem (but I don't want that to be misconstrued as fixing the problem), and I'm also wondering if I should invest in the time/expense of mailing this certified letter via USPS, or just continue to send the leasing office emails? (I used email last time and they are pretty responsive to email).
In an ideal world, I would never have to invest another second of my time into any of this.
Last edited by Ultrarunner; 09-26-2014 at 11:40 AM..
I have documented all disturbances coming from Unit 43, and if these disturbances don't get resolved permanently, my only course of action is getting involved with my local legal aid to terminate my lease based on inhabitable living conditions.
Scratch the bolded and simply say, "to seek legal counsel". (It would be "UNinhabitable" anyway).
btw, ca_north, I wanted to reinforce how much I'm in agreement with you, especially this part:
It creates a constant "when will the other shoe drop?" dread and interferes with living during silent times.
One of the most annoying things about bass is that even at subtle levels it can create a water torture effect when the mind locks onto it. Decibel measurements can be useless in that regard. It's like "wind turbine syndrome" where the quality of the sound, not just its volume, is the main irritant. And many landlords won't accept such subtle concepts. They think a noise either has to be "loud" or you should just "deal with it." They are scum-enablers.
That "when will the other shoe drop" that interferes with silent times is very true.
When I go into the area in my apartment where I can typically hear the neighbor's bass, even when it's quiet in there, I'm constantly having to consciously tell myself to stop thinking about the bass. So it's extremely disturbing just knowing that it can come on at any moment.
The pattern of that noise is not compatible with human nervous systems.
I once read a story where someone created the feel of a haunted house by hiding a "subsonic" device in it. Nobody could tell where the low note was coming from and it was subtle enough that some questioned its existence.
more gold here...
There's multiple people with subwoofers here at this apartment i'm at. The neighbor next door is the obvious. But I'm constantly hearing low frequency sounds in almost every room here from neighbors with subwoofers coming from who knows where.
And i'm constantly questioning my sanity of whether or not I'm hearing things. That subsonic device reference hits right on point.
Mind you, when I visit other peoples places, I'm not questioning my sanity, it's just normal background noise or silence.
It really stinks what you are going through, but I (unfortunately) think that it is going to be an ongoing issue in this apartment. You can continue to complain, and hope it helps, but bottom line is these people are inconsiderate, and that probably won't change.
I live below a family that loves to stomp around and the squeaky floors drive me nuts. There is no improving this, so I know my option is to just leave when I can.
The bass issue is obviously very disturbing to you (and it would be to me too)..so I would look into moving elsewhere (if you can) when your lease is up...or if you can afford it, and management will let you break your lease, just go now. It's no fun to live that way.
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Noise is a facet of overpopulation
