Construction noise....rent reduction? (apartment complex, lease, renew, house)

[ohhwanderlust]

I pay $2500/mo for a 1 br apt in the Bay Area.

The apartment complex is doing construction on the outside, from 7am to 8pm. Extremely loud and noisy and startles the hell out of me. The walls shake and a picture frame was even knocked off from the rattling. Since a few days a week I work from home, I have to listen to it.

So now I'm finding myself driven out the house by 6:45am to avoid the noise.

The construction they're doing is to make the outside look 'nicer' -- absolutely nothing necessary or beneficial to current residents. And it pisses me off, because I know they're going to raise the rent outrageously for it once it comes time to renew the lease (in 6 months).

So we have to live through months of reduced quality of living (at $2500 rent), only to be asked to pay $3000 next time since they 'invested' in renovation. It's a lose-lose situation for the residents.

Given this, would it be unreasonable for us to request a rent reduction while the construction is going on?

[Electrician4you]

Youre probably not getting a rent reduction. Its a temporary incovenience at best. I know you dont see it as that but its probably in the lease that the management/LL has the right to do any maintenance or repairs as they see fit.
Sorry man youre just gonna have to live with it.

Now I would still go file a complaint over it. its probably gonna get round filed but you can still file it.

[STT Resident]

Originally Posted by ohhwanderlust

Given this, would it be unreasonable for us to request a rent reduction while the construction is going on?

You can ask for anything but getting it is something different. Unfortunately you have no legal recourse - would only have that if the work was going on during the nighttime. Sorry.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by ohhwanderlust

The apartment complex is doing construction on the outside, from 7am to 8pm.

How long have you been there?
When did the work begin?
When do they say it is supposed to end?

Given this, would it be unreasonable for us
to request a rent reduction while the construction is going on?

Given what?

[Melodica]

I've been in a very similar situation. The complex was doing tons of renovations to the outside of the units. Not only did I have to listen to the banging, thumping, yelling and annoying music from the radios that the workers had (they worked M-Sat from about 7a-8p), but I also had to maneuver around all their equipment that they just left anywhere and everywhere outside the units.

I did NOT get a reduction in rent. Most places aren't going to do that, no matter how annoying all the noise and inconvenience is. It's unfortunate, but I just had to live with it. :-/

[oregonwoodsmoke]

And if management never ever did any outside maintenance, you'd complain about that, too.

I seriously doubt that you are getting any compensation because management is taking care of their building. However, make a lot of noise complaining, and you probably won't get compensation, but it might affect how much your annual rent increase is going to be.

[Lacerta]

It isn't unreasonable for you to ask, politely. But it isn't unreasonable for them to say no, either.

[emm74]

I think it's unlikely that your landlord is going to agree that the work they are doing has zero benefit to current residents. I'm sure they are writing it off on their taxes as maintenance, etc. that improve the condition of the building, and which would therefore be a benefit to you as a resident.

However, it never hurts to ask. Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease and they could throw you a bone. I've heard of things like getting a parking fee waived or something along those lines - not likely to be a big ticket item but maybe something small would still feel like an emotional victory?

Another idea that occurs is dependent on whether you want to stay there long(ish) term. Maybe explain your concerns about the noise and the disruption but say you are willing to sign an extension on your lease so that you get the benefit of living in the improved building once it's finally done - at your current lease rates of course!