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So my boyfriend and I moved into the upper level of a duplex about 2 months ago and everything about it is perfect... except the downstairs neighbors. They have parties multiple times per week and once they were so loud they shook the top off our coffee table and broke some things. We went and talked to them about it (it was 11 am and they were still partying), politely letting them know how loud they were and requesting they keep it down in the future. Their response was "we didn't know you were home" despite us going down at 2 am and asking them to turn it down--they did temporarily. They haven't had parties that loud or long since, but they still have lots of people over and blast music late and it's irritating. On top of it all their room below our bedroom has a dead smoke detector so it's been doing that 30 second interval beep since we moved in (2+ months! how they haven't gone crazy from that yet is beyond me). Not sure what to do about their noise. I haven't complained to the landlord because I believe she and the neighbors are close friends. I'm at the point of calling the cops the next time they start a party but my reservation on that is that it would be obvious who called in the complaint and we wanted to make this place our last until we are well enough off we can buy a house, and I don't really want tensions and hard feelings from them if we are here for another couple of years, especially since we share a yard and driveway. The last time we complained to them, it snowed a few days later and they shoveled around their car and piled the snow behind mine, despite the fact that when I shovel, I clear around both of our cars completely.
The kicker is they are a multi-generational family with a grandma and a couple of elementary-aged kids, not a group of rowdy college students.
Also we can't 'just move'. It wouldn't be financially possible.
Well, for the bedroom noise issue, you can possibly let the landlord know that there is a strange beeping coming from somewhere and it doesn't seem to be your smoke detector. Let the landlord figure out where it is coming from and address it. If you are planning on staying, then you will need to either grow a thick skin to all the annoyances, or go ahead and call the cops when they violate the noise ordinances and then be prepared to look blank if the neighbor confronts you about it. If there are any neighbors, it won't be as obvious as you are worried about.
If most of the noise intrusion is coming from below, you could try adding a rug to the bedroom to reduce/muffle sound rising from below.
You have two options: Call your landlord and fill them on the noise issues or call the cops.
Either way your neighbors are going to know it's you complaining. If you don't mind the noise then keep quiet, but I'd personally contact the landlord first and inform the landlord that if the noise continues you will be calling the police for all future parties. In many areas, noise like this can result in a ticket. In our area you get one warning and then the tickets start flowing and if the officers are out often enough, they start ticketing the landlord.
So my boyfriend and I moved into the upper level of a duplex about 2 months ago and everything about it is perfect... except the downstairs neighbors. They have parties multiple times per week and once they were so loud they shook the top off our coffee table and broke some things. We went and talked to them about it (it was 11 am and they were still partying), politely letting them know how loud they were and requesting they keep it down in the future. Their response was "we didn't know you were home" despite us going down at 2 am and asking them to turn it down--they did temporarily. They haven't had parties that loud or long since, but they still have lots of people over and blast music late and it's irritating. On top of it all their room below our bedroom has a dead smoke detector so it's been doing that 30 second interval beep since we moved in (2+ months! how they haven't gone crazy from that yet is beyond me). Not sure what to do about their noise. I haven't complained to the landlord because I believe she and the neighbors are close friends. I'm at the point of calling the cops the next time they start a party but my reservation on that is that it would be obvious who called in the complaint and we wanted to make this place our last until we are well enough off we can buy a house, and I don't really want tensions and hard feelings from them if we are here for another couple of years, especially since we share a yard and driveway. The last time we complained to them, it snowed a few days later and they shoveled around their car and piled the snow behind mine, despite the fact that when I shovel, I clear around both of our cars completely.
The kicker is they are a multi-generational family with a grandma and a couple of elementary-aged kids, not a group of rowdy college students.
Also we can't 'just move'. It wouldn't be financially possible.
I'm in a similar situation, and I'm afraid that you have to put up with it if you don't want endless drama. That's what I have with the tenant downstairs (same with you, unreasonable, prolonged levels of noise). What this guy does is turn the music down and pump up the bass, so that I have hour after hour of thumping bass from either his music or TV. He's a sociopath and does this on purpose b/c the laws are about decibel, which is hard to measure for strictly bass issues. I just got sick of him arguing with me, especially after he bullied and threatened management, who initially fined him. They dropped the fine, so now no one has my back and he's allowed to get in my face whenever he wants. So you see, these inhumane neighbors will only get worse if confronted beyond a certain point. You can surely call the cops if you'd like, but be prepared for the consequences. I'm like you, not able to afford most rental in this area, so you're kinda screwed. Sorry...
You have two options: Call your landlord and fill them on the noise issues or call the cops.
Either way your neighbors are going to know it's you complaining. If you don't mind the noise then keep quiet, but I'd personally contact the landlord first and inform the landlord that if the noise continues you will be calling the police for all future parties. In many areas, noise like this can result in a ticket. In our area you get one warning and then the tickets start flowing and if the officers are out often enough, they start ticketing the landlord.
Your idea would be good except I believe the poster mentioned that the neighbors and landlord are friends. I have that exact issue here; the guy downstairs from me (constant bass thumping, like 5-6 hours sometimes) is good friends with his landlord. That's why he's lived there for 6 years and everyone else moved out around him. I didn't know about it till I moved here b/c most people gave up and just let him be. I refused and spoke to the landlord, who actually threatened action against me. So that's what I see as the problem; she can go to the landlord, but it's probably pointless if they're friends.
Are there other neighbors, say next door or something, that gives you some cover as far as who called the cops. I would definitely let the landlady know about the smoke alarm, that might even be breaking a city code safety issue. I know how awful it can be, we had really noisy neighbors once, we complained to the landlord & they quietened down for a wile, but threw a brick at our window lol which landlord had to pay for, well I am not 100% certain they threw the rock, but they would be my only suspects, they also had a family member, living in a car outside the building, I presume she was using their bathroom to keep clean. I am so glad we left, & bought our own home.
Are there other neighbors, say next door or something, that gives you some cover as far as who called the cops. I would definitely let the landlady know about the smoke alarm, that might even be breaking a city code safety issue. I know how awful it can be, we had really noisy neighbors once, we complained to the landlord & they quietened down for a wile, but threw a brick at our window lol which landlord had to pay for, well I am not 100% certain they threw the rock, but they would be my only suspects, they also had a family member, living in a car outside the building, I presume she was using their bathroom to keep clean. I am so glad we left, & bought our own home.
The poster said it's a situation where they would immediately know it was her, so I don't think there's any cover. I'm in the same situation- the other neighbors just gave up and let my downstairs neighbor blast his music, so if I call the cops, he'll know it's me, the only one's who ever asked him to be quiet. Plus, the poster said she believes the landlord and these neighbors are friends. So you can imagine her complaining to him won't do much good.
Your idea would be good except I believe the poster mentioned that the neighbors and landlord are friends. I have that exact issue here; the guy downstairs from me (constant bass thumping, like 5-6 hours sometimes) is good friends with his landlord. That's why he's lived there for 6 years and everyone else moved out around him. I didn't know about it till I moved here b/c most people gave up and just let him be. I refused and spoke to the landlord, who actually threatened action against me. So that's what I see as the problem; she can go to the landlord, but it's probably pointless if they're friends.
Then skip calling the landlord and go straight to the police. As long as it’s nuisance noise the police will come out and will address the issue however if it’s a daily living noise the police won’t bother doing anything
Then skip calling the landlord and go straight to the police. As long as it’s nuisance noise the police will come out and will address the issue however if it’s a daily living noise the police won’t bother doing anything
Right, it's during the day. And it's not daily living noise b/c it's not necessary to blast your stereo for that long , which police agree with. But legally, they can't act. They've urged my management to act, but they won't. So I'm planning on moving. The money to go to court and sue is better spent on moving. Problem is finding a place- the rents here are sky high, but it's still the only real option.
i'm sorry. i too have lousy neighbors. i wish i lived in the damn woods alone.
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