Noisy late night neighbors - how to handle? (Austin: apartment, renters)

[Raskolnikov]

So, I don't want to be "that guy", but I have some late night loud neighbors who recently moved in next door. It's a subdivision with an HOA. Our back yards are fairly close together. We have children and they don't - they seem to enjoy playing horse shoes and drinking at 2AM and screaming loudly each time someone scores. Anyone ever dealt with a situation like this? I'm glad they're having noisy fun - just would prefer it's not at 2AM.

My thought is to talk to them about it first, but in the off chance they aren't receptive, does anyone know what other steps can be taken after we attempt a conversation? Both myself and the neighbor are home owners (this isn't an apartment situation).

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by Raskolnikov

So, I don't want to be "that guy", but I have some late night loud neighbors who recently moved in next door. It's a subdivision with an HOA. Our back yards are fairly close together. We have children and they don't - they seem to enjoy playing horse shoes and drinking at 2AM and screaming loudly each time someone scores. Anyone ever dealt with a situation like this? I'm glad they're having noisy fun - just would prefer it's not at 2AM.

My thought is to talk to them about it first, but in the off chance they aren't receptive, does anyone know what other steps can be taken after we attempt a conversation? Both myself and the neighbor are home owners (this isn't an apartment situation).

It will take some 'doing' to get the HOA involved. There may be no noise restrictions in the CCRs. Your recourse will be through city ordinances(provided you live within city limits); but you might want to enlist the support of any neighbors who also 'enjoy' the noise so it doesn't look like just one neighbor who is being a stick-in-the-mud.

I doubt that 'talking' to them will make a difference if their preference is for partying outside at 2am...but you never know

You could hope it rains on "party night".

[Austin97]

I would talk to them nicely at first to give them a chance to address it. Probably wont do any good, but that is the first step. You can look to see if they are owners or renters by looking at tcad.

"Hi just wanted to introduce myself, I hate for our first interaction to be a complain. You probably dont know, but We have kids and you are pretty loud at night. Do you think you could keep it down?

At the same time I would put a loud floor fan in the kids' rooms. They will hear *nothing* outside the room.

If those two things dont work then involve the HOA by submitting a complain form. If that doesnt work involve the police.

Each escalation point I would let the neighbors know, not as a threat but just advance notification of what comes next. "Hi just wanted to let you know that you are still being really loud (maybe tape it). Since we cant seem to work it out informally, If it happens again you will force me to submit formal notification to the HOA and ultimately the police."

Sorry it has come to this.

[ScoPro]

Isn't there supposed to be a noise ordinance down there in Austin? But the OP's situation is a touchy one for sure, even though it seems to be a common occurrence these days.


If the new neighbors resist all the efforts suggested above and are late sleepers, then get your mower out at 7am & fire it up next to their bedroom windows a few times. Maybe they'll take the hint.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by Raskolnikov

So, I don't want to be "that guy", but I have some late night loud neighbors who recently moved in next door. It's a subdivision with an HOA. Our back yards are fairly close together. We have children and they don't - they seem to enjoy playing horse shoes and drinking at 2AM and screaming loudly each time someone scores. Anyone ever dealt with a situation like this? I'm glad they're having noisy fun - just would prefer it's not at 2AM.

My thought is to talk to them about it first, but in the off chance they aren't receptive, does anyone know what other steps can be taken after we attempt a conversation? Both myself and the neighbor are home owners (this isn't an apartment situation).

If you can beat 'em join 'em.

When the kids are asleep go back with a beer and join in. Act obnoxiously drunk and say you're so glad to have neighbors that like to party.

They'll never do it again...

[Eastcoasting]

Originally Posted by cBach

If you can beat 'em join 'em.

When the kids are asleep go back with a beer and join in. Act obnoxiously drunk and say you're so glad to have neighbors that like to party.

They'll never do it again...

I have done this before while apartment building living.

The old dude showing up at 2am with a drink in his hand trying to get the youngsters to do shots kinda brings the evening to an end.

[BijouBaby]

I hate to tell you this, and reading your experience brought back bad memories, but there really is nothing you can do to make them stop. my experience has been that loud neighbors ignore courteous requests to quiet down. I've found that people who don't care about their neighbors, demonstrated by late night, loud parties in the back yard, aren't the kind of people that listen to reason. It's selfish behavior.

Every time I've encountered this, I've found that these inconsiderate... people... to be rednecks and low lifes. Finally realized that I needed get into a higher dollar neighborhood to avoid these types. So I did, and it worked. But I still get flashbacks of sleepless nights and a hostile relationship with a neighbor.

Most of the time they were renters, but there was one exception of a homeowner right behind my house that did this. All the surrounding neighbors got together and contacted the owner of the property, who told the renters to stop their obnoxious behavior. That same day as revenge, they threw the most hellacious party to date, screaming and howling all day on a Sunday and late into the night. The owner's intervention only angered them. Then they were evicted and gone within 2 weeks. What a long nightmare that was!

So you either have to get used to it, find ways to drown out the noise (fans, white noise, etc.) or move. If you choose to move, go to a better neighborhood with better class of people, if you can. I couldn't do the first two options, so chose the third. Luckily, I had that option available to me

I wish you luck and I feel for you in this situation.

[IC_deLight]

1. The HOA gets you nothing but an unlimited liability for the HOA with your home as security for that.

2. If there are restrictive covenants regarding noise, etc. then you have the ability to enforce them yourself. The cheap route is filing suit in JP court although the JP will probably try to defer to mediation and the JP has no authority to issue an injunction. The JP can, however, award other damages so long as they are within the jurisdictional limit of the court ($10K). The more expensive route is initiating suit in district or county court - these latter two have the power to issue injunctions.

3. If there is a noise ordinance where you are then you can file a complaint with the local police or code enforcement

4. It would be best to talk to them first. If this is fruitless then consider items 2-3 above.

5. The point about the fans is a good defensive measure - but it can also mean that your kids won't hear you and vice versa.

[Denver303TJC]

Hi,

Are your neighbors 20-somethings? Perhaps if they are a bit older (30's), they might be more empathetic towards you trying to sleep at night. As others stated, some people may try to act petulant and childish if you ask them to be quiet, but others may try to tone it down in the future. I'd recommend meeting your neighbors and trying to be friendly towards them and towards the end of the chat bring up them "keeping it down" late at night. Are they the weekend warrior party types who like to unwind after a busy week? Or are they more of the roommates partying-it-up in Austin type? I'd recommend going for the diplomatic approach first, since perhaps the neighbors don't realize they're being that loud.

But, FWIW, when I lived in Ho Chi Minh City (née Saigon) I lived off a busy road and had to keep the fan on high and wear earplugs just to sleep at night, due to all the honking and music (partly my fault for living in the heart of the tourist district, but at the same time I didn't have to worry about a ride home from the bars!).

But, maybe for now you could get a box fan to drown out the noise coming from any future parties? Hopefully if you speak with them, they'll quiet it down in the future.

[capcat]

I would ask your pediatrician or an audiologist about regularly using loud fans in your children's room. Over time, the noise might do some damage to hearing. I'd find out first.