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I totally agree that ANY unit available for rent should be spotless for the new tenant moving in.
Sure Holli may have seen one or two that were not as clean as they should be, but those units are far and in between.
Most landlords keep their property up, and when one comes up against an apartment that is less than desirable, one walks away.
I find it very hard to believe that from the date of the original post, the OP has been unable to find alternate housing.
Pasadena, as well as most cities, has a wealth of vacant rental units.
Perhaps Ms Holli is trying to reach the unobtainable, and doesn't realize sometimes in the search for comfortable living, one may have to compromise on a few things.
Perhaps her priorities are a bit off center.
It appears (at least to me) that a rental unit may never meet her needs, and perhaps she should be looking to purchase a house that may be more to her liking.
Obviously the rental market appears to be a lost cause in this situation.
It's really not that serious, especially if you're a RENTER. LA has a TON of apartments for rent. Will the OP have to pay more? Probably, but so what?
The OP had ten good years in an apt and neighborhood she loved. She has been apt. hunting for months and hasn't found an equivalent, affordable apt. in an area where she feels OK. Everybody has a different comfort zone/sensibilities and budget. Hers might not be yours and vice versa. She will have to live there. We won't.
OP didn't ask for judgement of her efforts/choices. She asked for other possible solutions. We can give them or not give them.
I understand some posters being impatient that she hasn't, to use the politer term, "fished or cut bait" yet. Most of us, at some point in life, are stuck where it's not as easy to extricate ourselves as quickly as we (or others) might like. Rather than a need for attention, it seems OP is unhappily stuck for the time being and trying to avoid jumping from frying pan into fire.
I can relate to the noisy, bad neighbors and the wish not to move; especially to a less desireable place. Occasionally, while one is stuck the neighbors move out. Some people are mobile and move easily. OP has had roots for some years.
Quote:
Originally Posted by marilyn220
Why go through all of what you listed if you don't OWN the place?
Not suggesting she do ALL. Just offering the first two as options that, one or the other, likely would work for not much cost. I accept that most of us would rather have a root canal than go either to a lawyer or to court. Either is daunting. Sometimes, if things are uncomfortable enough, it's worth the effort. Holi is the one who has to weigh options and decide.
The last idea was half-facetious; a clever solution from another person who was fed up, tech-savvy and gutsy enough to pull it off. Most would not do this even if they had the skills/resources.
I've been living in my current apartment for 10 years and I love it here. I love the area, my place, everything. I had an upstairs neighbor the entire time I've been here who was awesome, quiet, and respectful but sadly, he recently moved out. In his place (it's a 1-bedroom apt), has moved in this noisy, obnoxious, LOUD family of 3 - I didn't know that was allowed in a 1-bedroom - and I haven't been able to sleep or have peace of mind for THREE months. I'm losing my mind!
First of all, they have a 6-years old kid who is always, always, ALWAYS crying or screaming or WAILING. I have worked with kids before and this behavior is not normal (and I've seen the kid out/about and he seems otherwise normal). In fact, I'm getting worried it's something they're doing...but, that's another discussion. Needless to say, this kid screams and cries, and jumps up/down, and then when the mom gets annoyed with him (she's a real wench!), she starts screaming back at this kid...so then they have a screaming match!
Both their and my apartment faces an internal courtyard, so sound echoes, especially if you leave the balcony doors open - which they insist on doing, while all this noise goes on. You can just imagine the noise that goes on.
On top of that, they walk like they are keeping herds of elephants up there...thump, thump, thump! ALL hours of day/night! The husband works, the wife is an at-home mom, and the kid...I'm not sure why he isn't in school, but he should be. And no one seems to sleep up there! They're always walking around all hours of day/night, all the time! There's never ONE hour of peace where these people aren't around. There's always someone up there stomping, thumping, screaming, banging, yelling, jumping, etc....
Anyway, when they first moved in 3 months ago, they made so much noise moving in for DAYS, that I finally had to call management and be like, "This noise has been going on for 14 hours from these people; they need to cut it out!" She told me to go talk to them, which I think is a rotten idea, because if things don't go well, then you have a hostile neighboring environment...but management sucks.
But I did anyway. I went upstairs, introduced myself nicely and told them I'm their downstairs neighbor and could they please try to keep the noise down. The woman was totally rude and entitled in her attitude and blamed the movers - at this point it was 3 days post-move, and 8 p.m. I asked if the movers were there at that very moment and she was like, "Um...well, no, not now, before". Yet all this thumping and jumping and banging for HOURS? Really?? Anyway, I asked if they could try to keep it down, and she said, "Okay" and SLAMMED the door.
And the noise continued the next day into the next...
I called management again and told them what happened, and they - being lazy - said there is not much they can do. Now they know I have been living here for 10 years, am an awesome tenant, never ONCE had a trouble with neighbors and all our other neighbors are quiet...so WTF??!!
So I've been trying to get used to the sounds, have bought a white noise machine, and am wearing earplugs at night to sleep (and I can still hear them stomping around)...and now my ears are hurting, and I'm always tired, and not getting enough rest/peace and quiet, and it's affecting my life, health, work...and I don't know what to do??
I've even looked around to MOVE, even though it's completely a horrible time for me to up and move, esp. after all these years and the cost of things right now, but I'm desperate for some QUIET time!
I can say with certainty...I HATE these neighbors!! But I need help to figure out how to handle them/management and still be able to live in my home in peace/quiet. And what is UP with this kid crying ALL the friggin' time?!!
Is there anyone with experience/expertise who can help??
Thanks!
Put everything in writing including documentation on the times and dates that the neighbors are being noisy. Send the correspondance to management via certified letter so you have proof they received the document. If they do nothing send a copy of that correspondance to whomever is in charge of the building management and continue to go up the management chain. If there is no improvement you have several options after that. You can move, you can learn to tolerate the noise, you can call child welfare if you think there is an abuse or neglect issue, you can call the police and make a report.
I totally agree that ANY unit available for rent should be spotless for the new tenant moving in.
Sure Holli may have seen one or two that were not as clean as they should be, but those units are far and in between.
Most landlords keep their property up, and when one comes up against an apartment that is less than desirable, one walks away.
I find it very hard to believe that from the date of the original post, the OP has been unable to find alternate housing.
Pasadena, as well as most cities, has a wealth of vacant rental units.
Perhaps Ms Holli is trying to reach the unobtainable, and doesn't realize sometimes in the search for comfortable living, one may have to compromise on a few things.
Perhaps her priorities are a bit off center.
It appears (at least to me) that a rental unit may never meet her needs, and perhaps she should be looking to purchase a house that may be more to her liking.
Obviously the rental market appears to be a lost cause in this situation.
Bob.
CalGuy, you sound bitter and like you're taking this personally. Let it go. You're not helping, but judging. Seems like you may be doing it for attention..?
The OP had ten good years in an apt and neighborhood she loved. She has been apt. hunting for months and hasn't found an equivalent, affordable apt. in an area where she feels OK. Everybody has a different comfort zone/sensibilities and budget. Hers might not be yours and vice versa. She will have to live there. We won't.
OP didn't ask for judgement of her efforts/choices. She asked for other possible solutions. We can give them or not give them.
I understand some posters being impatient that she hasn't, to use the politer term, "fished or cut bait" yet. Most of us, at some point in life, are stuck where it's not as easy to extricate ourselves as quickly as we (or others) might like. Rather than a need for attention, it seems OP is unhappily stuck for the time being and trying to avoid jumping from frying pan into fire.
I can relate to the noisy, bad neighbors and the wish not to move; especially to a less desireable place. Occasionally, while one is stuck the neighbors move out. Some people are mobile and move easily. OP has had roots for some years.
Holi:
I've had eight years of noise from the neighbors behind us. Our part of Lakewood used to be quiet, 22 years ago when we moved in. Now it seems like every car that drives by is a rolling boom-box, every neighbor has a dog that barks incessantly at all hours, and worst of all people that blast music until midnight 3 or 4 times a week. Talking to them makes them hostile (they're entitled) and the Sheriff dropping by only quiets them down for a few minutes. I have decided to take them to Small Claims Court for "inability to enjoy our property" or some such. Luckily we are moving north to a large property in 4 years, then all we will have to worry about is barking dogs, mountain lions, and wildfire. A great trade if you ask me. You are not alone in your frustration! Hang in there.
My next door neighbors are "Persians". They have moved in about a year now. The husband is a pharmacist with Wal-mart or Walgreen, the wife is a dental school student, and they have 3 small dogs. Those 2 people are the noisiest neighbors we had since the Germans moved away over 10 years ago. [They just yelled at each other as I'm writing this post.] Screaming and yelling are normal course of the day for them, but using electrical tools that produce loud sound, and hammering after 10:30 p.m. which sometimes into 2 or 4 a.m. is very annoying. And they do that often. They acquired a furniture with sliding doors recently and have developed a habit of sliding and banging those doors around 11 p.m.- past 1a.m. [like just now at 11:45 p.m. they did that.] They would play tv loudly, sometimes music, and they also play guitar and sing along too. These activities along with hammering and yelling must be "Persian" things that "must" be done after 10:30 p.m.! Or why wouldn't they have the decency to show some respect for their neighbors?
The unnecessary late night noises are just as disturbing and depriving peace as the incessant dog barks. No, small dogs don't just bark all day long. My neighbors like to enjoy their full unabridged rights to freedom whether or not that encroaches upon other neighbors' rights to enjoy peaceful quiet property. It was that they would bark and tap on floor to incite the dogs to bark, but these days the male neighbor would [oh for today it is a little early around 8 p.m.] stomp his feet, hand drum on some hard surface, smack/whistle/bark/shout/grunt to get their dogs to bark for an hour or more. That time frame is an increase from their usual 20-30 minutes barking fun.
These night owls, if they don't need the sleep or to wake up early, no one sleeps. [It's only 12:31 after midnight now, they deliberately knocked the wall/door, and again.] May be after 2 a.m.that guy would rap and knock on the wall or door to wake me up like he did a few days ago. Yesterday my wake up call was at 1:05 a.m. when the woman yelled. Today is weekend, I can kiss my goodnight sleep goodbye. But I haven't had much sleep for ...erh...since the new neighbors moved in? And thank goodness for traffic noises and other sounds that drown the noises from their unit during the day...hmm...still they often win that "who makes louder noise" game. [12:51 a.m. and they are having a spat of shouting match. Well, that is normal for them.]
Wouldn't it be nice if it is just unbearable noises your neighbors make? Those neighbors of mine enjoy their property rights so much that they want to expand it by parking right at the white line or simply cross over the line between parking spaces as they please. Their plant choices are free form vines that overhang to my patio, with bugs and spotting leaves disease in tow. They water their plants by leaving water hose running in the patio soil patch for over 15 minutes unattended. I heard water gushing and saw water covering from their unit to the public driveway. I thought they washed their cars. Never knew what they were doing until one day I was caring for my plants in the patio and noticed sound of water gushing again. It was more than 15 minutes, I peered over the fence to see what's going on several times, until the neighbor guy came out and I asked him if he heard water sound. His reply was a cool "It's just watering plants. I let the water run for 10 minutes...and that is the right way." No, 10 minutes will not flood out the public driveway outside his unit, and their ways from parking to noises to planting are not the right ways.
My next door neighbors have close family members or relatives living in the same TH complex, and they seem to visit each other often. I wonder if they want to move closer to their family? Rumor and even they themselves said they got a good price for their unit, so the only possible chance for them to move would be Walgreen or Wal-mart, his employer, transfer him out of STATE!
Since our TH management will do nothing every time I contacted them since last year, and they rushed me off the phone after they suggested to call the police when neighbors make noises. Yeah, the police just love to spend their time referee neighbors! TH management is hired to upkeep the TH neighborhood, and they should bear the responsibility of upholding city ordinance. Houston does have noise control ordinance, and it's searchable on the government website.
A child constantly crying and not in school is a BIG red flag.
Absolutely! This was my first thought as well. You can also report it anonymously if you're concerned of backlash but a screaming/wailing house could be either a big problem or a cultural difference. Either way, see something, say something. Or hear something in this case...
But this is definitely why I will never live on a lower floor. I always have to be the person upstairs. I've had too many stompers and rompers over head. Never again!
Kim in FL is most likely what's known as a functional sociopath. This self entitled brat doesn't care about anyone but herself and I would not rely on her for advice.
Her so called 'advice' will get you promptly evicted in many cities.
No, you do not have a 'right' to buy a Wii Fit and jump up and down all night disturbing your neighbors. Kim is an example of human garbage which societies should take a more active role in exterminating.
Hi Holi I have been meaning to leave you my thoughts but having a similar (and imo much worse neighbor situation) my energies have been limited but I just wanted to say, don't try to deal with a nasty neighbor yourself.
It's just not your job. Document everything and have your landlord deal with it and if you have to go to rent boards and tenant associations.
I tried negotiating with a horrible neighbor myself and they made me very, very sorry. I will never again reveal personal details like exactly where my bed is, the nature of our structure and how noise travels or any personal information because any info you give up can be used against you by the unscrupulous.
I know it's late in the game but that is for anyone ever dealing with "jerks". Use all the professional help you can get, keep it impersonal and don't let them see you coming!
Best of luck!
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Rumor and even they themselves said they got a good price for their unit, so the only possible chance for them to move would be Walgreen or Wal-mart, his employer, transfer him out of STATE! 
