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Old 01-23-2012, 12:25 PM
 
5 posts, read 22,939 times
Reputation: 12

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Three months ago, I moved into a top-floor apartment with poor soundproofing. I've lived in apartments before and I undertstand that one must tolerate a certain amount of noise from all sides. I specifically asked for a top-floor apartment to minimize some of that. I am so thankful I don't have some of the other problems that I read about in this forum (barking dogs, rambunctious children, loud sex, loud TVs and stereos), and I do appreciate this very much, but my problem is very real to me and prevents me from being able to be at peace in my own home.

So here's my problem: The fellow below me plays his electric guitar and bass with the amplifier turned up. On weekends, he often plays it on and off all day. Most evenings after work I hear it--so I come home and can't nap, can't read, can't work at home, can't relax with a dinner guest, can't relax period! When I first moved in, I went down and introduced myself and politely told him that I wanted to make sure he knew that I could hear his music very clearly and loudly through the floor. One night we woke me up at 3:30 and I went down to complain. The playing continued for another couple of weeks, though not in the middle of the night. I've only spoken with him twice about this.

It's possible he might be reacting to my noise, despite my very best effort to be considerate. I am certain my footsteps, door and closet opening and closing, and occasional loud laughter can be heard downstairs. I am up at 6 and out the door for work at 6:30 on weekdays. I don't have a TV or stereo, just an old tabletop radio and a laptop computer, so I am pretty sure I am not making electronic noises that can be avoided.

I asked the manager if there had been other complaints, and there had not, according to him. But he said he would speak to the tenant; the manager felt this was unacceptable noise. So it stopped--for just a week, then started up again. I had to be at home all this past weekend and was at my wits end. I tried running my dishwasher, running a fan, turning up my radio a little louder--but what I really needed was quiet with just the normal apartment noises one should expect.

We all sign the same lease and it has rules about noise that should cover this problem. Any ideas on what to do next, without starting a fight and without irritating the managers too much? Thank you.
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Old 01-23-2012, 12:34 PM
 
912 posts, read 5,237,583 times
Reputation: 2088
For your property management talks, the key words are "Peaceful enjoyment" of your house.

For your a-hole neighbor, the key words are "HEADPHONES".

I play guitar too, but I use headphones so that I don't drive my wife or neighbors insane.
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Old 01-23-2012, 12:38 PM
 
Location: St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
24,665 posts, read 69,434,581 times
Reputation: 26726
Seems that you have rather an oblivious neighbor which is unfortunate. You might think about writing a (very) nice letter to management explaining the problem pretty much as you've explained it here - one which they could show to the tenant if they felt it necessary.

This suggestion might be off the wall but, as there are cordless headphones which enable one to watch TV with the volume turned down very low, maybe there's something similar which plugs into an amp and can be combined with a guitar "muffler"! Who knows? Just a wild thought!

PS: Just read Carlos's response so maybe it's not such an off the wall suggestion after all ...
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Old 01-23-2012, 04:16 PM
 
912 posts, read 5,237,583 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by STT Resident View Post
PS: Just read Carlos's response so maybe it's not such an off the wall suggestion after all ...
The majority of half-way decent amps come with a "muffling" button built in.
If this guy plays as much as OP says, I'd be willing to bet a week's paycheck that he's got a "muffling" button, but he is too ignorant/self-important to utilize it.
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Old 01-23-2012, 04:32 PM
 
831 posts, read 2,816,954 times
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You did everything you could. Time to call the police.
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Old 01-23-2012, 08:11 PM
 
5 posts, read 22,939 times
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Thanks for the replies. This helps a lot (except I don't think it's time for the police yet--I'm in no danger and he's not habitually violating the nighttime noise ordinance in our county).

I stopped in after work to the manager's office and talked with the boss. I need to write a letter of complaint, with documentation of dates and times, and then they will send him a letter, which will not mention me as the complainer. Maybe I should write my own letter to him so that hu!e knows I am not a faceless nameless neighbor upstairs, invite him to discuss a solution. He could tell me he has no plans to change his habits; then I would go to the manager again.

If others still have comments, please post.
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Old 01-23-2012, 11:31 PM
 
Location: When you take flak it means you are on target
7,646 posts, read 9,884,900 times
Reputation: 16450
We have a number of shift workers in our units. So we have a rule. Any sound heard outside your unit is too loud. It is very simple, if I can stand outside your door and hear you it's too loud. If I can hear it inside any other unit it is WAY too loud. (Exception being impact noise from upstairs which we can't do anything about and tenants are warned.)

Tenants are instructed upon move in to do three things. Pay the rent on time. Leave the place clean when you move, and don't bother the neighbors.

Break any of these rules and we are going to have problems. In reality, because we make it very clear upon move in that courtesy toward others, even at your own inconvenience is the house rule, we don't have such problems.

We also do not allow sub-woofers and we have a separate noise amendment Tenants sign so if it comes to eviction I can slap that on the Judges bench and they can't say they didn't agree to the terms.

Bad tenants are a result of bad management.

An apartment house doesn't have to be a jail, but people living in multi-family housing have to respect each other.
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Old 01-24-2012, 03:18 AM
 
Location: Colorado
35 posts, read 174,883 times
Reputation: 23
It's sad that people have to be that way. My upstairs neighbor (while I live with the walking/dog running and have learned it's probably not as loud as I hear, and have learned to ignore it) thought 6:30am was as good as time as any to practice guitar. Although honestly I think she couldn't really play it because it sounded like a cat dying, so I know some of how you feel.

Here, they ask all complaints be fielded to the office. This is to protect people from retaliation I guess. I'm lucky my manager is a nice lady who heard my neighbor offending so knows I'm not just trying to pick a fight.

Start vacuuming while he's playing. Or better yet, taking an afternoon nap. Vacuum the baseboards, under the fridge, heck even the dog if you got one. Nothing against the rules about that, I've heard of that working for people after the 5-6th time. People can be so rude!
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Old 01-24-2012, 04:46 AM
 
911 posts, read 2,589,913 times
Reputation: 566
usually you'll get mixed answers on here regarding loud neighbors, im glad they're all positive right now. terribly loud neighbors are the worst and i hope it gets better for you.
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Old 01-24-2012, 08:25 PM
 
5 posts, read 22,939 times
Reputation: 12
I like jamies' comment that an apartment house doesn't have to be a jail. That's the last thing I'd want my downstairs neighbor to feel--like my complaint has forced him to feel like he now has to serve out a jail term, when in fact he does have options. Speddy--yes, I could do all those things, but for now I am going to do my best to be quiet for him. That way, when he knows I am at home he can hear me being respectful--that is, if his consciouness is even raised about such things and he remember that we have an unresolved problem. Thanks everyone!
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