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Hello.
I rented an apartment and wasnt aware of problems with it. We asked landlord before moving in if there is any noise issues in the complex, but she said it is a quiet neighbourhood.
After me and my roommate moved in, we found out that walls are not noise isolated and you can hear water going through the pipes and when someone from unit above flushing a toilet it sounds like i am next to a waterfall. Besides i can hear people walking and talking above and when tenant above locks their dog in a bathroom, i hear how dog scratches the door.
We complained to landlord several times, but nothing was done. I have no sleep at all and that is considering that we paying pretty high rent.
What can be done?
Break your lease and pay the penalty or get a white noise machine or ear plugs. Sorry, but nothing they are doing is illegal by the noise ordinance law standards.
Hello.
I rented an apartment and wasnt aware of problems with it. We asked landlord before moving in if there is any noise issues in the complex, but she said it is a quiet neighbourhood.
After me and my roommate moved in, we found out that walls are not noise isolated and you can hear water going through the pipes and when someone from unit above flushing a toilet it sounds like i am next to a waterfall. Besides i can hear people walking and talking above and when tenant above locks their dog in a bathroom, i hear how dog scratches the door.
We complained to landlord several times, but nothing was done. I have no sleep at all and that is considering that we paying pretty high rent.
What can be done?
I've been in a similar situation. The pipes were old and the walls thin, so any time someone flushed, turned on their sink - whatever, I got to hear the pipes. Could also hear nearly everything they did. Unfortunately that's a common thing in apartment living.
Don't EVER take the landlord's word for it. They're trying to get someone in the unit. They aren't likely to tell you that the people next door have parties every Saturday evening.
For the more honest ones - they might not know there are noise issues if other tenants haven't complained.
The only thing you can do is check your lease to see if they allow subleasing, or break your lease (which is generally very expensive).
Earplugs and fans generally don't help me that much, but depending on where the noise is, they might give you enough relief to get some sleep. I do sympathize with you and wish you luck!
Hello.
I rented an apartment and wasnt aware of problems with it. We asked landlord before moving in if there is any noise issues in the complex, but she said it is a quiet neighbourhood.
After me and my roommate moved in, we found out that walls are not noise isolated and you can hear water going through the pipes and when someone from unit above flushing a toilet it sounds like i am next to a waterfall. Besides i can hear people walking and talking above and when tenant above locks their dog in a bathroom, i hear how dog scratches the door.
We complained to landlord several times, but nothing was done. I have no sleep at all and that is considering that we paying pretty high rent.
What can be done?
my current apartment.. the first night we moved in, i'm sleeping and i hear water running, really weird, the heat was on and it sounded like water was coming from the floor ( floor radiators). never heard that before in an apartment. Just got used to it. don't ever take the ll's response to noise. There are going to want to rent the place, in my experience, they will of course say it's quiet...until you move in and find out it's not quiet. there's nothing really you can do about the pipes, toilet flushing. You can complain to the ll if the neighbors are overly loud and a certain times of the day/night. Thin floors and walls..
Hello.
I rented an apartment and wasnt aware of problems with it. We asked landlord before moving in if there is any noise issues in the complex, but she said it is a quiet neighbourhood.
After me and my roommate moved in, we found out that walls are not noise isolated and you can hear water going through the pipes and when someone from unit above flushing a toilet it sounds like i am next to a waterfall. Besides i can hear people walking and talking above and when tenant above locks their dog in a bathroom, i hear how dog scratches the door.
We complained to landlord several times, but nothing was done. I have no sleep at all and that is considering that we paying pretty high rent.
What can be done?
Appears she 'fogged' your question when stating the 'neighborhood" is quiet - not the unit itself.
As it's said, "Renting is like camping out" . . . sad but true. And even if you ended up with a so-called somewhat quiet unit with quiet neighbors, the next neighbors to move in could be the 'neighbors from H'.
.........she said it is a quiet neighbourhood.
.........when someone from unit above flushing a toilet it sounds like i am next to a waterfall........
Sorry, but your landlord is not going to order the people upstairs to stop flushing the toilet.
"Quiet neighborhood" means that there are no gangland shootings and the local kids don't drag race up and down the streets after midnight. It means that there is no bar with a heavy metal band letting people out at 2 AM. It does not mean that the apartment is sound proof.
I am curious, though. You live with a roommate. When the roommate flushes the toilet, do you shout at the roommate to stop making so much noise? Personally, toilet flushing is a noise that I just block out and don't even hear it. Have your upstairs neighbors been complaining when you flush the toilet and they can hear it?
If you live in an apartment, you are going to hear people make noise. If you live near a road, you are going to hear traffic noise. If you live in a single family house in the middle of 5,000 acres, you are going to hear noise from wildlife and the wind. There is no place you can live where you won't hear noise.
I suppose, your best option is to buy a house and super douper sound proof it. I'll bet you will still hear noise, but the noise level will be reduced. As long as you can train your roommate to stop flushing the toilet.
there's nothing wrong with the plumbing in your building and your landlord didn't lie or mislead you. The 'noise' you're hearing isn't noise...it's people living in their home. And think about it...if you can hear them, they can hear you.
Just about any multi family building comes with noise... the best have concrete construction for floors and some for walls and are often High Rise New York/SF building type.
My friend visiting from Germany ALWAYS comment how noisy American homes are... almost all homes in that part of germany are concrete... which mutes just about any noise.
Older construction is generally quieter than newer... I manage a building built in 1925... cast iron pipes and plaster walls make a huge difference... most 1950's and newer is drywall... most 1980 and newer has ABS plastic pipes.
Chalk it up as a learning experience... next time you will know.
One more thought... top floor corner apartments tend to be the least noisy... no one above and several sides with no one next to you.
PS... Hardwood and blinds are very bad too... had a building with beautiful hardwood... covered all of it with wall to wall and floor to ceiling drapes for the windows... HUGE improvement... just like movie theaters with curtains on the walls...
PS... Hardwood and blinds are very bad too... had a building with beautiful hardwood... covered all of it with wall to wall and floor to ceiling drapes for the windows... HUGE improvement... just like movie theaters with curtains on the walls...
Ummm..curtains in movie theaters are about absorbing the sound from WITHIN the theater, to prevent echos. Not to keep sound from outside.
After me and my roommate moved in, we found out that...What can be done?
When you move to your next apartment you can use this experience to learn/verify
matters like this on your own and in advance. Maybe you'll find something that works?
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