ow to Deal with a Noisy Neighbor

If you are living in an apartment, chances are you always see people in the hallways and the parking lot. You will see many people around your place, and with that, the noise comes from all angles – below, above, next door and even outside the premises. Below are some excellent tips on how to deal with a noisy neighbor.

1. Don’t do anything

Not every distracting noise coming from upstairs gives you the reason to react. Most of the neighbors are permitted to do some activity or make some noise during the day and even into the evening. If you hear some sounds during reasonable hours, you may want just to let it go.

2. Offer a subtle reminder

If you live downstairs and think the people upstairs are making too much noise, you may tend to bang on the ceiling. Don’t do a thing that creates a loud sound, be kind and gentle in handling the situation. A light tap will let them know you can hear their noise. 

3. Talk peacefully face-to-face

The best solution to any problem is talking to your neighbor face-to-face. As a rule of thumb, be honest and straightforward, don’t be angry or threat them and stick to the facts. Ask them to observe the noise they create. It’s also a great idea to offer compromises and suggestions. Try to agree with them to stop loud music at 10 p.m. Ask them to move the treadmill to a room other than the one over your bedroom.

4. Contact the landlord

If none of your efforts have worked, it might be the right time to get the attention of the landlord. Inform the landlord about your complaint and everything you’ve done so he can help settle the matter up to this point. If the landlord takes your claim as reasonable, he will most likely send a letter to your neighbor making noise and notify them someone has submitted to an anonymous complaint and they need to quiet down. The landlord might even refer to a noise clause in the rental agreement if it exists.

Before you complain about your neighbor to your landlord, it’s a good idea to have the noise documented for a couple of weeks. List of the times you felt the noise was excessive, what was the noise about, what time of day and any actions you took. Keep copies of notes, as well.

5. Gather support from other tenants

If you are disturbed and annoyed by the noise coming from your neighbor, and it is affecting your time of rest, others may be annoyed, as well. If alternative measures don’t work, talk to your fellow tenants and find out if they  have complaints also.

Talking with your noisy neighbor with others that also feel the same way might carry some weight, and your complaint to your landlord can be much stronger with a collectively-signed letter from several tenants

6. As a last resort, you may confider contacting the local police department

Regardless of what the police do when they arrive at the place, no one will be happy. Calling the police should be reserved for emergencies like out-of-control extreme loud parties and suspected domestic abuse.