To answer your question, it is possible for running to cause enough vibrations that something in the condo below you is damaged. That does not mean, however, that the problems the woman below you is experiencing with her chandelier were caused by you and your boyfriend.

What I'd do in this particular case is to gently inform the downstairs neighbor that you are of course perfectly willing to pay the cost for repair of any damage that you caused. And that when she presents to you a written analysis of the damage by someone expert in determining the cause of damage to lighting fixtures and that such analysis clearly indicates that the damage was caused in the past X months (X being the number of months you have lived in that condo) and that said damage could only have been caused by movement in the unit above the chandelier, you will be happy to pay.

Because while your running may have contributed to the damage, I doubt very much that it was the sole cause.

However, if you want to be a good neighbor, I'd stop the "playful chasing" completely. Running makes more noise than walking, and I wouldn't want to be living underneath adults who were running around in their unit.

Do try to get back on good terms with your neighbors. Don't put anything on the stairs--people in their 70s have a very valid fear of falling and even if rose petals (which were a very sweet thought on the part of your BF) don't look dangerous to you, to someone who is at all unsteady on their feet, it's just one more thing that could cause a fall. Keep your things out of the common areas and confined to your unit.

If she starts slamming her door, I'd go downstairs and ask what the problem is. If it is just the noise of people talking in your unit, while bearing in mind that you have every right to have guests and conversation, do what you can to appease her a little bit. Offer to move the conversation to another room, if that would bother her less. Inform her that the noise should only last for another hour or so (if that's truly the case), or at least let her know by what time the guests will be gone. Or be proactive and tell her a day or two before you have people over that there will be a party and some noise and conversation, and give her your phone number so she can call if it gets too loud.

You may be in the right. You aren't holding loud parties and blasting music and tap dancing over her head. And it may seem silly to try and appease a cranky old lady. But do you want to have to field complaints and questions from both her and your landlord on a regular basis? And if there are too many complaints, your landlord may not renew your lease.

Ask your landlord if he has any tips on dealing with this woman, or if she's complained about everyone living above her. Ask the landlord if he can suggest anything you can do to make things quieter.

Thank you. She does have our phone number, which was a mistake. She'd call about the music (during the day, not turned all the way up) and of course, us "stomping about the place." When she called demanding that we have the cable guy come back, we told her to not call us anymore and to go through our landlord. We are on a month to month basis and not on a lease - I love the place and its location so I am sad to have issues with her. The landlord passed away the first month we moved in and we have been dealing with her son and he is very reasonable and understands our side. I do see her point of view but also feel she is being dramatic. I certainly am not dishing over money to fix something I do not feel I caused in the three months I have been here.

I really just need to know on a liability stand point. I will make sure to get a report - I think, from the letter, that she is going to get it fixed and expects to forward the bill to our insurance company. In that case, they will just toss it out since there is no proof.

Thank you. She does have our phone number, which was a mistake. She'd call about the music (during the day, not turned all the way up) and of course, us "stomping about the place." When she called demanding that we have the cable guy come back, we told her to not call us anymore and to go through our landlord. We are on a month to month basis and not on a lease - I love the place and its location so I am sad to have issues with her. The landlord passed away the first month we moved in and we have been dealing with her son and he is very reasonable and understands our side. I do see her point of view but also feel she is being dramatic. I certainly am not dishing over money to fix something I do not feel I caused in the three months I have been here.

I really just need to know on a liability stand point. I will make sure to get a report - I think, from the letter, that she is going to get it fixed and expects to forward the bill to our insurance company. In that case, they will just toss it out since there is no proof.

Just my opinion and I am not a lawyer, but I doubt that you can be held responsible for damage to her chandelier or to repair the wiring due to what sounds like normal living above her. However, the wiring of the chandelier should be checked, and if I were you, I would inform the landlord that there may be an electrical short somewhere within her apartment.

Don't run in the apartment, don't put rose petals or other items in walkways. If I could hear my neighbor's music at any time of the day I would be annoyed. Earbuds?

The bottom line is that you picked the wrong building to be in. That said, there are ways for a young couple to ingratiate themselves with the elderly. The next time the weather is bad, call her up and tell her you are going to the grocery store and ask if she needs anything. Find a way to be in communication with her and the other tenants that isn't about problems. In other words, be nice to her. It will go a long way towards making her think differently about you and not so spring-loaded to complain.