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flowerpal63

television outside

flowerpal63
18 years ago

Hi everyone,

I live in an apartment and having a problem with my neighbor having a tv outside. We have adjoining patio's, so when I go out to sit on MY patio, I am forced to listen to his tv program.

This happens everyday, sometimes for the entire evening. I am a smoker who only smokes outside. So question is, How do I tell him that this is driving me nuts? I feel like telling him if he wants to watch tv, go inside!

Thanks for your help.

flowerpal

Comments (16)

  • Condoperson
    18 years ago

    There's probably two ways to go here:

    1. Blow smoke in his face. If that doesn't work, have a party where everyone smokes. If that doesn't work, then have a party where everyone is smoking a cigar.

    If these measures fail, then you've got to play hard-ball:

    2. Install a plasma TV outside. Start playing re-runs of the "Brady Bunch." Golf shows would be really great. Surely, "Lawrence Welk re-runs should put this guy back in his apartment forever.

    Oh!!! Keep smoking and your problem is gone forever. OF COURSE, YOU ARE GONE FOREVER TOO!!!!

    About the best you can do is to talk to the person, and tell him what is bothering you. Or talk to management. You've got a 50% chance of your words falling on deaf ears.

  • GammyT
    18 years ago

    Have you talked to him? Smoker or not if you wanted to sit on your patio and listen to the birds or crickets you should be able to. At the same time he should be able to do what he wants on his patio.

    He probably doesn't know his TV bothers you because you have never told him it does. If you talk to him, you two might just find a happy medium place.

    Your only other choice is to stay mad.

  • flowerpal63
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thanks for the comments.

    Condoperson: He smokes too so that would'nt work.

    I know I need to speak with him about it, but I need to know what or how to say it without offending him.

    He did make a comment before saying he paid the rent there, that was shortly after I talked with management. They asked him to turn it down. That did work for awhile, but it's louder now. I can hear it outside my front door for pete's sake!

    So do you have suggestions on what to say to him?

    Thanks,

  • lindac
    18 years ago

    I would take my TV or a radio outside too....play it loud....if he complains say you have to turn up the sound to hear it over his TV....
    On the other hand...he has a prfect right to listen to his TV on his patio.....the only way to not suffer any consequences of neighbors doing things that annoy you is to have no neighbors.
    I suggest you ignore it....
    Linda C

  • lazy_gardens
    18 years ago

    Bagpipe music! Take a boombox onto the patio and turn it up real loud.

    ONly if asking him to turn it down - if he's sitting there by himself, and if it's not an old clunker TV, he could use headphones.

  • mrsmarv
    18 years ago

    Unfortunately you are both paying rent and if he isn't concerned about being a "good neighbor", other than filing complaints continuously (and there's no guarantee that it will remedy things), there is really not much you can do. I don't think that retaliation on your part will make things better...they will probably make things worse. That is one of the pitfalls of living in an apartment/condo. His comment about "I pay rent, too" is indicative of someone who has a pattern of "digging his heels in". I agree with LindaC...try to ignore it. I know that's not what you want to hear, but constantly complaining about it will only make him more adversarial. How long are you planning on staying there? Maybe this will be the impetus needed to think about alternatives to apartment living.

  • Str8dyme
    18 years ago

    Do what I am doing...MOVING!!! If you don't want to move or if it's not that bad, you may have to deal with it. As long as he's not playing it loud after hours when everyone's supposed to be sleeping.

  • talley_sue_nyc
    18 years ago

    tell management he hasn't really made any headway, he's given you every indication that he won't communicate well--can they move you toa different unit?
    Otherwise, you might have to look into the legalities of breaking your lease.

    I sympathize--I cannot STAND to be around the TV, so I'd just give up the use of my terrace.

    (you could use this to help you cut down on smoking--there might be a bright side)

    The other thing you could do is to approach him and say you appreciate the efforts he made earlier with keeping the TV volume down, but it's still a problem because it's always on. Say you understand that he'd like to be able to watch his TV outside, but that you pay rent too, and would like to have the "quiet enjoyment" of your terrace. Are there days of the week you could swap off, perhaps?

    If I were management, I'd simply have told him, "no electrical-powered sound devices--stereo, TV, electric guitar or electronic keyboard--outside on the terrace."

  • rivkadr
    18 years ago

    Perhaps suggest to the guy that he get headphones? It seems like such an obvious solution, but that would require that he have some human feeling and actually care about whether or not he's upsetting his neighbors...which judging by his past actions, he probably doesn't. It's worth a shot, I guess.

  • flowerpal63
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thanks for all the follow ups everyone!

    Sorry, I cannot ignore it. It's too annoying.

    I did take my small radio out and turned it down low so I wouldn't have to listen to his. This made him turn it up even louder. I just can't believe he doesn't realize it bothers other people.

    I'm not in a postion to move. I've been here 9 years and this is the first time I've ever had a problem. We do plan on getting a house by the first of next year. I just don't want to spend the next year dealing with this.

    I might suggest earphones. I believe the tv has cables for them.

    This is not the only problem I have with this man. His has a rather loud neighbor and he has been video taping her front door and meationed the wanted to install a secruity camera to monitor her high traffic.

    Anyways, I thank you all and wish me luck.

  • tampacondo
    18 years ago

    I would go to Walmart or Radio Shack and purchase a universal remote. If you can't see the brand name on his TV, these devices usually have a search function to search for codes.

    Then, you can turn his TV off, change the channel, or turn the volume down. As long as you are not obvious about it, he will not know what is happening.

  • noodlesportland
    18 years ago

    TAKE him a nice headphone set and a nice bottle of wine or booze and ASK him nicely if he would use them certain hours and tell him you will be moving and then if he says no you can justify being angry--it will help you pack your stuff.

  • cseyer
    18 years ago

    Buy this TV-B-Gone for $14.99 it will turn off any TV. He will get the point pretty quick I would think.

    Here is a link that might be useful: TVBGONE

  • volksgeist
    18 years ago

    How do you know he enjoys your dirty smelly cigarette smoke in his face everyday?

    Maybe the TV is because you are blowing that horrible smell towards him.

  • maine_gardener
    18 years ago

    Um she stated he also smoked! I think the Tvbgone is a great idea!

  • TypoQueen
    18 years ago

    tv bgone!
    go for it!

    they're both smokers, no problem

    turn off is tv every other minute, then come out and ask him if he's having problems TOO!

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