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needsleep

People above are abusive, people below OK

needsleep
17 years ago

For over a year the people above (3 adults living in a 1 Br/1Ba apartmment have been making noises so loud & so often, and these noises go from about 6 AM until almost 3 AM. It's not fair that I have to listen to all of their sounds falling down into my apt. In response, I could blast my TV or stereo to try to drown them out. But that would bother the neighbors below.

So what is the solution to "GET" the people above me, but not bother the people below.

Thanks for the wise advice.

Comments (8)

  • luxum
    17 years ago

    Simple, you call the cops on them. Make sure they are being really loud though, the cops won't do anything if they can't hear it from outside.

    Of course you have to be prepared, because taking any action at all often leads to retaliation. The best thing to do is to simply move.

  • ines_99
    17 years ago

    The cops won't do anything about noise that is made just from people "living". If it isn't a fight or a stereo/tv blasting, they won't do a thing.

    I understand where you are coming from, some people are just noisy and have no respect for those around them. Some apartments are poorly insulated, or they use very thin carpet and thin padding to save money, which magnifies every little sound considerably. If you want to get even with your neighbors, wait until it gets quiet up there, indicating that THEY are asleep, and then YOU start making alot of noise. However, what are you going to do - do this every night? It won't work anyway. Inconsiderate people don't change.

    My suggestion to you is to buy some earplugs and to move when your lease is up, either into a place where you are on the top floor, or into a private apartment that it is part of a home or business where there are no other people living. You can't go thru your life expecting people in apartments to be considerate, you are fighting a losing battle.

    Believe me, I have been there!

  • needsleep
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    You're right, Ines. These people are just plain old inconsiderate & I know nothing will change that. All I can do WHILE I AM STILL HERE is to try to get the management of the bldg to enforce the carpeting rules to at least muffle it a little bit.
    Ther used to be alot of screaming coming from that apartment. The guy who lived there would scream at his wife incessantly - with the vilest language. But I have not heard his voice for several months - I guess she finally got him out of there - but then her 2 grown sons moved in. This is a 1 BR aartment. A maintenance guy here told me that she converted the dining area into her bedroom. UGH.

    One other thing that really irks me is that on the rare occasions when I make noise (like when my GF is here - but we won't go there, or during a hugely important baseball game), they will start pounding on the floor & screaming for me to shut up. But i never make a sound after around 11 PM. The nerve of them! (I think it's jealousy! :-) )

    And to add insult to injury, this morning, at 8 AM, there were construction people demolishing the walls in the apartment next door to me - they are renovating it! 8 AM on a sunday! The Town code prohibits doing that at all on a weekend, so tomorrow morning a call to the Twon will be made & hopefully they will be fined. I also sent notice today that I am not paying rent until the Management ends the construction (they are renovating on both sides of me) & they resolve the issue of the people above me. I guess they'll sue me soon - but I'd like to see how they get around their vioaltion of Town laws, and their inability to provide me quiet enjoyment of the premises.

  • crila1
    17 years ago

    Hi Needsleep.

    God do I feel your pain. I'm in the exact same situation. The people above me are horrible and inconsiderate...and they refuse to compromise. The people below me are so sweet. I even ran down to them crying last night. They had to calm me down. I'd blast my music to get them back, but it will bother the people below me.

    What also stinks is I'm a girl, so they feel they can push me around...plus they're best friends with the president on the condo board. I haven't a clue what to do.

  • GammyT
    17 years ago

    Needsleep, have you talked to your landlord?

    Another question "about 6 AM until almost 3 AM" that means they are only quiet between 3am and 6am? What shift do they work?

    Call your landlord and see what he says. Maybe call your local department of housing and see what they say about the number of people in a one bedroom.

    6am until almost 3am, my guess is you are going for the drama factor with this message and the truth is just a bit different.

  • needsleep
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Nope - no drama factor! I find it incredible that they sleep so little, but that IS what it is like - they go to sleep about 2:30 - 3:00 AM, and at around 6:00 they are getting up. It's actually pretty quiet there most of the day beginning around 7:30 AM, until around 8 or 9 PM. During the day, the woman who lives there keeps clomping around the floor, but the 2 guys are not there. SOmeone here told me they own a Diner - explains the hours, I guess.

    Have written Landlord ( a HUGE management Co that owns dozens of alrge buildings all over the Metropolitan NY area)& spoken to the guy in charge of this bldg many times all to no avail. Now I've told them I am not paying rent until I talk with them & get satisfaction. Still no response. This Building has about 80ish units - I think it is the smallest one they manage.

    I've also filed a report with the Town about the noise code violation.

  • nfllifer
    17 years ago

    Just an FYI You might want to check with a free tenant hotline for your state. In mine the tenant can with hold rent but it needs to be paid to the court in an escrow account. This will prevent your landlord from sueing you or evicting you. The Judge will hear you out and decide if you should get free rent, partial rent, or monies go to landlord. In my area you would get much of the escrow rent money back. Good luck!

  • housenewbie
    17 years ago

    "What also stinks is I'm a girl, so they feel they can push me around..."
    crila1--

    First off, if you're old enough to rent an apt by yourself, you're a woman, not a girl. Second, just because some people *think* they can push you around because of your gender doesn't mean you should *let* them. It's sad that our society still encourages women to feel timid and insecure about themselves. Fortunately, you can learn to overcome this.

    If you feel intimidated, perhaps you should take a self-defense class at a local Y or college. That will both give you some confidence, and also skills *just in case* (however unlikely) you should ever need to defend yourself (plus you'll get in shape!). Or, you could take it a step further and take a martial arts class--they teach not just fighting, but also mental concentration and discipline, which leads to confidence and assertiveness.

    If these people have actually *threatened* you, or even acted threatening, then by all means call the cops and make a complaint for assault. 'Assault' means causing a person to fear for their safety. ("Battery' is actually hitting someone.) That will make them start to take you seriously, and also will create a paper trail if they should start doing anything more than just making noise to annoy you.

    Good luck!

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