I think the letter has too much about your personal relationship with the other tenant and not enough about problems that the landlord can solve. Focus on what the landlord can do, and minimize the altercations between the two of you. Landlords do *not* want to get involved in relations between neighbors.

I'd address the issue from the point of view of security--the open door gives more access to your apartment to evildoers, and the cold--the cold drafts that come in. If there is any chance that this door is a fire door, designed to help keep fire from getting into that hallway, add that in, as well, as there are regulations requiring that fire doors be kept closed at all times, unless someone is walking through them.

Here's my attempt.

Dear Landlord,

What is the policy about the doorway on the hall I share with Apt. 2B? Now that it is winter, I want this door closed, as there is a cold draft in my apartment when it is left open. Also, leaving the door open seems like it is a security risk, giving outsiders that much more access to our individual units. The door also appears to be a fire door and as such, should remain closed.

My neighbor in 2B insists on keeping the door open. She yells at me when I close it. Unfortunately, when this happened today, it deteriorated into a shouting match.

This is not how I want to live--in an apartment that is a security risk, a fire risk, more cold than it needs to be, and at odds with my neighbors.

The neighbor in 2B claims that only she has the right to determine if the door for the shared hallway will be open or closed.

I have the following questions:

1. Is there a policy that this door should remain shut at all times? If so, could you please communicate this to the neighbor?

2. If there is not, is there any policy allowing the occupants of Apt. 2B to control the door? If not, please communicate this to the neighbor.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

You should be aware that going to the landlord will probably make the neighbor's behavior worse. Keep a record of what she does after the landlord contacts her. Just a notebook with short notes: 12/26/13--I closed door at 6 pm. Neighbor Lady came and banged on my door, yelling that she was going to close it. Banging and yelling went on for 5 minutes.

Record her or video her if possible. Then you can take your notebook and and recordings to the landlord to prove that she is acting unreasonably, and ask what they are going to do about her.

But I'd focus on the door first, and not bring the personal element into it if at all possible.

Camlan's letter is great. It says what you want the landlord to do. landlords can set enforceable rules but not things like, "Talk nicely to your neighbor."

BTW, is there a reason why she keeps the hallway door open? Maybe that reason could be addressed.