Does anyone live in an apartment building?

Do you ever get complaints about having a baby or kid? I live in an old creaky building in Long Beach in a 2 bedroom apartment. I figure if you live in a 2 bedroom that there is always the possibility of a kid living in the 2nd bedroom.

When I was pregnant I guess these new people moved in downstairs from us (they have the exact same layout apartment as us) and this girl came to our apartment to let us know that she can hear everything. She claimed that she can hear us talking, walking, and even our cell phones vibrating. I didn't know what to tell her but I just told her that I was sorry and we will try to be quieter. I was pregnant so it wasn't like we were having wild parties or anything abnormal but apparently us living our lives was too noisy for her. Now in my building you are supposed to have 70% carpeted which we did have but after she complained we put down even more thinking that it would absorb some noise. Of course walking on the carpeting we can still hear the floors creak pretty bad but theres honestly not much more that we can do.

Fast forward to when we have the baby. About a week later we get a letter in our mailbox from our management company saying they got a noise complaint and will be up to our apartment later that week to check to see if we have the proper amount of carpeting. They came and actually said that we have more then what we need. I explained to the management company that we have a baby and theres nothing we can do to stop him from crying or from me getting up in the middle of the night to feed him. We are obviously not having loud parties or anything. I hear the people upstairs from me all the time too but thats what is expected when u live in an old creaky building. and especially when you live in a 2 bedroom you need to expect that a baby/child could be in the 2nd bedroom.

Now this morning we have a letter under our door from the people downstairs saying that they can hear the baby and hear us walking back and forth from the bedrooms, and hear us even coughing (seriously?!) and that it has kept them up all night and asked us to be more considerate. ARGH I honestly don't know what else we can do. I wrote back as nice as possible and told them that I was sorry but we have a newborn baby and when he cries we get up as quickly as possible and try to be as quiet as possible. I told them that we have been checked and cleared from the management company for having more then enough carpeting. I let them know that we can hear the people above us as well and that our building is not insulated well and very creaky. and I told them that as much as we will try to be more considerate, there really isnt anyhting that we can really do.

What I really wanted to write was that maybe moving to the top floor of our building might be a better option for them so they dont have anyone above them. Anyways I guess this is more of a vent then anything else but I truely don't know what else I can do to make them happy so Im just wondering if anyone else has came across issues like this.

Re: Does anyone live in an apartment building?

Jenise, I think the whole situation is absolutely ridiculous!!! We live in an apartment complex, and basically we have the 2nd and 3rd floor. We spend most of our time on the 2nd, especially when Ryan is playing. He LOVES his jumparoo and I was really worried at first that him jumping would bother the downstairs neighbors. My DH reminded me that we pay the same if not more rent then them, and if they are unhappy, they can move. We have been here for a little bit, and no complaints. I think it's ridiculous that they are complaining about the baby crying!!! Honestly, let them keep writing notes, you had management check the carpeting, you did the right thing. If they are unhappy, LET THEM MOVE!!!

Re: Does anyone live in an apartment building?

Honestly these people are being sooo ridiculous

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Re: Does anyone live in an apartment building?

I think they are being very childish. Honestly, you have a child there has to be some understanding there. I agree that if they dont like it, they can move. You should be allowed to cough in your own apt too!

If they keep this up, I'd consider going to your mgmt board b/c they are basically harassing you.

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Save all their notes and copies of the notes you send them. date everything for your records. its amazing how problems with neighbors can get out of control. hopefully this is the end of it for you. control your coughing

good luck

congrats on the new baby

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I agree to save all the letters (both ways-make copies of the ones you write back) and date them....just in case. but in all seriousness, they are being ridiculous and either they have never lived in an apt building before or the ones they lived were better insulated. Either way, they have to deal or they can move. You've done everything you could, you can't stop living your life because they're ridiculous.

I kind of can't wait for Lucas to start in his jumperoo to see their reaction....

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I think they're being absolutely idiotic...I agree save everything...You're following all the guidelines of the apt, so you aren't doing ANYTHING wrong. If they can't handle listening to a baby cry then they need to not live in apt...Some PPL are just dumb!!!

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If they don't want to deal with the noise that comes from living in a shared environment, then they need to move to a house.

When you live in an apartment building, you have to accept that it may not always be quiet and a certain level of noise is normal. No one wants to hear a baby crying-I don't even like hearing my own, but that is part of life.

Their complaints are really misguided. How could you possible control the volume of your cough let alone a crying baby? That is clearly not a neighbor problem, it is a landlord problem and they should petition them to do something about the insulation (yeah right, the landlord will probably laugh at them but maybe it could be grounds to get out of their lease).

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We live in a 4 family and I've been kind of nervous about the same thing but DH assured me that I am CRAZY and babies are a part of life that everyone must deal with- and he is so right. If ur neighbors want to insulate themselves from communal type dwelling problems then they need to rent or buy a single family house! I'll never forget when I was on the train once and some lady asked if I would refrain from chewing gum. I told her that she should drive her car into the city if she couldn't deal with the other people on the train- it's not like I was lighting a fire or something, lol.

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Re: Does anyone live in an apartment building?

Thanks so much guys! DH and I both were so cranky this morning because of this. And I do feel bad that they hear us but you live in an apartment building! I can see if we were having loud parties then yes complain. But to complain bc they hear us walking, coughing and the baby crying? These are things that we can not control. Im not going to lay in bed all day and night bc I dont want them to hear me walk. Im not going to force myself not to cough, and theres no way to stop my baby from crying. If they have such a problem with hearing normal day to day things then they either need to complain to the management company to sound proof the apartments better, live on the highest floor, or move out

Re: Does anyone live in an apartment building?

Posted by ThinkingQuietly

Save all their notes and copies of the notes you send them. date everything for your records. its amazing how problems with neighbors can get out of control. hopefully this is the end of it for you. control your coughing

good luck

congrats on the new baby

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i think they are totally being unreasonable and unrealistic! you have done what you can so now it's up to them ask them what they want you to do....stop coughing?! let them move out if it is that bad!
you have a baby please do not stress over this nonsense!!!

Message edited 3/8/2010 11:30:08 AM.

Re: Does anyone live in an apartment building?

The whole thing is completely absurd! I work in this industry, and can say that we do come across this all of the time...

most leases have a section for "Quiet Enjoyment" which basically says that you can't vacuum, play loud music etc at certain times...after 11pm, or before 7am..in most cases. you are living your life. Apartment living takes a cooperative approach, and it sounds like they are not willing to cooperate. Speak to the property manager or community manager, and see if they would be willing to allow your annoyed neighbors to move to another unit without penalty..


I experienced a tenant who worked nights, and slept days. Above him, was a couple with two young children. The kids used to make noise before and after daycare, and he was pizzed! he used to come into my office and scream at us... hello...they are living their lives, just as you are living yours. The police were called one day, and the officer came and basically told the guy...find a new place to live, but good luck finding one with no kids....

people stink!

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Tell your neighbors to stop sending you complaints and to direct all future correspondence to management. DH and I moved into a coop right before I gave birth and I still remember what the President of the coop board said right after she explained the noise ordinances...if you violate them and we get a complaint, we will notify you and if steps arent taken to correct them you could be fined. If we get a complaint about the baby crying, "tough toodles" thats what babies do...cry.

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Jenise..I agree with all of the other posters...you are doing nothing wrong! Save everythig and try not to give this another thought...if they keep it up they are harrassing you. they hear you cough???come on now

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Maybe they can get a white noise maker?

They sound like morons.. that's what you get when you live in an apartment.

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I think you should really give them something to listen to..loudly...and see if they write a letter of complaint about that.

But seriously, it happens in apt. buildings, especially ones that aren't well insulated for noise. I live in a duplex, and there is cement in between the floors, so footsteps and noises cannot be heard, but I know alot of buildings are not like that.

Don't let it get to you, and don't let them control your life and how "loud" you are. Like everyone else said, if they don't like it, they can move.

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My upstairs neighbor when we moved in, and we said we didn't care about noise from 6 am to 11 pm, because they have 2 boys 8 & 13. Apparently the last couple who lived in my apt, complained about them all the time. You really have to expect living noises when living in an apartment.

I would stop by and let your management know that your neighbors are unhappy about your coughing & walking, so they are kept informed of the situation. If the neighbors are upset now, wait till your LO, is in his jumperoo, crawling, then walking....

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Sorry to crash here, but this just infuriates me I can totally understand them not liking the noise of the baby, but I can't believe they would have the audacity to write you a note complaining about it!

Anyway, just the fact that they complain about EVERY LITTLE THING, like COUGHING is proof that it's really not YOU they are complaining about... it's the noise insulation. They would complain about anyone living in your apartment. I wouldn't be surprised if they had problems in the past.

Anyway, if I were you I would do what the others have said and document everything... but def continue to live your life!

FYI- I live in an apartment where I could hear the man across from us SNORING through the walls! Should I write him a note telling him not to sleep?!

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Jenise you've done all you could extra carpeting ect. This woman is totally out of line and harassing you & your family! You need to be able to live your normal lives, hence that includes coughing and yes, a baby will cry, these are thing you can't help! Is she out of her mind?? she needs to get a life.

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I had a similar problem when I lived in Kew Gardens, Queens. I lived on the 6th floor (top floor, lucky me!) and had a cranky old korean couple under us. We had a really big 1 bedroom apt (lived there with my ex-bf). it was a pre-war building soo really old creaky wood floors, very high ceilings. really a beautiful apt.


anyway, theyd complain every-so-often that we were too loud. they didnt speak english so they had their daughter or other family member come up and complain when they visited. I told them I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do. I LIVE here! We had the required amount of carpeting and nothing more. I wasnt going to break my back to make them happy. They also complained a few times that WE had a leak that was dripping into their apt. WE didnt have a leak, it was in the pipes in the walls.

Like a PP said, document everything, but dont kill yourself accomidating them! Youre doing nothing wrong! If I were you, and it keeps up -- Id send them a note saying their complaints are bordering on HARASSMENT and youre going to go to managment if it doesnt stop!