neighbor complaint?

What would you do if you were me? We are on the 2nd floor of a co-op. We have elderly neighbors beneath us. They BLAST the television and music constantly. He loves his baseball games - an avid Mets fan. We hear their conversations verbatim when they yell across the apt or answer the phone. We even hear noises that we wish we didn’t hear at night, if you know what I mean!!

We have hardwood floors and have area rugs in each of the rooms and a runner in our foyer. We take our shoes off when we enter our front door and walk around barefoot. It is just my DH and I. We get in at about 8 pm each night and leave by 7 in the morning. We go to bed at about midnight after watching TV and relaxing.

I just walked in the building and my super grabbed me and said that a noise complaint was filed against US! I have had to go down to their apartment before and attempt to ring the bell and knock to ask them to shut music, but no one answered because they couldn’t hear the bell! I never reported it to the super, I just went out to avoid the noise. I am so annoyed. The super said that sometimes it gets ugly, and we should put down more rugs and stop wearing heels around the house. I said he could tell them we would certainly be more conscious of our noise level, but we’re hardly ever home, and when we are, we are eating and sleeping, and we have actually gone down to them to ask them to be quiet on occasion before. I asked if I should go down and talk to them and he said no, to just leave it alone and it would probably go away, but that if they complained again, the building manager gets involved and comes and inspects for 80% coverage (which we don’t have, 80% of each room, yes, not the connecting hallway though). We hear noise from above us all the time, too and never complained.

Would you go pay them a polite visit? We’ve been here a year today and never met them.

Re: neighbor complaint?

I would MOST DEFINITELY pay them a visit. Be as friendly as possible and mention their music drama and how you chose not to go to the super!!!

Thats rude if you ask me!

Re: neighbor complaint?

I live in a coop aslo but on the first floor. Before you say anything, I would get the place carpeted, then go talk to them. They can have to coop peeps check your apartment for 80% carpet

Re: neighbor complaint?

Yea, but I don't think getting an 8 foot runner for the wood hall is going to do the trick.... the other rooms have area rugs that cover 80% of the floor.


I want to go down and say something like this --

"I heard that you were having a problem with noise in your apartment and I wanted to come introduce myself and make sure we're all living comfortably. The super says you're hearing the noise ALL the time. I just wanted to come down and clarify that with you because it doesn't make sense if you are hearing noise during the day from my apartment. If you hear any noises during the day time, between 7 AM and 7 or 8 PM, it definitely isn't us because we are at work during that time. I know I hear a lot of noises in our apartment and sometimes it's hard to detect their origin, so please, if you hear anything at night, here is my # and please use it and let me know that you are hearing us. If it's us, we'll gladly quiet down. I'm sure you don't realize that we hear you, too. Your husband is an avid sports fan and the Sunday and Monday football leading up to the SuperBowl and the spring season for the Mets were difficult for me while I was attempting to work in our office and hearing the cheers and screaming at the TV. I let it go though. [Depending if they're nice or snotty about it --- For the past few months we've also been hearing intimate noises at night coming from the bedroom area beneath ours. I'm sure we all don't realize how much noise travels even when we think we're being quiet.]

Re: neighbor complaint?

We are having a similar problem with the new neighbors who moved in... except we are downstairs. I think it was very unneighborly that this couple filed a complaint before speaking with you. Unfortunately, it is irrelevant that you also heard noise coming from their apartment, since you refrained from saying anything. I think it is a good idea that you speak with them, although it may be in your best interest to ensure that you are fully compliant with your house rules before doing so. Considering that they did not bother to speak with you in the first place, they will probably not be so receptive to reasoning with you.

Good luck! We are about to approach our new neighbors BEFORE filing a complaint.

Re: neighbor complaint?

I would speak with them but I would also send a letter to the mgmt company so they know what's going on. Based on the super's response to talking to them, it sounds like they could be chronic complainers.

If/when you talk to them do not give them your number or invite them to let you know when they hear things - they WILL take you up on it!! As you stated, it's hard to tell where noise is coming from in a building and focus on that since you are not home during the day to make noise.

The 80% carpet rule usually does not apply to hallways, kitchens & bath. If 80% of your rooms are covered with appropriate pads, you should be fine there.

I am sorry you have to deal with this -- my downstairs neighbors were incredibly difficult the first year I was in this apartment and it makes for a very uncomfortable living situation.

Good luck!

Message edited 6/3/2008 1:28:28 PM.

Re: neighbor complaint?

thanks for the advice. DH plans to go down with me tonight after he gets home from work.

I knew I had complained on here once before and found the thread

... Could I put it in the letter to mgmt if we send one or is that stupid? http://www.lifamilies.com/chat/topic.aspx?ID=180049

Re: neighbor complaint?

I would not speak to them-I would file a noise complaint for them and carpet the one area that does not have 80% coverage.

Re: neighbor complaint?

I would ALSO file a formal complaint. Not just talk to them. Everybody needs to know that it's not just you but not being done behind closed doors.

Nobody will even know about the conversation you will have tonight with them. They may deny it later so in essence, it's like you never said they were a disturbance.

THEY did a formal complaint against you. And that is "on file".

I would also write a letter to the super or whoever you need to do it with asking for a justify of what kind of noise since neither your DH or you are home during the day and feel the noise could have come from another apartment.

Re: neighbor complaint?

Install wall to wall carpet, it will help the noise both directions and then if they blast the tv or anything else report them.