Living with inconsiderate loud neighbors

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We’ve lived in this condo for over 10 years. It is spacious, but since we are so spread out, we have two different sets of neighbors above us. We’ve never had an issue with noise (other than normal stuff at holidays and when there is a stray party " but they are always have been considerate of us).

That is until about 9 months or more ago " new neighbors moved in. We have had incidents where we have left notes and spoken with them about their large dog barking, the consistent loud shoes on the floor above us and dragging chairs that echo below on us. They have hard wood floors and do not have their floors covered by area rugs (some throw rugs but not much else). They have received complaints of their dog from others as well " fortunately the barking has been minimized. But the do not seem to try to be quiet on the floor.

We decided since we were planning on moving to deal with it at the time (they do seem nice otherwise). But with the market we may end up staying for a couple of years. What would you do since previous conversation and notes do not seem to get us any where? We try to take our shoes off on the stairs upon entering realizing our hard wood floor echoes above.

I figure I will now allow my daughters to go hog wild and make lots of noise as they like " normally we tell them to quiet down when they get wild. I especially like the battery powered bull horn my 6 year old received for her birthday a week ago.

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@Linkat,

Can you keep a broom stick handy and give them a reminding "tap" on the ceiling? Maybe if they know that if they can hear you, you must certianly be able to hear them.

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Okay, at the risk of sounding like Ms. Obvious, have you spoken with them? We have occasionally loud neighbors but they're pretty good about stopping fairly early on work nights. We can't talk to ours because I think the only/main language they speak is Portuguese. They do play interesting (albeit loud) music, though.

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@Linkat,

Linkat wrote:

We’ve lived in this condo for over 10 years. It is spacious, but since we are so spread out, we have two different sets of neighbors above us. We’ve never had an issue with noise (other than normal stuff at holidays and when there is a stray party " but they are always have been considerate of us).

That is until about 9 months or more ago " new neighbors moved in. We have had incidents where we have left notes and spoken with them about their large dog barking, the consistent loud shoes on the floor above us and dragging chairs that echo below on us. They have hard wood floors and do not have their floors covered by area rugs (some throw rugs but not much else). They have received complaints of their dog from others as well " fortunately the barking has been minimized. But the do not seem to try to be quiet on the floor.

We decided since we were planning on moving to deal with it at the time (they do seem nice otherwise). But with the market we may end up staying for a couple of years. What would you do since previous conversation and notes do not seem to get us any where? We try to take our shoes off on the stairs upon entering realizing our hard wood floor echoes above.

I figure I will now allow my daughters to go hog wild and make lots of noise as they like " normally we tell them to quiet down when they get wild. I especially like the battery powered bull horn my 6 year old received for her birthday a week ago.

It's very difficult living below an apartment with no rugs on the floor. Years ago, I had a feud with a guy above me in a similar sirtuation. He had had a dog since he moved in and I just dealt with it. Then he removed the carpeting and I still dealt with it, even though everything was much louder on the bare floor. Then he got a live-in girlfriend with another dog, and I had to listen to the two dogs barking and chasing each other every night. I tried very politely to tell him about my dilemma, and he basically told me to go to hell. I would have accepted some kind of compromise, but he pretty much believed in his right to do anything he couldn't be stopped from doing.

So, I ended up getting in a big feud with him, and he and his girlfriend ended up moving out. I wouldn't recommend a fued as a solution, but that's what happened to me in the same situation.

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There is a pyrotechnic "entry device" called a Flashbang. Very loud but generally harmless. Or maybe a couple of canister boat emergency horns. You can get em at any chandler. Lots a fun when you give em to the kids to play with.

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@Linkat,

we have some what of the same issue.
Only 2 different buildings.

Our neighbors ( that are still here) play horrid polka sounding spanish music so loud that it rattles the windows.
Since they dont speak english, and my own spanish is broken there was little I could do about it.
So I called my landlord and got the name and address of the building owner.

They have been quiet for months.

Do you have someone like that who could mediate?

It can be anonymous ....... especially if others have already complained.

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@jespah,

I stated above that we have spoken with them and wrote them notes.

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@farmerman,

You haven't heard my daughter - I have a previous thread about how loud she is - she doesn't mean to be, it is her nature (and that is just normal talking), so imagine her with the battery powered bullhorn and with us allowing her to yell.

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@shewolfnm,

Actually we have called the management company for our condo association to discuss what is written in the condo documents. Although their doesn't appear to be something specific, the manager did state there is some sort of statue regarding invading our personal freedoms - which he says this falls under. He said if we continue to have issues, the management company will contact them.

Actually they have already received at least one letter from the management company as some one else complained about them allowing their dog to run around without his leash (which they still do).

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@Linkat,

If they're not in violation of any Condo rules, there's little you can really do legally.

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@islandgirl,

islandgirl wrote:

Can you keep a broom stick handy and give them a reminding "tap" on the ceiling? Maybe if they know that if they can hear you, you must certianly be able to hear them.

The tap treatement usually gets people mad, especially if they're big drinkers.

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@Linkat,

Linkat wrote:

... the manager did state there is some sort of statue regarding invading our personal freedoms - which he says this falls under.

And then, they'll very nicely bring up the issue of "their personal freedoms".

Is this an up-scale condo, we're talking about?

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@Miller,

See what I wrote above about being in violation of condo rules - according to the management company, they are - they consider it a violation of our personal space or some such thing.

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@Miller,

Yes - it is. As I said we lived here for over 10 years and never had a problem.

In the past, people that were "problem types" ended up leaving - the management company is good about putting pressure on people.

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I'd be just as loud. I know it's childish but they obviously don't know how bad it is. Maybe if you give them a taste of their own medicine, they will get it. Try it for a week and then leave a note for them saying you apologize about the noise the past week but that was the only way you felt you could get through to them, and you didn't want to report them (even if you already did). Perhaps they will see then how annoying it is and stop.

If not, the next time you hear the sound of chair scraping against floor, blow a hole through the ceiling with a shot gun. That oughta shut them up.

1 Reply

@Bella Dea,

I like the shot gun thing - but it would make a hole in the ceiling.

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@Linkat,

Well, if you've tried everything, I'd get aggressive and tell them you've had it and you're going to report them to the management company, and then I'd do that anyway. There's no excuse for inconsiderate, discourteous behaviour. What's the worst that could happen - they get louder?

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So some of the issues are getting worse. The dog is barking again - quite a bit.

And some other stuff. The owner leaves his half smoked cigars outside near the entry way. Even though we each have our own entry way - our outside entry ways are right next to each other. He leaves his half smoked cigar outside on a little table - and when it is windy it blows off onto the walkway. And today my husband found a second half smoked cigar in the bushes.

They also have their daughter's boyfriend that is frequently over - I think on some occassions he sleeps over (not that it is our business) other than this boyfriend is not very respectful. He smokes outside on a bench and leaves cigarette butts in the driveway and other common areas. The other day, I went out to get my newspaper and he was sitting out smoking and gave me a dirty look. I was startled so I said "sorry". Of course after realizing what I have I got to be sorry for - he doesn't live there.

1 Reply

@Linkat,

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/8c52/

1 Reply

@DrewDad,

At only $9.99 it is well worth it.

1 Reply

Living with inconsiderate loud neighbors

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