Noisy Apartment Neighbors

Archived Q&A and Reviews


Questions

Loud Neighbors with Loud Dog Living Above Us

Sept 2014

Just over a month ago new tenants moved into the apartment above us. We have had issues with noise every day they have lived there. The apartment has hardwood floors, they have not put any rugs down and they walk very heavily with heels, have frequent guests at all hours and have a large dog who runs and plays and makes a huge amount of noise. The dog is in a crate most of the day and we can hear the dog scratching to get out of the crate, which creates a grating noise against the floors. When the dog is out of the crate, it is very active in the apartment since it is rarely taken out for exercise. The dog bangs around at midnight sometimes, waking us and our 5 month old baby. We have asked the neighbors to put down rugs and have pleaded with them to be considerate to us living beneath them. They have not made any changes, despite promising us that they would put down rugs and be more mindful of noise. We have complained to the landlord, who has asked us to be patient and promises they will put rugs in. We want to move, but we love our apartment and we have a good deal with the rent control. The neighbors are currently hostile to us for our complaints. This is the first time I have ever complained about a neighbor. The previous tenants above us had a dog as well and it was not loud due to the dog being exercised regularly and rugs throughout the apartment. Has anyone dealt with this issue or have any advice about what can be done? Anon


You say you want to move. That is really the best thing to do, just move. You can't control other people, and neither can your landlord. Take this as an opportunity to move closer to work or to a neighborhood that is more convenient to you. Maybe you can reduce the number of cars you own so that you have more money to spend on a nicer place. It is really no fun to deal with loud, hostile neighbors. So I suggest you find someplace you like better and move. Anon


I had a situation like this years ago (hardwood floors upstairs, and I am very sensitive to noise above my head) and I actually ended up buying a large carpet for the upstairs neighbor. We consulted on color, etc. and I found something fairly cheap at a remnant store. We did not have a hostile relationship, she was just kind of clueless and poor. I justified the expense to myself by reminding myself that it really was for me, for my comfort, she didn't care if she had a carpet or not. May sound extreme, but it might be something to consider. Or maybe you could buy it and ask the landlord to reimburse you or share the expense. Hate noise over my head!


Amorous neighbor down the hall

Sept 2014

I live in a large multi-unit building. I have a neighbor down the hall who recently had his girlfriend move in with him. Due to remodeling done on his unit (carpet replaced with hardwood floors) you can hear just about everything going on in there if you are walking down the hallway. Since his girlfriend moved in, there have been quite of bit of amorous activities going on. His unit also happens to be right by the elevator bank and the laundry room so I’m pretty sure other people have heard them as well. Is there a polite non-embarrassing way to let him or his girlfriend know that the noise from their unit carries pretty far? I just know if I were in their situation I would like to know but if they don’t mind, more power to them.
Privacy or not?

If you can talk to them I would just say ''the walls are thin.'' You might want to be more discrete Or write a note to that effect and slip it in their mail box ? Tough situation. Good luck. JnmiM


Definitely leave them a polite, anonymous note. Something like ''We're all happy you two have found love, but if you could keep it down a bit, we'd prefer not to hear the play-by-play. Rugs might help. Cheers!''


For your own sake, buy yourself a white noise appliance of the sort used by therapists to generate a dull sound so that it's very hard to hear noise in the next room.

One suggestion I heard as an anecdote that I will pass along: rename your wifi local network: ''We can hear you having sex, you know''. Good Luck, sounds very disturbing.


I wouldn't tell them. Those amorous noises will die down soon enough. I had my neighbor tell me once about my own noises, and whenever I think of it I get embarrassed. Some things are just better not said. anon


Get the neighbors together to collect money for a night at the Claremont (or other fancy hotel) and a bottle of champagne. Leave at the door as a welcome present to the new gf who moved in, and write a funny note that lets them know they can be heard. Something like, ''So glad you're here, but clearly not as glad as [neighbor boyfriend]. Here's a little something so you both can make as much noise as you want... Love, your neighbors '' or some such. Signed, Killing with Kindness


In grad school housing, years ago in a pretty up-tight community, we had a loudly loving couple in an apartment near the elevators. After some discussion over washers and dryers, other families on that floor took to leaving polite-but-direct notes taped to their door. Some of the notes quoted what had been heard as neighbours waited for the elevator. Noises stopped shortly after the first notes were taped-up.
Not interested to hear others' private relationships!


I would put a note on their door saying something like this '' dear neighbors. I wanted you to know that the walls in our building are so thin that we can hear everything that goes on in your apartment-including your lovemaking. Just thought you would want to know.''
honesty is best policy


I encourage you to keep this to yourself , if you mention this in any way to them no manner how polite, one or both of them are going to most likely become self conscious over something as innocent as sex and then then the fun is over or at least severely curtailed. Think back on how great it was to be young and have an active sex life like this. I beg of you to keep it to yourself.
Anon