How do you handle noisy neighbors?
By aireanna18
@aireanna18 (1914)
United States
October 12, 2012 11:28pm CST
Hello myLot Community,
I am hoping that you can help me with advice on how do you handle noisy neighbors?
Currently, my neighbors in my apartment community are driving my crazy. It is like common courteousy and manners just do not exist. Right now, there are noise issues. I'll give a little background. Well it is Fall Break. Meaning children and teenagers are home with most likely little parent supervision. We have kids running with pounding feet up and downstairs. The other day it was up and down, up and down, up and down, then you guessed it back up and down in less than 5 minutes. Today, the next door neighbor was blaring his surround system. When I called the office to request them to have him turn it down because it was excessively loud and vibrating off the walls. I heard him rationalizing that it was on because of the noise that the kids were making upstairs. I'll give you the kids were being kind of rude in a way, but I tended to keep it mind that kids are trying to play, and not always thinking about how their playing affects other people. When I saw the kids as I was walking to get the mail pounding down the stairs, I just asked them to please walk up and down a little bit quieter. The kids were receptive and they both said sorry. What I cannot understand is an actual neighbor (keep in mind an adult) who approaches the situation as an eye for an eye. One person is being rude, so I am going to be even ruder. I mean as adults I feel like we have to set the example and illustrate how to be considerate. I like the way the leasing agent did her best to explain it to the man that you need to be considerate of your neighbors..It is too loud you can hear it all the way to the office. Still in less than 30 minutes, it was back blaring. Then again tonight at 7pm. Ahhh, the frustration! Any advice and suggestions or am I just living in the forgotten land of manners?
3 people like this
10 responses
@gongwan33 (4)
• China
13 Oct 12
Maybe you should try to communicate with your neighbor. Cook a pie or something and present it to your neighbor as a gift to show your kindness. Wipe out the misunderstanding and it'll be really kind of you if you say sorry first to your neighbor. The benevolent has no enemy. Good luck!
2 people like this
@aireanna18 (1914)
• United States
17 Oct 12
This is a nice suggestion. I had not thought of this unique approach before thank you for the idea.
@ARIES1973 (11426)
• Legaspi, Philippines
13 Oct 12
There's no better way than talking to them in a nice manner. I'm sure they would consider your request if you did it in a kind way.
2 people like this
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
14 Oct 12
When I read the first lines of your post, I thought you were having trouble with the kids. Turns out it's your adult neighbor
. Children wouldn't know that they are disturbing the peace and quiet because they're all giggling and having fun, and I like it when they said sorry to you. Meaning they didn't do it on purpose unlike your neighbor who is blaring their surround system. I guess you do have to talk to that person again. And I find it immature for a person to blare his stereo away just because of kids playing. Wasn't your neighbor a kid before?
. Children wouldn't know that they are disturbing the peace and quiet because they're all giggling and having fun, and I like it when they said sorry to you. Meaning they didn't do it on purpose unlike your neighbor who is blaring their surround system. I guess you do have to talk to that person again. And I find it immature for a person to blare his stereo away just because of kids playing. Wasn't your neighbor a kid before?1 person likes this
@aireanna18 (1914)
• United States
17 Oct 12
Actually, I am having trouble with the downstairs neighbor, and the downstairs neighbor is using the noise that the kids are making to rationalize his behavior. That is what is driving me nuts. As you said it, the kids do not realize what they are doing, but the adult knowingly understands that he is disturbing others but wants to rationalize his behavior as an eye for an eye because of the kids actions.
@aireanna18 (1914)
• United States
21 Oct 12
While since my neighbors keep waking me up, I decide in spite of a restless night of sleep to get up. It was a Saturday night, and how I do dread them. I have to say this was about the worst Saturday ever. Not to quote a certain green fictional character of Dr. Seuss, but the noise, noise, noise. It varied from loud music to loud people outside yelling. I think one of the neighbors was having some type of dispute. I definitely heard cursing, then someone got locked out. So, the person who got locked out I guess decided to wake up the whole building by knocking on doors and windows, and yelling.
Since I cannot sleep, thanks to my neighbors I thought I would get up and write on myLot. I have been wanting / needing to get up early. This is definitely not the way that I like to wake up especially on a Sunday morning. The kitty is not happy that I will not let him go out on the patio. Generally, he gets to go out once I get up, but it is still dark outside. I do not feel comfortable opening the patio door considering what has been going on with the neighbors. I guess you could say I am treading on the side of being extra cautious. After all, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Hope everyone else had arestful nights sleep.
@lady1993 (27224)
• Philippines
13 Oct 12
I think you should just go and talk to the neighbor and ask him nicely to turn his speakers down since you already told the kids to lessen the noise.. and if that doesn't work you can just call the office again.. do it repeatedly, i am sure he'll get sick of it later on.
1 person likes this
@aireanna18 (1914)
• United States
17 Oct 12
That is true...it just seems that my frustration at the problem is greater than his annoyance. Well, the office did finally serve them with an notice that the ignored for awhile, and finally took off their door. They have been quieter lately so here is hoping that they got the message.
@bjc66bjc (6730)
• United States
14 Oct 12
I wish I knew what to tell you..but reading some of the responses
to your post, it seems like these mylotters have never had to deal
with then sort of people you are talking about...
Sometimes being as nice as you can does not get you any where
because even these adults are just rowdy and disrespectful..
and it seems like you are getting no assistance from the office...
whats up with that????
What about calling the police...does the extablish care about the
police authorities constantly being call there...isn't there a
noise ordaince for your area...
Good luck!!!!!!
1 person likes this
@aireanna18 (1914)
• United States
17 Oct 12
The people in the office did help, but the neighbor is not listening to even the girls in the leasing office. He just kept rationalizing that he was playing the music loud because of the boy upstairs. She could not even get it through to him that he needed to turn down the music.
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
13 Oct 12
Noisy neighbours come and go in our lives and there is not much we can do about it if they are not prepared to turn the sound down. I can cope with it during the day but noise late at night really annoys me. Is there no authority to deal with noise nuisance where you live? As a last resource you could complain to them.
At least the children were polite, they just hadn't realised they were being a nuisance, but it is different with rude adults.
If you can't do anything to get rid of it I suggest you go out and do something you enjoy. If you stay in perhaps you should turn your sound system up a little, not to the point of irritation but just to drown out some of the other noise.
1 person likes this
@aireanna18 (1914)
• United States
17 Oct 12
Yes, that is true. The neighbors live upstairs. It seems as I used to work last year at the school in the neighborhood the kids are generally pretty receptive.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
14 Oct 12
copy aireanna all cities have noise r ules so call the local police and tell them the apt and the loud loud sounds and they
will come and ask them to turn down the sou nd,If the people
do it again call the police again and this time the police will tell them they can be arrested for that noise.this usually stos the noise,
@aireanna18 (1914)
• United States
17 Oct 12
Does that work durring the day or just at night. A friend told me that it does not break any laws unless it is after 10pm.
@lampar (7584)
• United States
14 Oct 12
I just do not know how to handle such type of neighbor that constantly making noisy sound to drive you insane. May be all you need is an assault rifle or some hand grenade when you are out of all possible options. Hopefully they can be taken care of by your land lord, police or even your other neighbor, before you really turn into a crazy nut from all those insane noises. 
1 person likes this
@aireanna18 (1914)
• United States
13 Oct 12
The only thing is I feel a tad uncomfortable as a female confronting a male neighbor. That was part of why I had called the office. When I have had the problem with female neighbors I have had no problems just knocking on the door. That plus the noise is so loud it gives me an instant headache even to venture out my front door. I'll try to keep an eye out and maybe talk to the wife. Maybe, I would feel easier approaching her. Thanks for the suggestion.
2 people like this
@aireanna18 (1914)
• United States
13 Nov 12
Shavkat, I agree. The thing that drove me crazy was when I heard the man that was blasting the sound system justifying his actions to the leasing agent. She kept telling him that he needed to be considerate it the neighbors, and he just kept saying how his upstairs neighbors were so obnoxious, which is the reason that he claimed that he had the sound system so loud. In what world, does two wrongs make a right?
