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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 516
| In the last two months, we moved into an end townhouse unit in a small town. The first night, we were watching a movie and the next day received a noise complaint. (Great start, right?) Apologized (it was late, I get it) and unhooked the sound system, all was good. Couple weeks ago got another complaint, thought it was us and again apologized but later we looked at the dates and it turns out we weren't even home the night they complained about. Received another complaint today with a threat to call the police and have us fined and evicted - they are saying it sounds like a nightclub every night. We've never had this problem in the four other places we lived before - actually consider ourselves pretty good tenants so I'm incredibly frustrated. We do like watching our movies but after the first complaint we've kept it way down and have actually removed the entire sound system. We're in college (all medical students - we don't have time for parties) and go to bed before 10 and are up at 6. We thought they were maybe talking about the other unit but the landlord said they're not.
What are our rights? It's our word against theirs. We've gone and talked to the neighbors ourselves - apologized and what not but they're indifferent and won't bring their issues to us directly. Any advice? |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
   
Location: Florida.. | maybe put tv on another wall? does it back up to their bedroom? |
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Grammar Expert
| Start keeping track of the complaints and keep a timeline. Frustrating as it is, you have rights too and living in the place you rent is one. I would for sure go to the landlord or manager and state your case
On Nov. 1 we were told to keep it down we did
On Nov. 5 we were not even home, incorrect complaint
On Nov. 7 another complaint and now we are starting to wonder if maybe you feel like we're not acceptable tenants, if so, you can refund my money and I'll move on, but this is bordering on harassment
Throw the ball back in their court! |
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| If you're still Med students chances are you're linked to a university of some type ...try checking into the tenant's rights clauses for your city. Your university should/most likely also has a student hotline you can contact for issues that turn or are about to turn legal. Free attorney's through the campus to help litigate tenant issues are pretty normal for large state colleges, maybe you all have one too?
Crummy neighbors are no fun - Good Luck!
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Expert
Posts: 3147
| Some tenants are just grumps. My son and his wife lived in the same apartment for four years. The last few months they were there a new tenant moved in downstairs and she complained numerous times about how they were making too much noise-walking around too much noise! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 516
| Bibliafarm - 2015-12-03 4:17 PM
maybe put tv on another wall? does it back up to their bedroom?
The TV is on the far wall and we have a directional sound bar pointing away from them. The units are set up opposite each other so our living room wall is their living room wall. Bedrooms are on the very far side so in order to hear our TV it would have to go through at least two walls, if not three or four depending on which bedroom they're in. |
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Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | id do what someone said then.. record and check into it.. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 516
| Anyone know a good video camera that's inexpensive? I'm willing to record ourselves 8 o' clock until we go to bed just to make a point. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | what state do you live in? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 516
| hoofs_in_motion - 2015-12-03 4:31 PM
what state do you live in?
Wisconsin |
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Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | Okay, report the landlord. And then I would start making complaints against the neighbors for "excessive noise"
http://datcp.wi.gov/Consumer/Wisconsin_Way/?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
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Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427
Location: South Central Florida | smiley - 2015-12-03 5:23 PM Start keeping track of the complaints and keep a timeline. Frustrating as it is, you have rights too and living in the place you rent is one. I would for sure go to the landlord or manager and state your case
On Nov. 1 we were told to keep it down we did
On Nov. 5 we were not even home, incorrect complaint
On Nov. 7 another complaint and now we are starting to wonder if maybe you feel like we're not acceptable tenants, if so, you can refund my money and I'll move on, but this is bordering on harassment
Throw the ball back in their court!
I love this. Perfect!!!
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 Worst.Housekeeper.EVER.
Location: Missouri | What year are you that you get to sleep from 10-6? lol!
Sorry, no help. Med school stinks enough. Too bad your neighbors are making it harder...
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 516
| just4fun - 2015-12-03 8:48 PM
What year are you that you get to sleep from 10-6? lol!
Sorry, no help. Med school stinks enough. Too bad your neighbors are making it harder...
Lol 10-6 is a good night! Usually up much later studying but that's obviously quiet time. It's very frustrating! I don't know why they won't act like an adult and come talk to us... We don't bite! |
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10D Crack Champion
| Can you hear your tv outside your apartment? It's unfortunate, but it may very well be easy to hear in other apartments and you aren't aware of it. Some of those walls may not be as thick as you think especially in comparison to other places you've lived. Possibly ask the landlord to go into the connecting apartment and listen for the excessive noise........?? You may want to check the settings on all your devices that make noise where you watch tv or listen to music. It may just be the settings you have that are causing it to sound like a base sound beating like a nightclub. I've been in places where the tv was on all the time and never heard it, but in the same place the tv and stereo made it sound like they were clubbing. It was likely just the way the sound was set on whatever it was.
Edited by sodapop 2015-12-03 9:44 PM
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10D Crack Champion
| I've always wondered why apartment buildings or condo buildings aren't built with sound proof walls and flooring if nothing else to keep more town folks in town and not moving to the country just to live next door to someone else. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 516
| sodapop - 2015-12-03 9:11 PM
Can you hear your tv outside your apartment? It's unfortunate, but it may very well be easy to hear in other apartments and you aren't aware of it. Some of those walls may not be as thick as you think especially in comparison to other places you've lived.
Possibly ask the landlord to go into the connecting apartment and listen for the excessive noise........??
You may want to check the settings on all your devices that make noise where you watch tv or listen to music. It may just be the settings you have that are causing it to sound like a base sound beating like a nightclub. I've been in places where the tv was on all the time and never heard, but in the same place the tv and stereo made it sound like their were clubbing. It was likely just the way the sound was set on whatever it was.
No we can't hear it outside the apartment. I can barely hear it in our bedroom. We already did adjust settings and didn't hear from them for three weeks and now we've gotten two complaints in the last couple weeks. We know the walls aren't the greatest - we'll catch an occasional cupboard slamming or murmuring of voices from their side - but it's not like we're being excessively loud. I'm not going to tiptoe around MY apartment that I pay for just so it's pin drop quiet for them... If they want that they shouldn't live in shared places...
Not sure our plan of action quite yet, my roommate spoke with the landlord and explained that we're at a loss as to what to do. The landlord said she'd call the other people and ask to talk with them asap. I guess we'll wait and see what they say. |
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 Sorry I don't have any advice
Posts: 1975
Location: Sunnyland Florida |
Many leases have a "right to quiet enjoyment" clause. Check with your state laws, or perhaps your county laws as well.
A real estate agent in your area should be able to give you that information. Good luck.
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Grammar Expert
| WiscoRacer - 2015-12-03 8:26 PM sodapop - 2015-12-03 9:11 PM Can you hear your tv outside your apartment? It's unfortunate, but it may very well be easy to hear in other apartments and you aren't aware of it. Some of those walls may not be as thick as you think especially in comparison to other places you've lived. Possibly ask the landlord to go into the connecting apartment and listen for the excessive noise........?? You may want to check the settings on all your devices that make noise where you watch tv or listen to music. It may just be the settings you have that are causing it to sound like a base sound beating like a nightclub. I've been in places where the tv was on all the time and never heard, but in the same place the tv and stereo made it sound like their were clubbing. It was likely just the way the sound was set on whatever it was. No we can't hear it outside the apartment. I can barely hear it in our bedroom. We already did adjust settings and didn't hear from them for three weeks and now we've gotten two complaints in the last couple weeks. We know the walls aren't the greatest - we'll catch an occasional cupboard slamming or murmuring of voices from their side - but it's not like we're being excessively loud. I'm not going to tiptoe around MY apartment that I pay for just so it's pin drop quiet for them... If they want that they shouldn't live in shared places... Not sure our plan of action quite yet, my roommate spoke with the landlord and explained that we're at a loss as to what to do. The landlord said she'd call the other people and ask to talk with them asap. I guess we'll wait and see what they say.
I don't want to beat a dead horse, but if you take responsibility "I don't know what else to do" for something you literally are not doing, you open yourself up to further blame.
I realize my go to position is the defensive, but I've been screwed too many times for it not to be. No good deed goes unpunished is a saying for a reason. You're being too nice  |
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