It never fails, you get a day off to kick back and watch movies and your neighbor decides to use his power saw all day long. Or perhaps you have a toddler who needs to go to bed early and the guy next door decides to throw an all-night party. Are your neighbors making too much noise? Here are some tips on how to deal with a noisy neighbor.
First, Do They Know?
It is really hard to know how much noise passes through an apartment wall. Often a fellow tenant never even realizes that you can hear them. The only way they will know is if you kindly let them know. Let’s talk about a few tactful ways to let your neighbors know they are noisy.
Knock, Knock
Sometimes all it takes is a knock on the wall or a bump on the ceiling from a broomstick to let your neighbor know they need to keep it down. This is an especially effective technique for late night noise. None of us want to make ourselves presentable just to head down the hall.
Be Friends
One great way to keep your noisy neighbor nice and help them to get the point is to strike up a conversation when you’re in a good mood and they are not doing anything stupid or insensitive. If you pass them on your way home from work, why not strike up a friendly conversation and then after a few minutes add in something like, “By the way, I had trouble sleeping last night. That Led Zeppelin music was pretty loud.” He should get the hint and you’ll probably stay friends.
Suggest Limits
Noise isn’t bad. We all want to blast our favorite song or have an awesome bash with our friends from time to time. So try to make an exception if noise isn’t the norm for your neighbor. If they regularly practice their drums at 2 am, why not suggest an alternate. “Heh, I can see you like to play the drums. Could I ask a favor? Would you be willing to do it before midnight?” Suggesting a limit versus insinuating they should give it up completely will be taken much easier.
Write a Note
If you are like me and hate confrontation, another option is to write a note and slip it under the door. While this is not always effective, it gives you the option to choose your words with more tact and perhaps avoid an uncomfortable encounter with an unpleasant noisy neighbor.
Call Management
Once you have exhausted the self-help options and you still are dealing with a noisy neighbor, then give your property manager a call and ask for their assistance. They want to keep you as a tenant, so they will be more than willing to handle it. They will write a letter stating that they got an anonymous complaint regarding their noise. If there is a clause in the lease that addresses noise, that will be included in the letter as well.
Before you go postal and egg their car, just remember that most tenants don’t know they are a noisy neighbor. Often the best solution is a simple knock, knock and a calm, “Dude, I can hear every word of your music in my apartment. Could you turn it down a tad, please?”