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Fashionista55 · Mar 5, 2008, 10:48 PM

The neighbors downstairs will not quit! They are constantly banging on the ceiling and the walls and it is quite annoying. I have notified the on- site property manager and all he can do is tell them to stop doing it. They will never stop, they are very confrontational and I am fed up! At this point I will try anything so long as I do not deal with them directly. Any suggestions?

simoneaugie · Mar 5, 2008, 11:04 PM

Deal with them face to face, along with at least 5 friends possessed of intimidating personalities, all male and over 200 pounds dressed in black leather. Actually, you should move. I know that if I didn't move, I'd be sorely tempted to do something illegal, don't do that.

nicki143 · Mar 5, 2008, 11:52 PM

I have or had next door neighbours like that none of them work all they do is drink and life is one long party for them.
I have children life is not like that for us.
I am an early bird they wake at dinner having been playing music all nigh my son has a good set of drums really loud at 6 in the morning.
They got the hint

starfirefly · Mar 6, 2008, 12:23 AM

Have you got the police involved.. they will give them 2 notices than a fine$ so that may help

JudyKayTee · Mar 6, 2008, 07:59 AM

Originally Posted by starfirefly

have you got the police involved ..they will give them 2 notices than a fine$ so that may help

In my area the Police will do nothing unless the noise occurs before 8AM or after 11PM.

Marriedguy · Mar 6, 2008, 09:01 AM

The best advice is move.

I had a neighbor who lived below my apartment. He hated when my 2 year son would play in the daytime. He had this attitude "you should not let him play in the apartment" He constantly banged on the ceiling and scream "hey, what the hell you doing up there." Which would scare my son. My wife would respond by dropping things, heavy books, toys etc.

I knocked on his door and asked what I could do to resolve this issue. He tells me that he is retired and wants peace and quiet. "This sir, I understand that you want peace and quiet but I also want my son to be able to play our apartment where its safe." This what I will do for you. The law states I can make a reasonable amount of noise between the hours 7am to 9pm... my sons rolling a car across the livingroom floor is reasonable. Using a bloom stick to hit the ceiling is not reasonable. This is what I do for you because I to want peace and quiet in my house. I'll see that my son will play with his toys between the hours 9am (an hour after breakfast) and 7pm (his bedtime). What are you prepare to do for me? He said... he will not bang on the ceiling. He offered me a drink I refused, we shook hands and I went back upstairs.

excon · Mar 6, 2008, 09:45 AM

Hello f:

In the world, there are intimidators - and there are the intimidated. That's not wrong or right. It's just a way to be. Most people can't or don't want to change. That's fine. It is best to recognize which one you are and then you can act accordingly.

Nobody is going to come to your aid - not the cops - not the landlord - not the courts. It's entirely in your hands.

In your case, I'd move.

excon

nicki143 · Mar 6, 2008, 09:59 AM

If your going to feel inimadated and they know that they are going to all the more. Stand up for yourself and show them your boss

Dr D · Mar 6, 2008, 11:18 AM

I assume that you are in a rental situation. The only reasonable thing that you can do is give your landlord/property manager WRITTEN notice that the unruly neighbors are preventing your "quiet enjoyment" of your apartment, and that if the noise continues, you will be forced to break your lease on those grounds, and move. The landlord will then have three choices: 1) Stop the noise of the neighbors. 2) Evict the neighbors. Or 3) Lose you as a tenant, with no financial penalty to you.

Confronting potentially dangerous neighbors is not the best thing to do.

HistorianChick · Mar 6, 2008, 11:26 AM

Being the one "downstairs" sometimes there is reason to bang on the ceiling. The people above me have a min-pin AND a beagle. When one is running in circles the other one is howling at it... and the man barks right back at the dog... literally. They wake me up at 2 and 3 am because of the dog... its VERY annoying.

I've called the apt community and they say the same thing, there's nothing they can do, but send someone out and knock on their door. They've called the people and we have seemed to reach a happy medium... they are supposed to put the dogs in their pen (or whatever they do at night) at 10.

Call your apartment office every time they do this without reason. If you're sitting watching TV and they bang on the ceiling, that's just silly and unacceptable. Its your home, too. Sometimes, simple walking around sounds like elephants, but if you are certain that you are not in the wrong, then definitely keep reporting this to your managers.

I agree with Dr. D - a written notice is necessary. This will go into their rental history file and will follow them to the next community when they try and move in.

I'm so sorry that you have to deal with this - believe me, I understand. It's the worst thing ever. Don't confront them, go through the office - they are the ones with the control.

Marriedguy · Mar 6, 2008, 02:56 PM

An Eye for an Eye leaves the whole world blind. Banging on the ceiling when people make noise is the same as playing your music louder because your neighbors pay their music loud. Most times it does nothing but make matters worse.

When I moved out of that apartment I looked for apartments on the first floor... so I didn't get the complaints from a downstairs neighbor when my son played.

Nicki143 in a perfect world no one should have to move to get peace of mind, in a perfect world people love their neighbors as they love themselves. We don't live in that world. We live in a world people have the inalienable right to be jerks and they normally invoke it.

There was a case in Bronx, NY the city where I use to live. A tenant goes knocks on the door of a tenant that playing his music to loud. The tenant asked if he could turn the music down a little bit. The neighbor gets upset curses the other tenant out and tell him not knock on his door again. The music continues. The tenant has had it and knocks on the door again. The neighbor opens the door shoots the guy in the chest.

If you want to live next to people that are uncivil that is your choice and you do it at your own risk.

twinkiedooter · Mar 6, 2008, 06:05 PM

What are you doing to make the downstairs neighbor bang on the ceiling all the time? You did not say WHY they were banging on the ceiling.

I had a swell neighbor who insisted on playing her horrible crack music all the time. I bought a swell hillbilly tape and played that as loud as I could in retaliation. She could not stand the hillbilly "music" and had to leave her apt. sometimes for weeks on end.

Are you clomping around in high heels on bare wood floors at 11PM? You certainly have to be doing something for them to act the way they are.

Fashionista55 · Mar 6, 2008, 09:45 PM

Actually, twinkie I have been nothing but a curtiuos neighbor. I smile at her when I pass her and she makes faces. She encourages her kid to throw shoes or what not up at the ceiling. I am sorry that walking around annoys them but it's an apartment and I have to walk, I have a rule-- no shoes in the house, I don't like a dirty carpet. I would be the first to admit if I am in the wrong. Not saying that I am not, but at least I have courtesy and respect for others and I ask the grounds manager to tell them to stop. They don't say anything-- so I can't know what is wrong, they are just uneducated people lacking manners.