Dealing With Noisy Neighbors

Apartment Complex Life

For most people, living in an apartment complex at some point or another is a fact of life. Even if you don’t live in an apartment complex, the way many new homes are being built today in communities managed by a Homeowner’s Association (HOA), there is little enough space between the homes themselves. These types of close dwelling situations give great opportunities for making friends and new acquaintances, but it also brings with it some problem situations in the form of inconsiderate neighbors who may be loud, obnoxious or messy in such a way as to attract pests to all of the homes adjacent to yours.

Start Personally

If you have noisy neighbors who spend too much time throwing parties that last late into the night, have pets that are loud enough to be heard at all hours of the night, or other disturbances, the first thing you should do is critically evaluate yourself and the situation to make sure you aren’t allowing any particular sensitivity to inflate a situation beyond reality. What seems like noise and disturbance to one person may not be noise and disturbance to other reasonable-minded people.

If the noise of the neighbors seems reasonable to you from other external factors, such as complaints from other neighbors, the best way to approach the situation first is by talking with the neighbor. This should be done in a very polite and friendly manner - it is entirely likely that they do not realize that their behavior is disturbing anyone. Treat the visit as a ‘friendly chat’ and do not approach the discussion in a manner that is accusatory.

Get it in Writing

If the disruptive noise continues, the next step would be for you to write a letter which documents specific instances of the loud behavior such as: “Monday March 3rd, loud music & conversation until 2:00AM”. Once the letter is complete with at least three or four instances of the disruptive behavior, give it to the offending neighbor with the intent of showing them the times and things they are doing that cause loud noise which they may not be aware of, and you’d hate to have to involve the landlord, management company or HOA. Hopefully by now, the situation should be resolved.

Speak With Management

If the offending party still hasn’t cut back on the noise levels and incidents after you have shown them the letter, speak with your management company, or HOA. They should take steps to resolve the issue in due time. If this does not end the situation you may have to elevate the situation as high as the local authorities. In all of your dealings, try to avoid being confrontational and demanding. Getting angry or excited will not help the situation and may lead to an increase in tensions with those you may end up having to live with for a very long time.