Noise Complaint

[SoBeyoch]

I live in an older art deco building on South Beach. Up until now, I thought I had really lucked out in the noise department considering where I am and the age of the building. My new upstairs neighbors seem to enjoy playing reggaeton and various other Latin American cadences at all hours of the day and night. The thing is, it's loud enough to be annoying but not quite loud enough to call the city. I am thinking of calling the property manager as I really don't want to go up there myself and create awkwardness. Then again I'm not sure if it's loud enough to have a valid complaint. It is distracting though and I do hear it most of the day. I'm not sure what to do.

[rk]

Definitely start with the building manager.

[Doug]

The manager is probably the best route. Or maybe an anonymous note left on their door first, to see if that takes care of it.

[Jess]

Don't go up yourself and risk a confrontation. Complain to the building manager and they can deal with it.

[Doug]

I once had a neighbor that liked to play amplified bass music in the afternoons when I'd get home from a long day at work. I complained to the management, but the neighbors kept doing it. I've now learned that it's illegal even during the day for noise levels to be above a certain decibel level -- this level varies from city to city, but generally, if it's loud enough to bother you in your own apartment, it's too loud. People often erroneously assume that they can be as loud as they want during the daylight hours, as long as they turn the music down after 10 or 11 at night -- but this is not the case. So another option is to call the police department and make an anonymous complaint. That way no one -- not even the management -- has to know it's you.

[Scott]

If you DO leave a note, try to make it as friendly as possible. Try to avoid writing out something that will end up here: http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/

[Matt Meltzer]

I guess everyone is saying don't be confrontational. But in my experience if you go and talk to people, and be really nice and explain your situation, MOST of them will agree to turn it down. But you have to be cool, and you have to see it from their side. THEN if it persists call management. May not work for you, I don't know. But I lived next to some absolutely certifiable Hawaiians when I lived in Newport Beach and actually got them to be quiet at night by being nice. Never underestimate that.

[Scott]

What Matt said. That was actually what I was going to initially suggest, too. When I was reading the initial posting, it started me thinking about how removed we are any longer from our very own neighbors. Just talk to him/her.

[Blackford Oakes]

The solution might be easy as banging a broom stick against the ceiling.

[GandJ]

I agree with Matt. Just being a friendly neighbor will help. Go over there with a 6-pack of brewskis, and introduce yourself. Tell him, "Welcome to the neighborhood, etc." Shoot the sh!t for a while. Then go back the NEXT day, and ask him, "Can you do me huge favor that would be really important to me"?

The odds of getting shot down at that point are pretty low. The guy will know you're friendly, and will want to help out. It's much harder for him to shoot down a real person than a "faceless note", which is easy to blow off.



Glenn




Glenn

[Ingrid]

I used to live in this beautiful, huge studio in South Beach for about two years. Freshly shellacked hardwood floors, endless closet-space, awesome location. Unfortunately, I was forced to give it up shortly after Mr. Arrogant Argentinian moved into the upstairs apartment.

From then onwards it was his daily & nightly stamping across the floor (my ceiling!) that I had to get used to. He would also play loud music intermittently and have audible sex at the craziest hours. It was the kind of noise that was annoying and disturbing, but not the kind that could be measured in decibel as Doug was suggesting. Rather, it was the type that one could do nothing about.

I had tried though, no doubt about it. I went up to guy in a friendly manner to explain my situation (which he mistook for flirting I'm sure). I even suggested we switch apartments. When nothing in his behavior changed, I spoke with management and thereafter called the police anonymously - with no luck. Guess it wasn't meant to be ...

[Jess]

Nothing beats the year I lived underneath an apartment housing a strippper. Stripper heels at 4am with her coked out friends partying. I also had to move. Noise doesn't have to be loud music to be annoying as hell...

[dylan]

I had really loud neighbors once, but one hot afternoon that I was a little cranky I went to pay them a visit and although it may be considered a confrontation my not too large 6 foot, tank top tattoos showing self was enough for the neighbors to apologize. And they never bothered me again. I have noticed though sometimes people just don't realize how loud they are. And they can easily stop, or change something and everyone is happy again.

[Christy]

Unfortunately you might just have to get used to the noise. I lived next to a hotel and they would play music on the rooftop and no one was even up there. Try talking to your neighbor-maybe they don't realize how loud it is..they can always listen to it on their ipod.

[Doug]

I tried talking to my upstairs neighbor in San Francisco about her screechy floorboards, but she just kind of blew me off. I tried to be real nice about it, too. Once I even left a bottle of wine as a gesture of good will. But after the third time of having to ask her to walk a little more softly, I got a letter from my property manager telling me that I was in violation of my lease for disturbing my neighbor. I made a youtube video of what the noise sounded like and emailed him a link. He told me I could void my lease and I moved out as soon as I could.

[dylan]

Wow Doug it seems like you tend to live near a noisy bunch. Why not hit them with a dose of their own medicine. I have set up 10, 12 and 15 inch woofers for my friends we can fight back... with Gregorian Chant I'm sure they will love that.

[Mario]

I tried talking to my upstairs neighbor in San Francisco about her screechy floorboards, but she just kind of blew me off. I tried to be real nice about it, too. Once I even left a bottle of wine as a gesture of good will. But after the third time of having to ask her to walk a little more softly, I got a letter from my property manager telling me that I was in violation of my lease for disturbing my neighbor. I made a youtube video of what the noise sounded like and emailed him a link. He told me I could void my lease and I moved out as soon as I could.

Great idea Doug. Worst case scenario, the annoying neighbor probably told the property manager that you were flirting with her.

[Doug]

I do seem to have bad luck with noisy neighbors. California is the worst. Unless you have a lot to spend on rent, you tend to live like a caged rat. I was pretty lucky in South Beach, considering.

[dylan]

The answer is clear Doug EMP grenades blow out ALL the electronics, even the radio. But if he is wearing a pace maker you might be charged with manslaughter ask him about his heart health before you do it. lol

[Doug]

Wait, won't the grenade kind of take out the neighbor, too?