Apartments - noisy neighbour

Ph3n0m

Saturday night, my neighbours came in and proceeded to start partying at 4am (possibly earlier - all I know is that I was woken up at 4 by excessively loud music)

It has happened a couple of times before (spread over several months) , but I am kind of sick of asking them to turn it down, each and every time. I even put a notice up in my apartment block, asking that excessive noise be kept down after midnight (which I think is only fair)

Has any one other suggestions (that are not illegal or stupid) on how to deal with them - other then finding out if they are renting and complaining to their landlord.

I only say renting, as I presume that if they own where they live, a completely different set of rules applies to them. I should also point out that the management of the block is, well, crap

matt-dublin

you're best bet is to talk them during the day and not when they're drunk.

I would suggest having a relaxed chat to them and talking to them nicely about it before going the official route of complaining.

You can complain to the management agents, but all that they can do is relay the complaint to the owner of the apartment.

You can also take legal proceedings against them ie an ASBO but bear in mind that if they are unwarranted accusations that the complainee's can take a restraining order against you and or further legal action, ie lawsuit.

Ishindar

a couple of parties a year is reasonable enuf. dont u have fun in your life?

Mighty_Mouse

It has happened a couple of times before (spread over several months)

doesnt seem worth the hassle tbh & plus its a saturday night. Gonna be some level of noise in most apartment blocks on weekends.

Have earplugs on stand-by!

Cancer-chick

Do u have kids living w u OP

Reason i ask is generally apartment dwellers are sharing with housemates etc and a party on a sat nite is not a rare occurance ..

But generally agencies who manage apts are rubbish anyway so if speaking to the lads directly does'nt work you may just have to consider moving unless you wanna go the route of calling the guards one night (who if they come will do sweet feck all anyway) ..

Its very annoying to not be able to sleep

Tusky

Call in the next day and ask them nicely to keep the noise down. A few parties a year is ok if you ask me though!

Ph3n0m

Cancer-chick - yup I have a daughter that stays with me each weekend.

I should have stated, I have no problems with them having parties - but coming in and starting one at 4 in the morning is bordering on ridiculous

Ishindar - lets see how you like being woken up by truely excessive noise, and having to listen to people running in and out of the building, slamming each door (is it that impossible to close a door quietly???). And before you ask - yes I have had parties before in my place, but because I have a bit of consideration for others, I do keep the noise level to an absolute minimum

Mighty_Mouse: "Gonna be some level of noise in most apartment blocks on weekends" - true, but as I said above, starting it at 4 in the morning, well I'm not going to repeat myself.

Miss Fluff

Go and chat to them in the cold light of day and explain you have your daughter staying with you at the weekends. Come to an agreement with them and ask that when they plan their next party then give you notice so that you can make alternative arrangements if necessary. A party here and there is acceptable so to be forewarned is forearmed. Chances are the parties are impomptu anyway so by being reasonable and asking for advance warning may nip it in the bud.

dubmick

yeah starting a party and 4 am and blaring the music is not good enough imo. No consideration for others.

Cancer-chick

Ok OP

We had similar problem with neigbours (young couple like 19/20)
We finally after 4 successive wkds of being nice and gritting our teeth while the music blared through the walls .. explained that our little girl not being able to sleep thru the night was not on. We told them politely that we would prefer to get on but if it happened again we would do something about it no question.

I wouldnt say we are best friends but they looked morto when they saw my little one .. apparently they hadnt known she was ours and we have had very little problems since although we are coming into 3am barbecue season

If i was you i would explain similarly that you have a little child who is constantly being disturbed you dont even need to say that she only is with you at weekends .. let them think she lives with u but stress that its unacceptable because it might make a difference (well one would hope it would)

Let us know how u go

Firewalkwithme

Hi Ph3n0m,

Sorry to hear about your problem as I had a simialar situation a short time ago. I would suggest talking to them about it first but if that gets you nowhere you can take them to the District Court. It's very easy to do - have a look at the link below. Keeping a record of the times and dates when the noise happened would be a good idea as you will need to present this as your evidence.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/environment/environmental-protection/noise_regulations

Red Alert

Depends on the type of apartment block it is. My granny used to live in one which was mostly occupied by retired people and young couples so noise wasn't really an issue. However if it was in a development where there are more multi-room apartments, then i'd say it's probably par for the course. A few times a year isn't a big deal IMHO.

Zombrex

Ph3n0m wrote:

Saturday night, my neighbours came in and proceeded to start partying at 4am (possibly earlier - all I know is that I was woken up at 4 by excessively loud music)

Had the same problem on Saturday. Upstairs came home from a night out (there was no noise when I went to bed at about 12.30) and I was woken up at 4 by the sounds of screaming shouting laughing stomping on the floor, banging on the walls and dance music banging out. This went on till 11am the next more (seriously)

We called the Gardai on them at about 6 after we had given up hoping that they would call it a night (it was bright outside for fecksake). The guards told them to turn down the music or end the party but as soon as they left it started up again. In fairness to the guards they told us that there wasn't a whole lot they could do.

Its a bunch of brat student girls in the house (kinda like the type you see wandering around Dundrum on a Saturday not with ridiculous hair and Ugg boots) who seem a bit thick and very clueless.

I'm afraid I don't have much advice. We are thinking of getting onto the management company of the estate to see if they can get in contact with the landlord, but since he always rents out to students and there have been neighbours complaining about the noise from his apartment for years I doubt much will happen.

Until then I just comfort myself with the fantasy of chucking a few stink bombs into the house the next them they have a party.

oldboy

4am just means that they've been out clubbing and when they get back it kicks off.

Probably been out, got mashed n drunk and invited a few people around on the way home.

Do they turn it down when you ask them to ? or do you just get ignored ?

Ph3n0m

oldboy wrote:

4am just means that they've been out clubbing and when they get back it kicks off.

Probably been out, got mashed n drunk and invited a few people around on the way home.

Do they turn it down when you ask them to ? or do you just get ignored ?

Well last time, they turned it down, then they turned it back up again. Previous to that, took me a while of thumping on the door for them to answer and turn it off.

Tusky

Ph3n0m wrote:

Well last time, they turned it down, then they turned it back up again. Previous to that, took me a while of thumping on the door for them to answer and turn it off.

Can I ask - where abouts do you live ? Not looking for your exact address, just the area!

RuggieBear

had similar problems with my neighbours. Repeatedly asking them to turn the music down grew tiresome as we were ignored.

In the end we moved, rather than risk me assaulting them:(

Anti

I had the same problem before.

The place i was in, i was right nextdoor to the son of the landlord, he worked nights. And on his nights off would have parties till 6/7am. Had enough of complaining to the landlord and the son. So i often (when i knew he was in from a night shift) leave the cdplayer on loop with the hardest dance music i could find. And made sure the door was tripple bolted.

He soon learnt not to party till that time.

I honestly dont mind if anyone has a party till about 2am. But after that, either GTFO or keep it down a bit.

Ph3n0m

Tusky wrote:

Can I ask - where abouts do you live ? Not looking for your exact address, just the area!

South City Centre (Dublin that is)

Heh this could bite me in the ass if my neighbours are part of boards - ah well if they are, we shall take this to pm

oldboy

fact that they ans the door, turn it down and turn it back up again means they dont give a f#@k really.

Talk to them during the day, explain you've a young daughter sleeping next door. Get them to play the music at a volume they have it at the weekends and let them come in and see what its like in your apt (if u want them in). See if they genuinely understand its a problem for you and if they are willing to do something about it

Try be as nice as you can, jovial, friendly. If you get nowhere you've done all you can via the nice guy neighbour route. Then you get onto managment company, guards etc.

If still no result, nothing reasonable you do will have any effect - as mentioned - stick a cd on loop when they are eventually trying to sleep from the night before and head out for the day. Crazy frog on loop coming through the walls when you're coming down from a session = nightmare lol. They will soon see a pattern and cut it out.

Ph3n0m

only flaw is my daughter isnt young (baby) she is 12

Glowing

12 year olds still need their sleep!

impr0v

As someone else said take note of the dates and times on which it occurs. Your next step is then a politely worded letter, from yourself. If more dates and times occur, a less politely worded letter from your solicitor. And finally, if you have no other option and it is seriously interfering with your quality of life, legal action. If you intend seeking a remedy though the courts it's important to keep your behaviour reasoned and polite at all time, fighting fire with fire will win you no favours with the judiciary.

Glowing

Good advice there - send the letter registered so they can't deny receipt should things go further ...

doctor evil

Keep a log of all the incidents that happen with time and details, maybe better to get it witnessed as well if you can.

Good luck, new apartments are awful for sound insulation.

bug

move into a really old apartment, one built before the cardboard revolution.
Or move into an apartment where your neighbours are elderly.

I lived in an apartment in town for three years and I think it damaged me.
5am I was woken up to morning prayers... like... what can you say to that?

2-4am I was continuously woken up by drunks and braking bottles outside my window.

The Spanish down the corridor always had a reason to celebrate, whether it was Monday to Sunday.

And the lunatic upstairs had his favourite nail he liked to bang every night.

I moved home...to a house made of bricks.....twitching.

Nevyn

Get in touch with thier landlord and have a word.

5starpool

When I lived in the city centre it was the same. There were about three apts (including one across the road who would open all their windows) who did this from time to time. Very damn annoying. I think people who do this are just ignorant idiots, and should learn to have a bit of respect for their neighbours. IF ever this happened in my apt it was doors and windows closed, and music not mush louder than if you were watching MTV or whatever on your own.

I didn't actually do anything about it for a few reasons.

1. It was once a month or 6 weeks usually.
2. If they are that inconsiderate in the first place I doubt it would have much effect.
3. I am not really the confrontational type.

Good luck with it and I hope it gets sorted. On the brighter side, if they are students they should be off soon.

mikemac

oldboy wrote:

Crazy frog on loop coming through the walls when you're coming down from a session = nightmare lol. They will soon see a pattern and cut it out.

Crazy-frog on loop:eek: What kind of sick person are you oldboy, that's taking retaliation to a whole other level:p

Often, you can cut down on the nosie of the music by where the speakers are. For instance, if the speakers are on the floor it will vibrate to you but if there are raised, it won't be so bad.
This won't solve banging doors and other issues though.

Without belittling your problems, guards may have more pressing issues than calling out to you, like breaking up rows outside fast food joints, joyriding and everything else that happens on a Sunday night.

Has your complex got a security company? If so, make them work for your management fee money. If you call often enough, they will take zero tolerance with your neighbours in order to stop getting calls from you

Savman

If they are up til all hours of the nite, they'll no doubt be sleeping thru the early hours of the morning. You could return the favour sometime by pointing your speakers toward their gaff and blaring music at 9am on a sunday morning, or whatever would be unsociable hours for them.
Noone minds a party here n there but within reason ffs.

flo8s967qjh0nd

I had the same problem recently. The people above us were coming in at 2/3 am in the morning (on Thursdays!) and partying until 6am. They then crashed out for the day while myself and my girlfriend had to drag our selves out of bed and into work. It simple wasn't on and was driving us around the bend.
We found the best thing to do was to talk to YOUR own landlord and explain the situation. Most leases have a clause in them that you agree to make no noise that can be audible outside your apartment after say 11pm. Now, I know there has to be exceptions to this and the odd birthday party or wahtever is grand.
Your landlord, if he/she is any good won't want to loose you as a tenant and will be willing to approach the landlord of the ignorant morons living next/above you and should be able to sort them out.
I don't necessarily think talking to these people helps. They don't give a sh*t about you at 4am after a load of drink.

frizzefreckles

RuggieBear wrote:

had similar problems with my neighbours. Repeatedly asking them to turn the music down grew tiresome as we were ignored.

In the end we moved, rather than risk me assaulting them:(

My other half used to rent out his spare room before I moved in. The people above him used to come in every single friday/saturday night and start having a part at around 3/4 am and start having a party. People would be running up and down the stairs screaming, they would be jumping up and down, banging doors and have the music so loud that it could be heard out in the car park. Every week Mr F would go up knock on the door and ask them to turn it down. Sometimes he was able to just walk straight into the party and ask them as the door would be left open. They would usually turn the music up over the next hour or so. Eventually they would be threatened with the guards and then they would turn it down. This would go on until 1 or 2 the following day.
One night my man's tennant came home and there was a party going on. From the bedroom we heard him let out a roar in the lounge and then go storming up the stairs, bang on the door and next thing we heard someone fall to the floor. He had taken a bar from a weights bench and hit the person who opened the door with it! He was asked to move out the next day, but so did the upstairs neighbours. We've known blissful peace ever since but it was not the way to deal with the situation.
OP i completely sympathise with you as there is nothing worse than noisey neighbours. My suggestion is to speak to the them while they are sober and point out that you have a daughter, before things get like they did for Mr F

Asok

I've had the people above our apartment playing crappy "Unz unz unz" dance music for pretty much everynight for the last 3 months, I'd recommend going to your landlord about it and then if no joy directly to the block management company or the name of the landlord of the noisy neighbours (Mummy and daddy bought the apartment for the people above me so this is a non runner for me) if you annoy their landlord enough he will warn them or get rid of them because just for a quiet life after all its an apartment in south dublin so he will have no problems getting different tennants if the place is not a dive.

marktsang

simialr thing here, every monday and tuesday the unemployed layabouts above me would come in at 1 am and start partying - it was so loud i though they were in the room at first... let i go the first couple of times but then i started being tired in work and finding it hard to get up for work with 2 hours sleep so started to call the managment company for the block - 3 calls later and they are never noisy after 11pm... worked like a charm

Ph3n0m

Just to follow up - havent seen the neighbours at all, and it looks like they are gone back home for the weekend.

However there was a suprise in my mailbox today - seems I am not the only pissed off tenant in the building. A letter was waiting addressing the issue, and also supplied the owners name and address of the apartment with the noisy neighbours

So next time - the landlords are getting a nice little phone call from myself here's hoping that the landlords are actually the parents of the tenants - that would just be super

doctor evil

Good luck in getting it sorted if it flares up again.