Neighbour complaining about noise

Maga

Dear all,

I would like to hear your opinion on this matter.

My sister and I live in a studio which in fairness does have somewhat poor acoustic isolation, since it's an old house transformed into flats. We both work long day shifts and arrive home very late from work. We walk around the flat on socks to avoid bothering the neighbours, no parties, nothing.

However the downstairs neighbour knocks on my door frequently to complain about noise. This time it was the TV, which was playing a quiet drama film (no explosions, no loud noises) at the lowest audible volume possible at 11.40pm.

She previously complained about us speaking on the phone after 10pm and about our phones ringing after 11pm.

Is she on the right? Am I being an obnoxious neighbour by watching a quiet film on my laptop at 11.40pm after a long day at work? Or is she being oversensitive and depriving me from enjoying my accommodation and my normal life?

I always try to accommodate her requests, but after her knocking over 10 times about things like this in the last few months (and I know she had problem with the previous tenants as well) I would like to hear your opinions on this.

Thank you very much.

foggy_lad

Maga wrote: »

Dear all,

I would like to hear your opinion on this matter.

My sister and I live in a studio which in fairness does have somewhat poor acoustic isolation, since it's an old house transformed into flats. We both work long day shifts and arrive home very late from work. We walk around the flat on socks to avoid bothering the neighbours, no parties, nothing.

However the downstairs neighbour knocks on my door frequently to complain about noise. This time it was the TV, which was playing a quiet drama film (no explosions, no loud noises) at the lowest audible volume possible at 11.40pm.

She previously complained about us speaking on the phone after 10pm and about our phones ringing after 11pm.

Is she on the right? Am I being an obnoxious neighbour by watching a quiet film on my laptop at 11.40pm after a long day at work? Or is she being oversensitive and depriving me from enjoying my accommodation and my normal life?

I always try to accommodate her requests, but after her knocking over 10 times about things like this in the last few months (and I know she had problem with the previous tenants as well) I would like to hear your opinions on this.

Thank you very much.

You are entitled to enjoy your accommodation without some crackpot neighbour complaining about noises she probably "imagines" ye are making! not being ageist but Would I be right to think that you and your sister are younger than your neighbour?

Maga

Thank you very much for your reply, now that you are saying it...

Yes, we are both young professionals at our late 20s/early 30s and she is 50something, lives on her own and I have the impression she is sometimes on some medication or intoxicated as more than once she was slurring when she came knocking on our door.

One time she threatened to punch me on the face because I told her (politely and calmly) that I was entitled to speak on the phone after 11pm... so this is the kind of person I'm dealing with...

I do know the house is old and poorly built, as I also hear my upstairs neighbours stomping around early in the morning, but I just got myself some earplugs as I figured it's not their fault they need to walk around the house!

I'm at my wits ends...

wirelessdude01

I once had a neighbour complain about loud tv noises that they heard at the weekend from our apartment, we were all gone home for the weekend!! Point being that some people just like to complain. Maybe just stick in a set of earphones for the movie watching on the laptop. Other than that there isn't much that you can do really. You can't not live your life and phone calls are a part of that. What would the cranky neighbour do if you were in a job where you were on call for the weekend and your phone went off regularly?

djimi

If the neighbour is in any way rational maybe bring them into your place and show them the level of noise (ie from the TV) and then bring them back into their place and let them see how that corresponds through the walls. There isnt going to be much that you can do to sort the issue, but you might be at least able to make them see that you are not being unreasonable.

If they are not rational and she persists with this (including the threats of violence) then inform her that you will have no hesitation to involve the Gardai over her harrassment/threats.

Mrs OBumble

And follow thru on the Garda involvement if you receive any further threats of violence.

A visit from them will either settle her down, or tip her right over the edge - life will be hell for a few weeks, but she will probably get evicted.

Lux23

Get on to the landlord and mention the threat of violence, they may well be looking for an excuse to evict her!