This article was co-authored by Tami Claytor and by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure. Tami Claytor is an Etiquette Coach, Image Consultant, and the Owner of Always Appropriate Image and Etiquette Consulting in New York, New York. With over 20 years of experience, Tami specializes in teaching etiquette classes to individuals, students, companies, and community organizations. Tami has spent decades studying cultures through her extensive travels across five continents and has created cultural diversity workshops to promote social justice and cross-cultural awareness. She holds a BA in Economics with a concentration in International Relations from Clark University. Tami studied at the Ophelia DeVore School of Charm and the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she earned her Image Consultant Certification.
There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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Noisy neighbors can really be irritating at times, disturbing your sleep and regular activities. They may not even know they're bothering you, so it's usually best to start by being polite. If that doesn't work after the first few tries, you might have to move on to stronger measures. To help, we spoke with etiquette coach Tami Claytor to get the low down on how to handle a noisy nuisance without ruffling anyone’s feathers the wrong way.
Noisy Neighbors? How to Handle It
- Talk to your neighbor calmly about their noise and how it’s affecting you. Ask if they can limit their noise to certain times, or come up with another compromise.
- Ask your landlord or building manager to mediate your conversation if your neighbor doesn’t comply. Or, call your area’s non-emergency police line to make a complaint.
- If none of the solutions work, call the police when the neighbor is being extremely loud and a disturbance.
Steps
Community Q&A
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QuestionHow to write a noise complaint letter?Community AnswerType a letter to your landlord that details three incidents, including the dates, that you have had experiencing noise from your neighbour. Be sure to include the date, your name, your neighbour's name, and the apartment numbers or addresses of the residents in question. You can usually file official noise complaints with the authorities if that method seems ineffective.
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QuestionWhat do you do when your neighbors that live above you let their kids run and jump around from 6 pm until 12:30 am?Community AnswerMost tenants are within their rights to any foot patterns you might hear above you. However, if you are experiencing those kind of issues after 10 pm, that's when it might be a problem you can complain about. Talk to your neighbour and see if they'd be willing to pay attention to how much noise the kids make since it's a disturbance to you. If that doesn't work, talk to your landlord. If that doesn't work, it might be necessary to take a legal approach. Decide if it's a noise complaint you'd like to pursue or if it's something you can ultimately deal with.
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QuestionWhat do I do if I have complained about my noisy neighbors, but it's fallen on deaf ears?Community AnswerYou can sue them in court and ask for a noise abatement. It's best that you have incidents documented with what happened, how it affected you, and the dates and times of each incident. Also, be prepared to let the courts know to whom you complained to and when.
Video
Tips
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If you and your neighbor rent, try sending copies of correspondence and any complaints to the landlord or property manager. Noise, especially after hours, may be against leases and building rules as well as city ones, and it may help to get attention.Thanks
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Try to get to know your neighbors (noisy or otherwise) before there is a problem. It will help you to communicate with them if you ever need to ask them to keep it down.Thanks
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Don't try to be a hero. Approaching your drunk neighbor at 3:00 A.M. is never a good idea. It could lead to exacerbating the issue rather than reducing it.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
- If you can't reach a solution or your neighbor gets louder, play loud music when they're sleeping.
Warnings
- Ask to remain anonymous when making formal complaints. Even reasonable people may seek to retaliate when confronted by the authorities.Thanks
- As tempting as it may be to retaliate, it's not likely to be effective, especially in the long term. Turning up your music or damaging someone else's property just makes you part of the problem.Thanks
- If you suspect that the noise may be accompanied by domestic violence, or someone is otherwise in trouble, call the police immediately, and make your concerns clear. Do not try to be polite by not involving yourself.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/global/2020/mar/01/please-be-quite-my-search-for-a-noise-free-life-emma-beddington
- ↑ https://emilypost.com/advice/neighbors-how-to-raise-a-concern-politely
- ↑ https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/how-to-deal-with-a-horrible-neighbor-061913.html
- ↑ https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/how-to-deal-with-a-horrible-neighbor-061913.html
- ↑ https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-01017
- ↑ https://www.artofmanliness.com/2012/12/12/how-to-call-911-no-its-not-as-obvious-as-you-think/
- ↑ https://pennstatelaw.psu.edu/_file/aglaw/Pennsylvania_Nuisance_Law.pdf
- ↑ https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/noise-ordinance-noisy-neighbor-30308-3.html
- ↑ https://krui.fm/2021/03/15/how-to-deal-with-a-noisy-neighbor-using-music/
- ↑ https://www.citylab.com/navigator/2014/03/apartment-dwellers-guide-noisy-neighbors/8548/
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/global/2020/mar/01/please-be-quite-my-search-for-a-noise-free-life-emma-beddington
- ↑ https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/how-to-deal-with-a-horrible-neighbor-061913.html
- ↑ https://www.citylab.com/navigator/2014/03/apartment-dwellers-guide-noisy-neighbors/8548/
About This Article
To deal with a noisy neighbor in an apartment, calmly bring the issue to your neighbor’s attention by saying something like “I’m not sure if you’re aware, but the walls are really thin so I can hear a lot.” When speaking with them, ask them to keep the noise down or limit noisy hours to a certain time of day. If your noise complaint can’t be resolved between the two of you, you can ask your landlord to speak with your neighbor or file a noise complaint with 311. To file a complaint, call 311, describe the issue and leave your neighbor's full address. To learn how to avoid noisy neighbors, read on!