How do you deal with loud or annoying neighbors?

[Luanne]

We live in a relatively large trailer park. According to the lease agreement there are some fairly clear rules about noise. We have one neighbor who is single and who frequently turns up his stereo so loud (with the bass booming) that it actually vibrates our trailer. He does this as early as 6 in the morning or as late as midnight. I don't know if he actually ever does sleep. About once every other month or so I complain to the management and it stops for a while, but he always starts it up again.

 

What would you do about this kind of situation?

 

*sigh* If I only had the money to move to the country. :(

[sdWTMer]

Frankly, I'd move before I would confront anyone. But that's just me. So sorry for you. We moved last year because of an annoying dog! Ugh. We are sooo lucky now that we don't have any close to us.

[Tess in the Burbs]

we have lived next to loud neighbors who we asked repeatedly to be quieter with their stereo and tv noise but they never did. So when it was extremely loud I called the police. they have some decibel tester and will say something to them if necessary.

 

sorry you are having trouble. our worst neighbors had no children and obviously did not understand the stress they were creating in your family :-(

[Tap]

I call the police.

 

We live in a house in a newer, conventional neighborhood. We have a neighbors who turn up music so loud that I have been able to hear the music while I was showering! The mom likes it loud while she cleans house, so I hear it at 6:30 am and I hear it at night when the dad has the boys over for a few beers.

 

We and a few other neighbors tried to be nice for about 2 years and then we rallied together and all started calling the police. We talked and decided that every time we could hear his music at an unacceptable volume or time of day/night, that we all would call. That way it wasn't just one phone call the police received and we were taken much more seriously when the police came out. It wasn't a phone chain, that if only one person heard it..everyone called. The agreement was, whenever each person heard it, they called on their own. That way it was fair to him as well. Sometimes the music would be turned down before the officer showed up but since there were multiple complaints, the officer would go talk to the family instead of just doing a drive by. The last I talked to one of the officers myself, he said that since there were so many complaints and warnings given to them in a short period of time, they would ticket him the next time they were called.

 

The music has been much, much better since!

[Harriet Vane]

Also continue complaining to the management. Squeaky wheel and all that . . .

[Plaid Dad]

If you don't feel safe confronting the neighbor directly, I would first lodge a complaint with the management. If they don't do anything, I would call the police.

[partyof5]

I can understand why you would hesitate to confront the neighbor yourself, but if you have ANY relationship with them at all, it might be worth a try.

 

And if not, then call the police and start logging complaints (and perhaps with management too). Do it as often as the noise occurs. Growing up, we had noisy neighbors and we tried to be gracious for YEARS. When my parents finally lost it and called the police, the police said "we can't believe you never called before now!" Apparently, they needed complaints from neighbors to take action?! One visit from the police and the problem vanished.

 

Best wishes.

[JudoMom]

In our old neighborhood, dh tried to be kind and talked with neighbors directly (we lived in a neighborhood full of barking dogs). Until one of them threatened to kick is f'n a$$. In front of his kids. And then drove by our house (they were on the street behind us) with his kids in the van, several times. We called the police, and they told us that as sad as it is, they never recommend confronting neighbors directly and to call them.

[susie in tx]

Mostly I complain on my blog. Or to my husband. I often just wish that we could move. But, that's not happening.

 

For a while, I tried to talk to the young people who were making so much noise, but they really didn't care.

 

I called the police once. So far, it's been better. We'll see how it goes once it gets warmer. My neighbors have a trampoline and I can hear everything they say in my upstairs bedroom. It's delightful, I tell ya.

 

I despise annoying neighbors.

[Ria]

Well, as I sit here, I hear the neighbor's yippy Pomeranians (I pray daily for their deaths...don't laugh...the first time I prayed about one of those dogs it was stricken with a brain tumor the very next day. God smote the dog!!). For the most part I ignore the neighbors and just mutter under my breath. We have called the police, and I've called them directly. Nothing really helps, unfortunately. I keep hoping that the mom will be thrown in prison. You never can tell...she's pretty awful.

 

Ria

[Sunny]

I agree. If you complain enough to management and they continue to address it, they will finally get tired of it, and maybe they can do something. Otherwise, I'm sure there is a noise ordinance for your town regarding time noise is allowed. It is 9pm here on weekdays. Call the police as soon as your time comes, and let them continue to deal with the problem. It is a civil issue if you have that noise ordinance.

[OnTheBrink]

My first impulse would be to blare some loud, high-pitched opera when I was sure he was sleeping. However, that's hardly the appropriate way to deal with it. Thankfully, I have pretty good impulse control. LOL

 

I agree with calling the police.

[Mrs Mungo]

I'm confrontational. After hubby and I married I was finishing up school when he went active duty and left for 6 months for the Offier's Basic Course. Our upstairs neighbor started a band around this time. I'm a night-owl and it didn't usually both me. However, there were nights I marched out there in my PJs, all 5'1" 98lbs of me and yelled at him. One night he said "well, my friends were over and wanted to play around.." I said "you are a GROWN MAN with your own apartment, freaking act like it!!!!"

 

I never heard his band playing late at night again. But, yes...if you aren't confrontational, don't think it will do any good, think it will put you in danger, etc call the management and the police.

[Ellie]

we have neighbors who will have loud parties with a mariachi band. Now, personally, I'm not into that kind of music, but hey--different strokes. And if it's a special event--high school graduation, wedding, 50th birthday--I don't mind if it goes late, KWIM?

 

But these neighbors had their mariachi band going from 7ish in the evening until after midnight, 4 times in 6 months. That is just not ok. I called the cops three of those times. Once when I called the police were already on their way out as someone else had called. The last time, I told the 911 operator that this was the 4th time the police had been called; apparently, she wrote that down and passed on that information (which I'm sure the police already knew anyway, but still...) They have not partied since then. I casually asked the neighbors next door and across the street if they had heard the band and they rolled their eyes and said these people had been doing this for years. Hm. I, being the new neighbor, am not nearly as patient as they, I guess. If it happens again, I'm going to find out who our beat officers are and talk to them about it. Sheesh.

 

So, yeah, call the cops. Every time.

[Elaine]

If you don't feel safe confronting the neighbor directly, I would first lodge a complaint with the management. If they don't do anything, I would call the police.

 

Good advice.

[RoughCollie]

I would call the police about it. I would not use 911 because it is not a true emergency, IMO, and I don't want to tie up that line. I call the station's administrative number instead.

[Amy in Orlando]

Well, as I sit here, I hear the neighbor's yippy Pomeranians (I pray daily for their deaths...don't laugh...the first time I prayed about one of those dogs it was stricken with a brain tumor the very next day. God smote the dog!!). Ria

 

I think I'm getting punchy - but "God smote the dog" is the funniest thing I've read in days and days and days. :D

 

Sorry about your neighbors, Ria, but thanks so much for the laugh.

[HSMom2One]

I dunno...here are some ideas. You choose.

 

1. Rev up a chain saw on the side of the house nearest their bedroom window every Saturday morning promptly at 6:00 a.m. Be sure to have a stack of wood handy to be "chopping". Repeat as often as necessary.

 

2. Christmas carol on their doorstep off season, or perhaps use Latin chants as an alternative. Bring them fruitcake.

 

3. Kill them with random acts of kindness. You know, play it forward.

 

 

No really, just call the police. :D

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[Luanne]

If you don't feel safe confronting the neighbor directly, I would first lodge a complaint with the management. If they don't do anything, I would call the police.

 

... and he acted all polite and everything (with his yes, Ma'am and such), but then he turned it right back up and later I heard him laughing. That's when I called the police on him the first time. Since then I have called the police and complained to management. Since I am a single, I don't really feel comfortable confronting him again.

 

I've also heard other neighbors complain about him, so I know it isn't just us.

[gardenschooler]

I call the police. Repeatedly.

 

It's just one house. For some odd reason, even though we are not right next to the campus, we have a house on our street that is home to the Rhodes' college soccer team. They are the loudest bunch of bellowing drunken fools you've ever seen - sometimes even in the street bellowing drunken fools. I *can't believe* their parents wouldn't be mortified at their behavior, especially given the expense of that school. I wouldn't pay that kind of money for my kid to stay drunk for a year and become a public nuisance.

 

At one of their parties, a girl (a girl!) actually mistook my neighbor's front lawn for a toilet. I kid you not. She wasn't all that embarrassed when confronted, either.

 

I even called the soccer coach once! And I threatened him with making a *stink* if he didn't get these guys under control. That worked - for that year. Unfortunately, we get a new batch every year.

[gardenschooler]

Well, as I sit here, I hear the neighbor's yippy Pomeranians (I pray daily for their deaths...don't laugh...the first time I prayed about one of those dogs it was stricken with a brain tumor the very next day. God smote the dog!!). For the most part I ignore the neighbors and just mutter under my breath. We have called the police, and I've called them directly. Nothing really helps, unfortunately. I keep hoping that the mom will be thrown in prison. You never can tell...she's pretty awful.

 

Ria

 

I remember you posting about those yippy dogs a long time ago! What's the life span on a Pomeranian anyway?

 

That might be worth investing in one of those high-pitched alarms. Or..... :D better not say what I'm thinking!

[Heather in the Kootenays]

- time the music goes on, when it goes off, physical effects etc. Show it to the landlord, call the landlord regularly.

 

Where I live, a landlord is required to provide "quiet enjoyment" and can be fined for allowing too much noise. But you have to have some proof. Notes on a calender are important.

[Just a Jen in Mississippi]

You know, it's just a relief that I'm not the only one annoyed by barking dogs. I have a neighbor with about 8 dogs, all different breeds and sizes, that bark at us. We can't be in our back yard (and we have a pool) if the dogs are outside. When the owner is home, he will quiet them, but when he is gone all day, it's maddening. No one understands my frustration until they actually come over and see (hear) for themselves and then they are flabbergasted. We have talked to the neighbors, we've called animal control, and we've finally called the police. It gets better for a period and then we start all over. It's the most frustrating thing and I definitely want to move because of them........ Yet, I like my house. :0( Like Ria, I've had very, very bad thoughts about them.......

[tjs_79]

I remember living in a 4-plex. My upstairs neighbor (who would later become my bff) would leave her annoying alarm going off forever. I eventually learned to sleep through it, but I'm a heavy sleeper anyway. One day, this gal from the 4-plex next to me (different building) comes banging on my door. I leap out of bed and answer the door. She's waving her arms, screaming and yelling about how she has 3 kids and it's way too early on a Saturday to be woken up by a screaming alarm that never shuts off! I rub the sleep from my eyes and whisper, "Indeed". Then I pointed upstairs.

 

mental note: When tempers are flared about a noisy neighbor and you want to confront them....make sure you have the right house!:lol:

[littlebug42]

Call the police and make sure management gets copies of the police reports. I used to manage apartments and I can tell you that even though it is in the lease, it is really difficult to win evictions against violations like this and police reports are a must. I know that the company I worked for really did very little about lease violations unless they involved criminal activity.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Whoa! Very old thread! The OP doesn't even live there anymore!

[rafiki]

.

[Rebecca VA]

Well, I'm ready to slice 'n' dice our new neighbors across the street. They bought a beautiful 100-year-old home last fall, and they've spent many months tearing up the lawn (including chopping down some gorgeous apple trees) and *concreting* over most of it. They tore out the swimming pool and then built a new one a few feet away. There are large, heavy trucks coming to their house every single day delivering rocks, bringing well-drilling equipment (they're also putting in geothermal heat), and pouring concrete.

 

This has been going on for months, 10 hours a day. The trucks have caused cracks in the road. The dust and dirt their machinery have kicked up have dirtied all the nearby homes (and we just had ours pressure-washed!). And to top it off, they've put in hedges of tall trees so that no one can see into what is left of their yard.

 

GO AWAY, NEIGHBORS!!

[usetoschool]

I scanned the thread while having lunch and was so excited to see Ria's name, then looked at the date. I miss her and hope she's doing well if anyone keeps in touch with her via email, please let her know she's thought about often.

 

I was reading merrily along because we have a similar problem and came across Plaid Dad's name - shoot, sucked in by another moldy thread. :tongue_smilie:

[gpsings]

I remember living in a 4-plex. My upstairs neighbor (who would later become my bff) would leave her annoying alarm going off forever. I eventually learned to sleep through it, but I'm a heavy sleeper anyway. One day, this gal from the 4-plex next to me (different building) comes banging on my door. I leap out of bed and answer the door. She's waving her arms, screaming and yelling about how she has 3 kids and it's way too early on a Saturday to be woken up by a screaming alarm that never shuts off! I rub the sleep from my eyes and whisper, "Indeed". Then I pointed upstairs.

 

mental note: When tempers are flared about a noisy neighbor and you want to confront them....make sure you have the right house!:lol:

 

I know this thread is old, but this made me laugh. :lol:

[tjs_79]

sorry about that:blushing:

I meant to post that on another recent "annoying neighbor" post, but I got a little click crazy and didn't realize how old this was. hehe oopsy. glad it made someone giggle :001_smile: