Downstairs neighbor gone for weekend
Our downstairs neighbor left their stereo on and has not been home for 15 hours. We know that because we normally hear them talking, hear the TV rather than the stereo, and hear their baby crying. I'm guessing they left for the weekend and left the stereo on either by accident or to make it seem like they are home. We've nicely asked them to turn the TV lower in the past, so they know noise is an issue - it's really unbelievable. What would you do? My lovely lady hardly slept at all last night because of the bass thumps.
Comments
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Subject: Re: Downstairs neighbor gone for weekend
Tsquare wrote: My lovely lady hardly slept at all last night because of the bass thumps.
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I would contact the LL or Super and explain how very concerned you are that youre downstairs neighbor may have collapsed and died.
it does happen . . . and its a good way to get the super to open the apt and shut off the tv if they were simply incredibly forgetful/rude -
Haha, unfortunately, not THOSE bass thumps.
It's a small coop building - no super with keys, etc. In the end i guess this iis just a venting post .... Short of having NYPD break the door down I don't think there's much that can be done. (I guess if they don't return tomorrow it's something we'll have to consider.) They are A-HOLES. There, I feel better. -
do you have access to the main breakers to that apartment in the basement? Try throwing the circuit breakers off momentarily, then back on. If that doesn't leave the stereo off then just leave them off. When asked you don't know nothin'. Don't tell your partner what you are doing the less people that know the better.
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Had a similar situation: downstairs neighbors CD player turned-on inadvertently while neighbor away for weekend. Friday to Sunday eve I was tormented by a Rolling Stones CD that skipped the entire time (and I'm a fan). Called local precinct (in Manhattan) but they refused to do anything! Got some foam ear plugs. Totally sucked. I'm so sorry.
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that's brilliant modsquad!
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As always, it's been modsquad's pleasure.
gratuities accepted -
parents tell a story about when I was an infant and a neighbor's booming stereo that was keeping me up all night. Dad went to the basement, and the next thing they knew, neighbors had a mysterious power outage until morning.. no battery powered 8-tracks in those days, I guess!
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modsquad wrote: do you have access to the main breakers to that apartment in the basement? Try throwing the circuit breakers off momentarily, then back on. If that doesn't leave the stereo off then just leave them off. When asked you don't know nothin'. Don't tell your partner what you are doing the less people that know the better.
Absolutely brilliant. Essential too about not letting the partner know.
This reminds me of the Seinfeld where Elaine was tormented by a neighbor's music.... -
rbenghiat wrote: parents tell a story about when I was an infant and a neighbor's booming stereo that was keeping me up all night. Dad went to the basement, and the next thing they knew, neighbors had a mysterious power outage until morning.. no battery powered 8-tracks in those days, I guess!
your dad, sadly, made a mistake. i think all infants/children need to learn to sleep in very loud places. once you can, you don't have all the noise issue we adults have--and trust me, i was raised by very quiet people, and i can't even fall asleep with the TV on. -
funny - I can sleep anywhere - I think it was *their* sleep they were protecting!
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Seems like they did this on purpose ....just to annoy you.
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modsquad wrote: do you have access to the main breakers to that apartment in the basement? Try throwing the circuit breakers off momentarily, then back on. If that doesn't leave the stereo off then just leave them off. When asked you don't know nothin'. Don't tell your partner what you are doing the less people that know the better.
Just hope the fridge/freezer isn't on the same line. -
Carnivore wrote:
Even if they are, so what? It's the price they pay for inflicting torture or "acoustic bombardment”, as defined by the United States Psychological Operations Company (or Psy Ops).
Just hope the fridge/freezer isn't on the same line. -
That was the Quick reply. I suppose if you wanted to and if all the circuit breakers were in the basement, you could throw each one separately until the stereo stopped. It is a condo and therefore relatively new, so I presume the wiring was done in such a manner that puts the frig on it's own line, therefore we can presume that once the music stopped the frig will still be running. Unfortunately it is likely that only a main double throw 220 breaker of 60 to 100 amps is in the basement. Oh well back to Plan A!
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I'm hoping it wasn't done to annoy us - though we've asked them to turn down the TV a couple of times, it was a while ago and we're friendly when we see each other. (They are still inconsiderate with the TV volume but we mostly just live with it.)
Anyway, 2:18 AM, and the bass is still rattling.....
We're giving it until tomorrow and then I think the basement breaker is a reasonable alternative to explore...thanks for that idea modsquad. If I had done this accidentally, I'd much prefer someone killing my power to breaking my door down. -
Tsquare....sounds more and more like they are doing this on purpose. I would have never let it go on till 2:18am.
your a better person then I am........
Their circuits would have been turned off a while ago. -
Tsquare wrote: Anyway, 2:18 AM, and the bass is still rattling.....
Are you an owner or a tenant in this building? Are these people owners or tenants? We had a very similar. long ongoing problem with a neighbor in my last buiding (three condo units, all owner occupied). Noise, smells, music, you name it. After the "last straw incident" (party guests' kids urinating in the basement), as the condo assoc. chair, I simply sent them a letter quoting verbatim from the association's docs about public areas, noise, etc., noting that this would be the very last time something like this would happen. Our docs were surprisingly clear on the matter. Owner cleaned up their act a little, but eventually moved (mere months after I sold my own unit and moved--for reasons unrelated to their behavior). I'm not sure what we would have done if they didn't clean up act.
W/a coop fellow owners should have more leverage, with the board being able to evict owners (or their tenants) who are disruptive. Who's your board chair? I would have him/her on the phone this morning to explain the situation and demand some assistance. -
BKchickie, have you ever tried to go up against a board, legally, with a problem like this?
unless you like to live someplace where you are loathed, where people turn their heads in the hallway when they see you, when emails are never answered... you get the point. not wise unless it's something deadly serious.
as for evictions, do you have any idea what it takes to evict a tenant in NYC, especially a long-term one, rent stabilized? -
flux wrote: Seems like they did this on purpose ....just to annoy you.
That occurred to me too.
Especially since someone here recently recommended installing a speaker in ones ceiling to get revenge on upstairs godzilla neighbor. -
Yes, we, and they, are both owners. They've been here forever, we just moved in last summer.
We've been trying hard not to have a strained relationship with a neighbor right off the bat, therefore we've been very nice and reluctant to draw the coop board in to the general noise problems. That said, I plan to talk to the coop pres about this specific problem today. I can't kill the power anonomously at this point (I left a message with the offender, basically asking if they were dead) so I might as well involve him in the discussion. My fear now is that they're gone for 2 weeks.
I may be naive but I really don't think it was intentional, just exceedingly inconsiderate. I think they would have left it on louder if they wanted to really torture us. They play the TV louder. I think they just have no clue how much sound carries up to our floor. -
Garfunky wrote: [quote=flux]Seems like they did this on purpose ....just to annoy you.
That occurred to me too.
Especially since someone here recently recommended installing a speaker in ones ceiling to get revenge on upstairs godzilla neighbor.
Having dealt with noisy neighbors above and below me successfully I offer the following: There are laws in NYC that are simply not enforced because they are to vague to be enforced. Short of having an illegal club. recording studio or other zoning violation you will never bring someone to court about noise. Even if you were able to after months, if not years of money spent, letters sent, waiting for DEP to show up, it is not an evictable violation. They will remain with a scolding, and they will stomp their feet or hit the ceiling whenever they've had a bad day or get a little drunk.
I make my living dealing with landlord/tenant issues and tenant/tenant conflicts and I can honestly say no one cares about your noise problem. If reasoning with these turds is impossible you have to enlarge the problem. The hardest thing about this is to quit thinking of yourself as the eternal victim, fearing that every time you assert yourself there will be some escalation. Even if there is, the chances are it will bring more people into the fray, ultimately your allies. Don't be afraid to confront these people anywhere. If they are doing this to piss you off, they are prepared and expecting you at their door, but not in the deli or bank ATM. They have to be made to pay a price for their inconsideration and eventually that price will be too high, even for assholes. Given you're both owners, I would think the likelihood of a confrontation at a owners meeting would be enough to put a stop at it.
I have personally dealt with 3 asshole tenants, all successfully. It involved putting speakers in the ceiling and floor, sledgehammers on the steam pipes and even a small jackhammer attached to a metal plate mounted on the exterior building wall. Makes me laugh thinking about it. Do I have a reputation in the building? Yes. Ask me if I care. At least me and my family sleep at night.
Ultimately you are respected for standing up for yourself instead of being laughed at as the long suffering schmuck.
Tsquare you're probably right about it being a stupid mistake but it might be a Freudian mistake which I guess means no mistake at all. They may have an issue with you that they are seething about. I make a lot of money because tenants are afraid to talk to tenants. -
modsquad, please bring your fammily over for a home-cooked meal at my place.
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brooklynpotter wrote: modsquad, please bring your fammily over for a home-cooked meal at my place.
Thanks Potter, If I can get the drawbridge to work in this weather. :P
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modsquad, thanks for your advice - I can safely say that you're someone I'd want on my side. That's some hardcore steps you took.
While I'd hope to not have to take drastic measures, I think a lot of what you say rings true with our experience, including some events today.
Good news is weekend away is apparently over. -
modsquad wow, i had trouble making tenants before lol. as a landlord i can't do anything like you did
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modsquad wrote: Having dealt with noisy neighbors above and below me successfully I offer the following: There are laws in NYC that are simply not enforced because they are to vague to be enforced. Short of having an illegal club. recording studio or other zoning violation you will never bring someone to court about noise. Even if you were able to after months, if not years of money spent, letters sent, waiting for DEP to show up, it is not an evictable violation. They will remain with a scolding, and they will stomp their feet or hit the ceiling whenever they've had a bad day or get a little drunk.
I think I'll have to save this post, and copy your actions. Watch out inconsiderate nasty neighbor....
I make my living dealing with landlord/tenant issues and tenant/tenant conflicts and I can honestly say no one cares about your noise problem. If reasoning with these turds is impossible you have to enlarge the problem. The hardest thing about this is to quit thinking of yourself as the eternal victim, fearing that every time you assert yourself there will be some escalation. Even if there is, the chances are it will bring more people into the fray, ultimately your allies. Don't be afraid to confront these people anywhere. If they are doing this to piss you off, they are prepared and expecting you at their door, but not in the deli or bank ATM. They have to be made to pay a price for their inconsideration and eventually that price will be too high, even for assholes. Given you're both owners, I would think the likelihood of a confrontation at a owners meeting would be enough to put a stop at it.
I have personally dealt with 3 asshole tenants, all successfully. It involved putting speakers in the ceiling and floor, sledgehammers on the steam pipes and even a small jackhammer attached to a metal plate mounted on the exterior building wall. Makes me laugh thinking about it. Do I have a reputation in the building? Yes. Ask me if I care. At least me and my family sleep at night.
Ultimately you are respected for standing up for yourself instead of being laughed at as the long suffering schmuck.
Tsquare you're probably right about it being a stupid mistake but it might be a Freudian mistake which I guess means no mistake at all. They may have an issue with you that they are seething about. I make a lot of money because tenants are afraid to talk to tenants.
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