[erikka]

We've been having a lot of problems with the people in the apartment next to us. (edited to protect the guilty) Recently he decided to start having band practice in his living room--we're talking full drum set up, the whole works. And he has a lot of people over on weeknights who hang out in the hallway. I've knocked on their door so many times that they don't answer anymore. So I called the super, who said he'd speak to them, but he recommended that I call the police.

I don't want to escalate things--the last thing I want is to feel unconfortable in my own home and have to worry about my shady neighbors, but it's getting f-ing ridiculous. BAND PRACTICE IN YOUR LIVING ROOM? Is that shit even legal?

Have any of you have noise problems and how have you dealt with them?

[alafairnadia]

maybe try stopping at their apartment early - before the madness and drunkenness begins. tell them that you'd really appreciate it if they'd stop the noise and be more considerate. most people when confronted (while sober) with their bad behavior will back off. if they get belligerent about it, right then, just tell them that you're going to talk to the super and landlord about the problem if they don't cut it out. I wouldn't warn them that you'll call the cops.

are other neighbors bothered by their behavior? if you can get multiple people to call the super, he may be more inclined to talk to them.

next time it happens, call the cops and write a letter to the landlord.
_________________
like a smoked meat with an earthy youth overnote

[Rose]

That's crazy. I can't believe he thinks he should be able to have band practice in his apartment. My brother used to practice the drums in the basement when we were growing up, and you could hear it through the whole house. Some activities are just not suited to urban living.

I would write a letter to the landlord describing the situation in detail (with dates and times when this stuff has gone on) and demanding that the landlord take action to address the problem.

[sarajean8]

That sounds terrible!

When I was living in Manhattan I had a similar experience with my frat-like neighbors. They used to blare their music/bass SO loud and we couldn't sleep at night (for weeks). We went next door numerous times and after a while they refused to open the door, and turned UP the music each time. We were in a building without a super so the only option we had was to file a noise complaint with 311. The cops actually came and told them to turn it down!

However another time, the same guy next store (who would set his stereo-alarm to BIG BAND music on full blast) went a away for the weekend-- all day the music was playing and then it reset again, and went off again at 5 in the morning. We called the cops again and this time they came over, banged on the door and the other roommate was home and claimed he didn't hear the music that was blasting out the apartment. After ridiculing the roommate's comment, the cops went in and unplugged the stereo, and needless to say we didn't hear from them too much after that.

[WhyFi]

[erikka]

I've started keeping a log of times noise was above acceptable levels, and what was done to remedy the situation (e.g., knocked, called super, etc...). The problem with the neighbors surround their apartment: edited for anon. The landlord is basically said verbatim "the only time you'll see or speak to me is when you show up to sign the lease." Hence, I went to the super, who I think has spoken to them in the past with few results.

I think I am going to write a letter stating that I really don't want to, but if they continue to be loud I will be forced to call the cops. But here's the real question--will the cops even show up? Do they give a shit? Are they gonna tell me they've got better things to do?

[stacey]

I think keeping a log of everything is a good idea. You should also write a letter to them sending a copy to the owner as well as the super. Let the owner know that if he does not get involved you will have no alternative but to get the police and the DOB involved. I know it really sucks about the cigarette smoke

Now the devil in me says:
are your circuit brakers in each individual apartment or do you have access to the ones for that apartment? If you do I would switch off the electric everytime they start making too much noise. Or you can make lots of noise once they quiet down - bang some pots and pans or ask willregister soon to make a record of his infant's crying and play it on a loop at the highest volume for a while.

[Idlewild]

Light a bag of dog shit in front of his door then ring his doorbell when he's not playing. As an aside. I do believe there is a noise restriction aka quality of life law that forbids this kind of stuff after 8pm. Check with 311.

[erikka]

[Jack Krohn]

Go to a 99-cent store, buy a small garbage can, fill it 3/4 of the way with water, and then tip it against his door. Maybe a river running through his hallway will send him a message.

[Brooklyn Aphrodite]

I have had similar noise problems with our neighbors - but we're the only two apartments in the building, so it has definitely turned into an us vs. them situation.

Example: Yesterday my roommate stayed home with the flu, but was woken after 20 minutes of banging around/stomping late in the afternoon. When she poked her head out of our apartment to see if everything was okay, the neighbor said she was just using her granny cart, stomped to her apartment, turned, and said "noises DO happen" before slamming the door.

Not even two weeks ago this same neighbor's cat was run over and killed by a car in front of the house. When we heard the commotion downstairs, the neighbor was in such shock she couldn't decide if she wanted to see/pick up the body or collapse into tears.

So despite her evilness in the past, my roommate and I physically took care of the body, got her a shovel from other neighbors because she wanted to bury him in the backyard, and offered to keep her company until her boyfriend/husband came home.

Days later, the mixing techno beats began again (7:30 on Saturday morning, anyone?) as did slamming the doors, and hearing every step in their apartment as if they were stomping petulant children. And of course the run in with her yesterday...

The landlords don't want to get into the tattle-tale he said she said thing, so we're left to our own devices.

I've adopted the MEAN PEOPLE SUCK mantra for now. I refuse to stoop to their level and become bitter and rude like them. We've told them numerous times to their faces and through letters that if we're doing something that bothers them, to let us know. (Her response was: We're all adults, we don't need to be writing essay letters. Her next note to us was about a month later, addressed "Dear Tenants.")

But talk to me again in a few weeks...I might have snapped by then.

[Brooklyn Aphrodite]

NEW ADDITION!!!

Just came home from work. In the pouring rain. See neighbor at front door having walked the dog. She turns to look back at me as she hears me open the metal gate. I'm not 10 feet away from the door.

She goes inside.


Closes door.


And locks it.


PRICELESS.
Maybe she reads this forum.
If you are, perhaps we can ask the nice folks on this site to recommend a doctor to take a look at that stick up your @$$

[Guest]

I can't believe how some people will allow themselves to be taken advatage of because they are afraid of confrontation. Stop being so "nice" and call 311. The city cares about your health and well being. A few complaints will result in a ticketable violation- costing your neighbors and your landlord enough $$$ to force them to act. Plus, the Bloomberg admin. hates live music and has changed parts of the noise code to incorporate their peace & quiet initiatives. There's no need for this to continue.

[BrooklynJack]

I did find this:

http://www.tenant.net/Rights/Noise/noise1.html

makes for some interesting reading.

[erikka]

[linusvanpelt]

[erikka]

[linusvanpelt]

[Drano]

Keep after them, and don't feel bad about it. Use the police.

If all else fails, leave them an upper decker.

[escap]

Erikka, that really sucks, I think I would have already snapped by now and started making it my daily mission to make their lives miserable in whatever way possible.

I wonder if you have grounds for withholding rent? Doesn't your landlord have any responsibilities with respect to this kind of issue? Not paying, or consistently paying late, etc., would get his attention, and it would be really hard to evict you anytime soon. Make the landlord's life as miserable as yours and maybe get off his ass. It's too bad you can't get organize with some of your neighbors (sounds like you live in a wacky bldg btw), or else you might be able to exert some real pressure on the landlord. Confrontation is all well and good but it puts you in a very awkward position; it's really the responsibility of the bldg manager to take care of this kind of thing. Relying on the cops is, unfortunately, not an alternative I'd be very optimistic about.

In the mean time, have you considered keying your neighbor's car, slashing his bike tires, painting a swastika on his door, or finding out where he works and hiring hookers to show up at his job loudly demanding the crack he's promised them?

[Drano]

Remember, the "Bill me later" box on magazine subscription cards (or anywhere else) can be very handy in certain situations.

[Carnivore]

I highly recommend this book for your predicament:
http://www.amazon.com/High-Tech-Harrassment-E....._11_1/002-1472679-0372858
I consider it my bible and I read it every night before I go to sleep.

[sarajean8]

[erikka]

thinking twice about noise complaints: http://www.gothamist.com/archives/2006/11/08/details_emerge.php

yikes!

[Drano]

[erikka]

[Drano]

[Carnivore]

[erikka]

[Drano]

Hmmm...it may have been a more amped up version with a timer or something - in my experience the basic model "chirp" is fairly constant, although it does vary the interval a bit in order to frustrate waiting on the sound in order to locate it. A timer and louder sound...nice additions, but then it may start to get expensive for something you probably won't get back.

[findcate]

wow, that is a nightmare. Definitely call 311 every time they do this, and call the police--you have drunk people in your hallway? that's crazy!!...Is there something in your lease that says you have a right to peaceful enjoyment of your property as a tenant? You shouldn't have to move -- moving is very expensive as well as being a pain in the arse.

It sounds like your landlord needs to be convinced that taking action is actually in his best interests. If he wants a hassle-free building then he should take action. No sane person with a job & steady income is going to tolerate the noise & drunk people in the hallways. If he wants to run a flop house with unreliable tenants, then that's another thing...Maybe you could send him a letter to that effect with your log and noise complaints filed with 311/poice. You could suggest he should give them 72 hours to find somewhere else to practice, else they will be evicted. I don't know, there are alot of LLs on this site--what does a landlord do in this situation?

It's not like you're asking your LL to hang your curtains for you...you don't have the leverage to make your neighbors stop because they don't show any normal decency or consideration for you and they don't respect the super. You need your LL to take action.

[armchair_warrior]

as a ll i doubt i could do anything else besides telling them not renewal the lease next year. don't have that many options to kick folks out in nyc. its a tenant friendly city.

[findcate]

You could also call council member David Yassky's office--they might be able to advise you on options and local noise ordinances--the people who work there are really helpful. David Yassky (718) 875-5200.

[Anotherdayinbkln]

for some reason, the really really old people that live upstairs BLAST their music. and we have thick walls too, but the BASS BASS BASS thumps.
I just did the Bang the Broomstick on the Ceiling trick and they turned it down a bit.

When i lived in east williamsburg, this 30something home-office guy lived next door. he was a writer and was always home, and always loud. Anyway, he had a KILLER entertainment system in his bedroom, which was a thin wall away from mine. At night, i guess when he was sleeping, he would watch WAR EPICs. all night from like 12am-2am I would just hear shooting and bombs and shouting.. and no matter how much I banged on the wall or his door, he never answered or turned it down.

worst ever. we called the police on him once and he lied to them and told the cops that HE called the police on US!

[alafairnadia]

[quijibo]

call 311

[Anotherdayinbkln]

[alafairnadia]

[armchair_warrior]

should of catnap his cats.

[Anotherdayinbkln]

his cats had leukemia. this guy was pretty much all around sad. i found out what happens to art school hipsters after they live in Williamsburg for 10 years.

[armchair_warrior]

damn that be sad. i wonder if his hair cuts itself.

[erikka]

edited to protect the guilty--and in case I need to take further action.

[Drano]

It's too bad you live right next door...another favorite is to buy about 300 crickets at a pet store and release them in the apartment - a great prank or just an appropriate way to teach someone a little something about annoying noises...

[GiGi]

I was so frustrated reading the posts about the noisy neighbors. We moved out of our old place about a month ago b/c we had downstairs neighbors who had no threshhold for anything. We'd get letters (more like theses) on our door about hearing our footsteps in the morning as we walked across our floor getting ready for work. (Sorry that I have a job that often requires me to get up at 5 am and work 14 hours/day). They asked us to remove our shoes at the door and to put them on at the door. They complained about a clock radio that was set to play a CD for the alarm. They demanded no noise be made until after 9 am b/c that is when they slept best (needed their beauty rest, I suppose). They would hold a tape recorder to the ceiling to give to the landlord (who rolled his eyes but succumbed to the crotchety couple in the end and bought more carpeting b/c he didn't want to deal with their incessant phonecalls). They further complained about having to buy earplugs and headphones to sleep during the morning hours. They even threatened to call the police. I have no idea for what reason. I think it was just to be jerks. They nearly suffocated all of us with the fumes from their 3 months of remodeling, not to mention the endless hammering and sawing. Their dogs were also spastic and barked for hours when left alone. But that was OK in their eyes, I guess. No one else in the building EVER had issues with us, nor did we with them. We liked our neighbors very much, except these two persnickety old farts, who moved back after living in the woods for years. So I guess when you're old it's somehow OK to be a jerk and mean spirited. The extra carpeting didn't satisfy them. They whined about anything and everything and everyone in the buidling couldn't stand them but tolerated them b/c they were owners in the building. In fact, I see my old neighbors around the neighborhood and we still laugh about it. We were miserable living there and pressured to leave. I feel bad for errikka b/c no one wants that kind of living situation. I hated coming home. And they finally got rid of us. We are totally normal, don't even own a stereo, travel, and work alot. I was incensed at the pressure some people can apply to get what they want. I hope the new tenants after us are tap dancers or Dutch or have triplet toddlers! Anyway, the nerve of some people makes me really angry. Don't feel bad for one second about standing up to people. They don't give a damn about you, why should you care. Thanks for letting me vent.

[Drano]