It's past 1:00 a.m. Neighbors noisy. What to do?

[CBHagman]

I've had a recurrent problem with neighbors below me who NEVER go to bed before 1:00 a.m. and seem to make a maximum of noise whenever they're home -- loud entertainment systems, slamming doors and cabinets, whatever.

Granted, they're not throwing parties or engaging in domestic abuse. But repeated complaints to the apartment management have done nothing, and a direct confrontation brought only sniggering and open resentment from said couple. In all the years I've lived in this place (10), no one else has put me through this.

Any thoughts, besides trying to break a lease?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Had that problem once; so we threw a party

and asked our guests to bring the loudest things they owned. So for that evening our noisy neighbors had to listen (simultaneously) to a chainsaw, a bagpipe, a trombone, a bowling ball rolling down the hall, a vacuum cleaner and opera records as loud as our stereo could play them.

The neighbors weren't quite so noisy after that.

[CBHagman]

5. Enjoying imagining that.

And it might work on Mr. and Ms. One O'Clock. It's sort of like being harassed by telemarketers. You imagine giving them back what they've given to you for so many years...

[norml]

2. Unscrew the fuses for the building.

That will quiet them.

[lpbk2713]

3. Now seems like a good time to learn how to use a pogo stick

.....indoors.

:eyes:

[norml]

4. Record an hour, or two of the noise coming from them. Then play it back

to them, at high volume, starting when they try to go to sleep. Be sure to lay the speakers down on your floor, their ceiling, for maximum effect.

[enigmatic]

7. I've done this myself

It works. Heh.

[norml]

11. There's some justice in tormenting them with their own noise.

And maybe they'll learn something about how they sound.

[Skittles]

6. can you write to the management company of the complex?

it is not right your complaints are being ignored

[Fleshdancer]

8. what has worked for me...

I have an easy excuse. I tell my neighbors: "look, I have to put my 5yr old to sleep by 8:30. If it were just me, I wouldn't care but I have to make sure my daughter gets her sleep."

They'll probably quiet down if you knock on their door at night and tell them you're watching your niece/nephew for the next few weeks. Make sure you give them their "bedtime".

[Nostradammit]

9. 7:00 am drum practice.

Every morning for two weeks.

[Not_Giving_Up]

10. I called the cops on noisy neighbors at the last place I lived

They weren't partying...just unbelievably loud at ridiculous hours. I'm a night critter, but I have kids who have to sleep at night. What got me was, they had five kids living there, four of them in school, and they were up half the night. When I asked them to please tone down the noise, their response was "fuck off", so I called the cops. I told them that they could tell the cops to fuck off, and while we were waiting, it was rather funny. I could hear "Oh shit, I've got warrants" coming through the walls. The cop showed up, I was outside, and said "See what I mean?"...He agreed that they were just way too loud. He knocked on the door, told them to be quiet, and left. Two weeks later, they moved out without a word to the landlord. Problem solved.

I wouldn't have called the cops if she hadn't been such a bitch!

[CBHagman]

12. Two types of people in the world...

There are those who say, when confronted with a complaint about their noisiness, "Oh, pardon me." Then there are those who say, "We didn't think it was that loud."

That was the experience my brother, sister-in-law and I had at a high school musical recently. We were aghast that people would converse loudly (or let their children chatter) all throughout the performance. "I don't think it's a problem," sniffed one mother with a talkative child. I would be mortified if someone asked me to be quiet, but some of these people go on the offensive.

[shesemsmom]

13. Either call the cops or try this

get up at 5 am and begin a loud project. They will soon have to go to bed ealier. They will be to tired to do otherwise

[TBreeze]

14. well...

I like the bowling ball or pogo stick ideas. I live in an apartment and our neighbors next door can get quite loud. This isn't a permanent solution, because they still get loud. But if they've kept me awake, early the next morning I make sure Teletubbies is turned up way too loud. (I've got a 3 year old, don't go thinking I watch that alone. lol) That keeps them quiet for a few days at least. Also, yelling strange things into the vents works sometimes. Try "Winkles" or "Silly rabbit, quit eating all the pop tarts". Just anything odd that would leave them confused. Good luck.

[jukes]

15. maybe direct complaint

to apartment-complex security, if you have any. many complexes hire off-duty coppers for reduced rent.

o'wise hire my buddy; Butch Braggert, Hunter of Men.... (ask "chavez speak the truth".)

[ultraprog]

16. have you spoken

to your neighbors?