OK, I just moved into a new place. EVERYTHING about it is perfect! I have 2 roommates and in 6 days I've seen one roomie once and the other twice. They are hermits, quiet and stick to themselves.

I now live 2 miles from my job which makes my commute 30 minutes if I walk. I used to spend 4 hours each way when I lived in Orange County. I even have a dream rent!

This is my problem. My upstairs neighbor listens to the TV LOUD all hours of the night into the morning. Last night when I came home at 9:30 the TV was on. It stayed on until I left at 7:30 this morning. The voices on the TV don't bother me too much but this person seems to be watching things with lots of music so when the music plays it sounds like there is a fucking orchestra in my room.

I'm now building a case against this person. So this is where I need advice on those who have had to do this.

Last night when I got home, I knocked on the door but the person either wouldn't answer or didn't know to answer because they couldn't hear past the sound of the TV. Because I could not speak to this person, I wrote a note asking if the TV can be turned down after midnight. When I left this morning, the note was not in the door anymore which means this person has it. The volume of the TV never budged. It blasted all night long.

So this morning I knocked on the door again. Same outcome, no answer. So I left another note stating that I would buy this person remote controlled headphones. On both notes I left my cell.

This morning I took a photo of my note with my cellphone next to it so you could see the date and time and I also took a picture of the note on this person's door.

So, I expect I probably won't hear back from this person and I probably will not get an answer if I knock on the door. What's my next step?

Do I call the cops first or notify the landlord first?

Should I find out if there are any laws being broken?

Should I notify the police that I intend to call them in the future if this doesn't get resolved and will that count towards the building of my case against this person.

Should I involve other neighbors?

I did NOT go through everything it took to move to be hijacked by some ashole who is probably sleeping through his goddamn TV shows!

just break in, kill them and be done with it...

but find those notes so the police don't suspect anything

roodboi said:

You have no idea the thoughts that are going through my head But I aint going to jail

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[Edited 1/5/10 9:44am]

I think JustErin had this kind of problem once, so she should know what works.

I'd think the first step would be calling the landlord.

Good luck!

Call your landlord and explain the situation. You are being very generous asking for the tv to be turned down after midnight.

Go through the chain of command. You tried contacting the tenant first. That's good. Now go to the landlord. For the next 2 or 3 times, let the landlord know each time when the tenant has broken what the landlord told them. After that, tell the landlord you plan to use the police. Remind them it's not a threat against them, but rather a higher course of action on your part directed toward the tenant upstairs. The landlord would probably concur, if they're reasonable.

I think 10 p.m. is more reasonable to turn the sound down. Are there people on the other side of their apartment that are dealing with it as well? Has anyone checked to see if this person is alive or not, or even home?

Do not involve other neighbors. This is your complaint. If it bothers other people, then they've probably said something as well (or are being passive and trying to "just let it go"). I personally HATE hearing someone else's noise like that. I didn't pay to hear someone else watching Family Feud or something.

Call the landlord first, then the police if necessary (i.e. nothing changes).

In most apartments I've rented (and now in my condo) you can be fined for noise complaints. That should be enough of a deterrant but if it continues, just call the police as it's happening.

There are noise ordinances in place almost everywhere, it's likely illegal to play the tv that loud after "curfew" times.

CarrieMpls said:

at 4:30 in the morning I hear Goddamn Conga drums and shit! I'm trying not to get sucked into the vortex of obsession and my shitty mood that goes with that. Please God, help me!

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

At 4:30, I'd be banging on that door until someone opened it. Period. You got nothing to lose but the sleep you're losing anyway.

call the landlord. it is his/her job to ensure that you receive the benefit of 'peace and quiet enjoyment' in your residence, a clause about which was likely contained in your Lease Agreement.

good luck!

ernestsewell said:

See, that is the thing. You don't hear a peep anywhere else. It's a really quiet complex. Now I know why my roommates left that front room alone

I'd definitely start with the landlord.

This sucks so bad because I can save nearly $300 a month by not having to rent a room when I go to school. I can come home but if this keeps up, there is no way I can stay at my place. I HAVE to be rested for that school. We're doing major hardcore emotional shit and shit

RodeoSchro said:

We don't all have problem-solving porn tits. Supa needs real solutions.

I feel very lucky that my apartment is so quiet. I hear noise from the street, but I'm always worried hen a new person moves in above or below me that they will be a "surround sound TV all night" kind of person.

So far the worst offender has been the guy who, I'm serious here, yawned incredibly loudly all night long.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

yup, landlord now

congrats on moving

I had a co-worker several years ago that lived on a street where each house had 1+ acre lots.

Her brother lived in one house and a neighbor that had lived there for decades lived in another.

The neighbor bought a rooster that crowed at any time. If you've ever heard a rooster crow, you know that 1 acre + or not that shits is loud. It would wake up up my co-worker's brother from a dead sleep.

He nicely asked the neighbor to do WHATEVER about the rooster, just keep it quiet at night. The neighbor refused. So everytime the rooster crowed and waked him up, he'd call the neighbor. "If it's gonna keep me up at night, it's going to keep you up at night." The neighbor was pissed, but he got the message.

I told JustErin about this when she had her noisy neighbor issue. I just thought it was a good solution, but it doesn't work in all situations.

Nothinbutjoy said:

Well if this person sleeps during the day, I'm at work so I can't be there to torture them!

johnart said:

johnart said:

I would kiss her ass if she could help me!

there might be a dead body in there! i'd bash the door til it disturbed EVERYONE. failing that i'd brick the window and send frequent dog shit parcels

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Maybe if you pay her airfare.

PurpleJane said:

I heard his LOUD ASS FOOTSTEPS this morning as I just got dressed to go to work since I was sitting there unable to sleep anyway.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Wouldn't it be awesome if you could call the Big Douchebag Asshole Police???

ernestsewell said:

You have no idea HOW BAD I want to cause a scene. I'm trying to use my shool to my advantage. A scene would be bad. real bad

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

I know how hard that would be for you to do, so since I am your friend, I will do it for you if you want.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Well they just CONTINUE to be uncooperative!

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

i do feel really bad for you, maybe you could leave your stereo on before you go to work, leave a nice bit of tibetan chanting on repeat

matthewgrant said:

Unless he has some super old TV set, most TV sets have a Sleep Feature, that will shut them off after 15, 30, or 60 minutes. It's made for folks who fall asleep watching TV. This person has to be an idiot to not use that. Plus, if it's that loud, how are they sleeping through it anyway?