We’ve all been there. You get home from a rough day at work and you’re ready to settle into your couch for some peace, quiet and relaxation. That is, until your neighbor turns on their stereo. The bass rattles your walls while the voices attempt to talk over the music. You like your neighbors and want to keep a positive relationship, so calling your landlord right away doesn’t seem like the right move — so what do you do? We’ll tell you!
What to Do About Noisy Neighbors
The first step in fixing your loud neighbor problem is talking to them about the noise they’re making. To avoid confrontation and coming off as rude or aggressive, take these tips into consideration:
Consider their situation. A lot of times, the noise interrupting your peace and quiet won’t come from disrespect. If your neighbor has a small child, a new dog or if their work schedule is different from yours, those loud noises might be out of their control.
Be respectful. You won’t get anywhere with your neighbor if you’re confrontational and disrespectful. In fact, you’ll likely only make the problem worse than it was in the first place. Be courteous, no matter how disrespectful their noisemaking may be.
Don’t surprise them. Catching your neighbor completely off-guard will put your conversation in a bad place to start. Avoid stopping them as soon as they get home from work, early in the morning or when they’re clearly in a hurry.
Suggest a plan of action. Whether it’s suggesting your neighbor more closely follow your apartment complex’s quiet hours or better times for them to plug in their amp and play their guitar, come in with an idea of a plan that will help both of you avoid further incidents.
Contact your landlord. If your discussion with your neighbor doesn’t have positive results, let your landlord know. The last thing a landlord wants is happy tenants who are likely to leave — plus, they likely have more experience in dealing with loud tenants than you do.
When to Call the Police on Loud Neighbors
If respectful and polite conversation with your neighbors about their noise levels don’t work and the problem continues, calling the police or other authorities may be one of your only remaining options. Here’s when calling the police is the right move:
When you notice illegal activity. If your neighbors are engaging in disrespectful and illegal activity next door, it may be in your and your neighbors’ best interest to call the police to maintain a safe environment.
If they’ve refused to quiet down after multiple requests. If the music continues to prevent you and your fellow tenants from sleeping or simply enjoying your time at home, your neighbors may be breaking “disturbing the peace” laws.
When the noise is out of control. Small noises that irk you and other tenants but are otherwise relatively harmless aren’t worth calling the police over. The authorities won’t have much to say or do about small noises, and you’ll create an uncomfortable dynamic with your neighbor for the remainder of your stay in the complex.
When you’ve made written notice beforehand. After at least one in-person discussion about their noise level, giving them a written notice with a reference to your apartment’s rules, your lease or local ordinances regarding noise is crucial. Letting the authorities know you’ve given them written notice (with proof) will help show that the neighbor is purposely disregarding the laws and the rights of others in the apartment building,
Protecting your right to peace, quiet and the enjoyment of your home is important — but that’s not all that needs protecting. American Family renters insurance can safeguard you from the unexpected when you don’t own your home. Get in touch with your agent (Opens in a new tab) to get the peace of mind you deserve.
