Any ideas for an equipment to record neighbor's loud music?

Question

My neighbor blasts loud music at midnight, and I called a police many times; but the neighbor turns off the music every time when the police comes, and since I do not have any physical evidence for the noise at the police's presence, police disregards the problem.

Additionally, the neighbor pounds/hits a wall really loud and strongly at random time

I would deeply appreciate if you would give me any ideas to record the noise made by the neighbor.

Thank you very much!

Answer 1

Ok, here's yet another opinion. Part of my job is working with apartment complexes about nuisance complaints, and I employ off duty police to do this as well. Contrary to other answers, writing every detail of time and volume down in some obsessive journal will do you no good, and recording the noise will help even less. No, it is not illegal to tape noise filtering into your apartment. It would be illegal if you planted a recording device in THEIR apartment. Try speaking to your other neighbors and make a group complaint to the apartment manager. If they believe they will lose several residents due to one loud one, they will put a stop to it. As far as the police are concerned, when you call in your complaint, be sincere, don't have the attitude of "you guys never fix the problem" and tell the call taker that your neighbor turns the music off when he sees the police. Ask if they can have the responding Officer park a street over or a building away and walk up, so he or she will not be seen by your neighbor. You can also request that the Officer speak to you first, that way they may hear it from inside your apartment before knocking on the neighbor's door.

Answer 2

First of all, contrary to some mistaken advice above, such recordings are readily admissible in court. They must be accompanied by a written log showing dates & time of each recording. Then you can take five minute recordings reasonably spaced out to give a fair idea of how long it lasts. You must make recordings over several nights.You should record the date & time in your own voice befoer you begin each record. It would help if you had a recording device with a sound level indicator in which case you should note the sound level in the log. And you should place the mike in your bedroom so you can truthfully testify that this is what it sounds like when you are trying to sleep. As others suggest, having someone else who is willing to testify stop by one noisy night wouldalso help.

Now comes the truly hard part: It is possible to bring the recordings to the police or district attorney & seek to file criminal charges for violation of the noise ordinance that every community has. The probability of the police helping is almost nil. Some DA offices have citizens dispute centers for just this type of problem & if so, they should help. If nobody is willing to help, you have the option of (a) terminating your lease for good cause & getting back your deposit (If you are renting -- you don't say); or (b) filing a law suit against your noisy neighbor to enjoin a nuisance. The latter course is expensive & a real hassle but it works.

Answer 3

Write down EVERY incident in a notebook. Police will be unresponsive, so contact the complex management. If they are being silly, Google the complex ownership company, find a principal, email them. Keep records of every incident. If that fails, talk to your state's renter right's bureau. Seriously! Contact your local representative, on the state or national level. Be a polite, but persistent, pain in the ***. "The squeaky wheel gets greased." Be sufficiently squeaky, people will pay attention. Also think about contacting: other neighbors, the local DA's office, anybody and anyone with some legal and/or social pull. Be persistent! Been there, done that, man! Be enough of a pain in the backside, people WILL pay attention. Peace out!

Answer 4

Get him back!
The neighbor must sleep sometime. Here's what you do. You set up a radio inside an empty cardboard box by the wall you share. Tape the open end of the box to the wall with some masking tape. Turn on music at random intervals whenever he'll be bothered by it. If you set it up right, it won't bother anyone but the neighbor. The box will amplify the sound in his direction. Taste of his own medicine.

Answer 5

Save your money on sound recordings since it would involve too much difficulty in proving when it was recorded or even where it was recorded. Best evidence is (as stated above) having other witnesses or better yet, arranging to meet the officer around the corner or out of sight from the offender's view.

Answer 6

There is more than noise going on here, you must also be able to document how long the noise lasted.
Most cell phone can audio record and most can video record. Do it, if the noise, dog, people, tv, etc can be heard on a cell phone thru a wall, you've got 'em.

Answer 7

u cant legaly record anyone without them knowing or its not legaly submisible in court but u could tell the police not to drive rite up were they can see them an to park a little away an walk on foot up,also you can report them to whom ever you are renting from an it it does cease pretty much theres nothing you can do exept wait till u know there sleeping an make lots of noise an keep them up lol good luck

Answer 8

Have acouple of visitors stay over as witnesses - someone credible who won't be doubted. Try to get the other neighbors to back you up.

Answer 9

Recording Noisy Neighbors

Answer 10

go to radio shack and ask if they have any equipment that measures sound decimals.