what do you do with noisy neighbors?

Question

the neighbors above us are driving us crazy. they drag the furniture, throw marbles/screws on the floor (at least thats what it sounds like), flush the toilet or throw water down the toilet bowl like once or twice every hour, bang the door loudly.

i thought of calling the police but that would mean they'll know its us. or should i even just speak to them nicely but i think they'll just deny everything. i hv a friend who had a similar incident like mine spoke to their neighbors about the noise and they denied flatly, saying "noise travels, its not us" blah blah.

now i just feel like sticking toothpicks or putting super glue into their padlock, or smear my doggie's poo on their door. damn, its freakin' irritating.

Answer 1

Start by asking the people who are neighbors on left and right of the noismakers if they hear noise. If they DO, you might have some allies in this battle of the noises. If they don't hear noise, then it is all coming down through the floor.

Go up and knock on the door and introduce yourself. Be polite, thell them you just want to get to know your neighbors. Say NOTHING about the noise on your first visit. Now you will know what they look like and you can say hi if you meet in the hallway or outside.

After a few days, you will have developed enough friendliness you should be able to talk to them about the noise.

If that doesn't work, talk to the building manager.

They may not be aware how much noise they make. Cheaply constructed building?????

If ever I have to be in apartment it WILL be the top floor. My parents had upstairs neighbors and I could hear every footstep.

ARRRGGGHHH!!!!!

Answer 2

The best thing to do would be :
Step 1 - Be friendly with them . Share goodies & pleasantries . Go closer. At times we take care of our friends more than casual neighbors.
Step 2 - After you have developed the repo with them, you'd come to know additional details about them. On the other hands, the activities from their end may also slow down gradually.
Step 3 - Find out if they are 'Live & Let Live type' . These kind of people do all this & that and don't mind others doing the same to them.
Step 4 - Now you must have known what exactly needs to be done to stop them. You know their background , their personality type. You also know what would click on them.

Now , chances are you'd get the desire result. If not at least you'd have good friends around you.
All the best !!

Answer 3

You have to follow a natural progression of events in order to not look like a total a**hole. I have neighbours who play really loud rap all the time. All I get to hear is the bass and the constant beat coming thru my wall and it's sometimes hard to hear the tv. I started out by going over there and nicely asking them to turn it down, and did this 5 times. Then when that didn't work I called the Apt manager. They were good for 2 weeks then started back up again so I called the cops. They've been good ever since, and if they get out of line again I will call the cops again. They can't say I overreacted or I'm out to get them or anything because I gave them ample opportunity to behave before calling the authorities into the situation.

You need to go up there and be nice. Always give them the benefit of the doubt before resorting to drastic measures. You always want to look like the good guy in this situation.

Answer 4

lol @ dog poo. Ya crazy kid =P In general, you should attempt to resolve any dispute with a neighbour by talking and trying to reach a solution satisfactory to each of you. After all, you may be living alongside one another for years to come and it is in both your interests to be on reasonable terms.

If that fails, you have rights under the Environmental Protection and the Tenancy Act regarding living in a peacful and noise free environment.

Under the Strata Schemes Management Act, residents of units must not make offensive noise and must cover floors adequately to prevent airborne noise travelling to surrounding dwellings.

This also covers the noisy neighbour claim. Your fist step is to report every incident to the police, that way you have an official record of the complaints. Take up your concern with the Body Corporate of your building. They have power of removal of difficult tennants too. Even if they own their dwelling or not.

If all else fails, seek legal advice.

Answer 5

There are 2 way to handle these problem. Legally or talk to them tactfully. By law, noise pollution is an offence under Singapore Law. You can make a Magistrate complain at Sub-Count. Or you may try talking to them, but don't straight away accused them making such noise, just tell them you stay downstair and always heard noise, probably they can help.
To put super glue into their padlock definitely is not an option.

Answer 6

Some people just don't think about how their actions affect others around them so if it was me before I did anything else I would mention to them how the noise they make disrupts your space. If you get the "i pay my rent so live with it" attitude then you are entitled to seek relief through other channels, ie landlord, strata council and as a last resort the police. If these people are as noisy as you say then others are probably being bothered by them as well. Enough complaints from all you tenants will initiate some kind of action.

Answer 7

I was once in the same situation, a guy who lived below my apartment would sit directly under my bedroom at 3am atleast 4 times a week and play his guitar, during the day when he was home he would play his music really loud and everything in my apartment would shake, sometimes he would go away for a couple of weeks and not empty his trash before leaving which then caused a really bad rat problem, myself and two other people in the same building made a complaint to the owners of the building and also the real estate agency we paid bored to and eventually he moved out because of the constant complaints made against him. maybe you could try that instead of playing pranks on him, call the cops dont be afraid.

Answer 8

Try and have a chat with them first, if that fails, you can complain if its really, really annoying you, hope they move, or start lookin for a new place.

Once you make a complaint, it can get a tad awkward and ugly.

There many be perfectly logical and reasonable answers for the noise, then again, you may simply have bad neighbours.

Answer 9

Had my neighbors call PD on me 25 years ago about making noise, all they had to do is ask me to try not to make noise. I suggest that you have a chat with them, suggesting that they probably don't realize that the noise is traveling further than they think.

Answer 10

Sounds like a problem with the building being badly insulated. I would be looking for another apartment , preferably on the top floor.