APT: Downstairs Tenant

[loon3y]

The downstairs tenant complains for every little sound.


I have a Sonos and I never bumped it on high volume and sub the most I did was put it on +3 during day time so I can feel that UMPH when I play games or watch movies/shows.


Keep in mind the APT super/manager already asked if I can turn it down at 9PM. (its kind of weird but I live in a 'korean' APT in Los Angeles, obviously this request would be out of question in any old crappy or luxury APT in America)


I said no problem, we all have to live together and I live by myself so I dont mind. Im 32 now so im not hosting parties are bumping music all the time.


Actually the only 2 times I used my Sonos to bump music I got immediate complaints. Last one was yesterday night, I was pretty livid and kind of just went on a tangent to the super saying that I've done everything requested and its not even 9 PM (at the time I played music).


So this tenant also complains about doing dishes later at night and whenever the kitchen sink disposer or whatever is ran.



like man unless this family is going to pay part of my rent, they need to find a HOME to live in not an APT.



My bad just had to vent. So after that, I turned the music down. Turned on the kitchen disposal for 30 mins while I gamed with headphones on lol did other nuisances that they complain about (opening balcony door because its too loud at night)


So I cant do my dishes whenever I want to, my sound system before 10PM or


dude every time I drop my phone on the floor I feel like imma get a complaint. Like I cant hear the husband and wife arguing whenever, its not like I grab my phone and call the super, we live in a damn APT. Deal with it.


Not to mention we live right next to the alley way and the walls amplify the sounds. So theres crackheads (there everywhere in LA), gangbangers, music with sound systems, honking at all times of the hour (because the alley way also hosts the other more ghetto APT complex's cars) to get into a parking space.


And they have the tenacity to literally complain about me when I was playing music at 8:45PM?

It wasn't even rap or anything high bass, for some odd reason after having a few beers after a laker game. decided to just bump so Mozart and Beethoven and I get complaints.



My unit is rent controlled so I dont plan on leaving soon. at this point why the hell would I even do a favor to stop playing music at 9PM. All I need to do is follow law, clearly nothing I do is appreciated.

 

[CartesianProduct2014]

Do you have hardwood floors? Buy some high heels and zumba all night long.

 

[BoxerGT2.5]

Do the crackheads mind?

 

[44267547]

I wouldn’t be concerned about the fact if they’re annoyed with your garbage disposal or dishwasher, you have no control over that, and that’s their problem if they want to pedantically complain over things that are regular occurrences in any apartment complex.

However, what I would do if I were you, if the complaining continues against you, at least document/write a letter to the apartment manager/supervisor, advising them that you’re a respectable tenant, and that you’re mindful of the policies in place, but you have no control over their frivolous complaining. That way, it covers your own actions and your mindful of the situation, but also indicates that the real problem here, is the tenants below who are petulant.

Of course, the real solution, is either you move out at a certain point or they do. That’s usually how these situations naturally work themself out.

 

[0128672]

An alternative that works for some people is to get to know your complaining neighbors. Doing something nice for someone who has complained can be pretty disarming and might lead to easing up the tension.

 

[44267547]

An alternative that works for some people is to get to know your complaining neighbors. Doing something nice for someone who has complained can be pretty disarming and might lead to easing up the tension.

I like your mindset, and it’s a respectable thing to do. However, I disagree.

I wouldn’t go out of my way for someone who is constantly complaining to say or do something nice, because to me, you’re establishing that these people have power over you psychologically, and you’re (The OP in this case) is being unusually nice, which might make them think that he’s scared not to upset them, so he ‘better behave type mentality’ by being extra nice.

However, I do think the OP is also a culprit as well, because he’s mentioning that he’s retaliating by ‘leaving the garbage disposal on for 30 minutes’, which he is aware that will annoy them further. So there’s that.

If it was me, ignore them, document they’re incessant complainers and forward it to a manager to have on record. But then again, it doesn’t help that he retaliates according to his post.

 

[Mousse]

The landlord needs to get off his greedy ass and put some proper insulation/sound barrier between the floors. I have a ground floor condo unit that my tenant complains can hear every sound the upstairs neighbor does. I had to spend several thousand in insulation/sheetrock to dampen most of the noise. My tenants can still hear what the upstairs neighbors are doing if they stomping around or playing loud music, but the regular sounds have ended.

 

[44267547]

The landlord needs to get off his greedy ass and put some proper insulation/sound barrier between the floors. I have a ground floor condo unit that my tenant complains can hear every sound the upstairs neighbor does. I had to spend several thousand in insulation/sheetrock to dampen most of the noise. My tenants can still hear what the upstairs neighbors are doing if they stomping around or playing loud music, but the regular sounds have ended.

That’ll likely never happen in my opinion. Think about it for a minute. The most common tenant complaint, is noise, being everybody has different levels of sensibility. Any smart property owner, wouldn’t invest thousands for sound deadening just because two tenants can’t get along over noise complaints, some of which are over-exaggerated. Now, if said owner has the money to do it and they feel it’s necessary, then there’s that (I.e-Aging of building, sub-flooring,ect) . But I don’t see any property owner investing to rip up flooring in an apartment building just to add more sound barrier. However, once word gets out that the property owner invests in more sound barrier material for one unit, then they’re going have to do it in other units as well. That’s not a trend any property owner is going to want.

Edit:

The natural method would, is you have somebody that moves out and whoever moves back in as a new tenant, poses different sensibilities where noise complaints are less of an issue. But there again, has this been a habitual problem with noise complaints at this specific unit for years [or] is this just a problem between two tenants who can’t be reasonable.

 

[Mousse]

That’ll likely never happen in my opinion. Think about it for a minute. The most common tenant complaint, is noise, being everybody has different levels of sensibility.

Aye. Sad state of society that.

Not all landlords are like that. Some of us understand that our tenants are people with the same needs and desire as us. If the noise is enough to bother us, it is enough to bother the tenant. That's why I spend the money to fix the problem.

Any smart greedy property owner, wouldn’t invest thousands for sound deadening

Fixed that for ya.

just because two tenants can’t get along over noise complaints, some of which are over-exaggerated. Now, if said owner has the money to do it and they feel it’s necessary, then there’s that (I.e-Aging of building, sub-flooring,ect) .

I've seen lots of apartments/condos with paper thin walls. You can hear every sour note of the neighbor's kid practicing the violin.? The constant screech-screech would drive anyone bonkers.

The best option would be no tenants renting those units until the greed ass landlord fixes the problem. Let 'em pay HOA fees, insurance and taxes on an empty unit for a few years. They'll fix it up right quick. But with a lot of desperate people looking for cheap housing, slumlords landlords keep taking advantage of the situtaion.?

 

[senseless]

You could wear headphones for gaming and louder audio. Next time choose an apartment or condominium with concrete floors and good sound insulation.

 

[boss.king]

It sounds like you're being more than reasonable. It sounds like your building probably has garbage flooring, but that's not your problem nor should you have to live like a monk because of it. Make it clear to the landlord that you're already going out of your way to be considerate of the noise and that their complaints are totally unreasonable.

If they keep it up, buy some hard, heavy shoes and show them just how unreasonable you could choose to be.