Have you ever dealt with a noisy neighbor? High heels that hit the floor in the middle of the night, loud music, and night-long parties on a Wednesday night. Well it has probably happened to you and many other people. Keep reading to learn how to deal with noisy neighbors permanently.
The first thing you should do is keep calm. Several options are available to you, both legal and non-legal, at your disposal so that you can enjoy the much-needed peace and tranquility in your own home.
1. Let Them Know Through the Walls
People often assume that the noise they make in their homes is confined to their walls and ceilings. Perhaps your neighbors also make the same mistake. They might assume that the walls are thick enough to hold the noise and loud screaming, but this just isn’t the case.
As a good neighbor, you can simply knock on the wall to let them know that they are making too much noise. If they are also good neighbors, they will likely turn out the music and the matter will be resolved.
2. Talk to Them
The best way to deal with your noisy neighbor is talking to them and, while keeping calm, explain why their heels or dog, screaming baby, or music are driving you crazy. Initiate the conversation telling them that while you are okay with what they are doing (wild loud sex, playing the drums, parties, etc.), you aren’t okay with the time of the day they do such things.
However, you need to ensure that you choose the right moment. You probably want to stop that party immediately, but it is just better to put your earplugs in and go to bed. You will have better chances of solving the matter amicably with a calm conversation once the alcohol stops flowing and the music is over.
In most instances, a quick, nice chat is enough to solve the problem. Even if the kids downstairs don’t look like they care, they will likely feel mortified after you tell them that you are unable to sleep at night. Most likely, they aren’t aware that the walls are so thin you can hear everything happening in their homes.
You can even try to resolve the matter with a peace offering. Yes., go to the offender’s door with a bottle of beer/wine, a cake, or some cheese and rest your present in their hands to set the tone of the conversation as the start of a new friendship as opposed to the beginning of a war. You just might find out that they are actually amazing neighbors after all.
If you are unfortunate enough to have a neighbor that doesn’t want to hear reason, take the high road and ask them to give you prior notice before the next big party. If you want, you may even joke to get invited too. If you set some peaceful rules, you can perhaps also request that extreme noise and loud music end around midnight.
3. Talk to the Landlord
If you get one of the really unreasonable neighbors, then you should just talk to their landlord. In their Tenancy Agreement, there could be a clause that prohibits them from engaging in behaviors and/or actions that are likely to cause a nuisance to their neighbors. Talk to their landlord and explain the situation. The risk of losing their homes is usually enough to scare loud tenants and usually solves the matter in most instances.
4. Contact the Local Council
If talking to your neighbor and your neighbor’s landlord does not end up sorting anything, you should not despair since you can still make a complaint to your local authority. Your local authority is obligated under the law to investigate any noise considered to be a nuisance.
If your neighbor’s noise is considered a nuisance, the Council can issue them with an Abatement Notice that either allows the noise during certain hours or the day or requires it to stop completely. If the neighbor fails to comply, they can be fined up to several hundred or several thousand dollars.
In other instances, your local authority might suggest that you get into mediation with your neighbor. During the process of mediation, a third, independent party will help you and your neighbor come to an agreement to resolve the matter.
5. Get Your Lawyer Involved
One thing is definite. Any letter sent by a lawyer is bound to be scary to your neighbor. If the letter states that they could face eviction if they don’t cease their noisy activity, you can bet they would stop the party immediately.
If even this fails, you can take legal action against your noisy neighbor through the courts. You need to ask for advice from your lawyer about the process and the associated costs.
6. Move Away
Nobody really wants to move because of their neighbor, but sometimes it is a necessary measure for your own sake. We can help you to sell house quickly so that you can make a new start. You want to go home and be able to say home sweet home, right? So perhaps moving somewhere else will help give you peace of mind.
