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Breaking a lease due to obnoxious neighbor

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RHV

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? VA

I live in a nice apartment complex that has four units per building. A few months ago, a college student moved into the apartment next to mine. Since then, I've been miserable here.

A few weeks ago, she had a party on a Thursday night. It sounded like a stampede of elephants was in the stairway and near my front door. The party started around 11 pm. Around 12:30 am, I couldn't take the noise anymore...I couldn't sleep (and neither could my daughter, who is a senior in high school). I called the apartment management office and left a message. Around 1 am, I'd had enough, and called the non-emergency number for the police.

An officer arrived within 10 minutes. I heard the entire conversation he had with the girl. She denied having a party and claimed that she had a few friends over (I guess the rest of the kids were hiding in the bedrooms) and started ranting about how loud the people who live below her are ("they have loud sex, and their baby cries all the time, and I think he beats her").

The officer gave her a verbal warning and left.

About 45 minutes later, the party was even more out of control...the kids were outside screaming and running around, were running up and down the stairs, singing, etc. I called the non-emergency police again.

This time they sent two officers out. I heard the entire converation again. She is 20, and the police checked the other kids' IDs. They all were underage, and they were drinking. The officers gave them a lecture about underage drinking and explained that they all could be arrested for their behavior. After about 30 minutes, the officers left.

Well...the girl KNOCKED on my door at 2:30 am and said, "Did you call the police on me? Oh, you aren't going to answer the door? That's okay...don't you worry - I'll be back tomorrow!" She then went downstairs and knocked on the doors to the other two apartments and said similar things.

I called the management office and left a message with details.

Last week, she had another party. I didn't call the police this time because honestly, I don't want her or her friends to get arrested, I just want them to be quiet.

I called the management office again, and this time they called me back and left a message for me (probably because I mentioned contacting an attorney to see about breaking my lease early due to noise). In the message, they said they want to know if I want to meet with my neighbor to discuss the problem.

Is that typical? Shouldn't they handle this without getting me involved? I'd rather stay anonymous if possible, especially after she threatened me that one night after I called the police. Is it not the management's responsibility to handle noise compliants?

Can I break my lease early if this continues? I audio recorded her and her friends on three separate occasions (I was sitting on my sofa and recorded them - that's how loud they are). My sleep is interrupted a few times a week due to the noise.

It also constantly smells like marijuana in the hallway outside her apartment.

What can I do, if anything?
Thanks.
 


John_DFW

Member
Continue to call the police non-emergency number for any noise issues past the stated time for your cities noise ordinance.

Document it all and notify the landlord. It would also help if other tenants also file complaints, and they may have already done so.
 

applecruncher

Senior Member
Based on what you posted, she did not threaten you. She should not have bothered you at 2:30 am, but saying "I'll be beck tomorrow" is not a threat.
You need to immediately inform management IN WRITING of the incidences and include the marijuana odor. I know you have called several times, but you need to document everything and confirm in WRITING. Keep a copy.
Keep documenting, keep calling the police. Continue to complain to management IN WRITING.
If your lease says anything about disturbing other tenants, remind management of that in your WRITTEN complaint.
 
Last edited:

RHV

Junior Member
Okay - thanks to both of you. I'm continuing to document everything, and have been sending the management office emails as the incidents occur.
 

applecruncher

Senior Member
Okay - thanks to both of you. I'm continuing to document everything, and have been sending the management office emails as the incidents occur.
Send them a letter, certified return receipt requested. Include dates, times or incidents, and remind them of previous complaints. (They may or may not even be reading your emails, and if so they may be deleting/ignoring them.) Keep calling the police. Get copies of all police reports.
 

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