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Noise Disturbance from Neighbors - Property Management Refuses to Help

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lamix1

New member
What is the name of your state? Maryland



I live in an apartment building in Baltimore City that consists of just one other tenant besides myself. They live above me. They moved in during May 2019, which was the first day that I had to call the police to make a noise complaint. They were putting their bed together at 3:00am in the morning. The problems continued with constant hammering, banging, "stomp" walking, doors being slammed, and a pet that runs around all day/night. I cant sleep because they are up all night (past midnight) and then up very early at 5am.

I've reported this to my property manager who has suggested that I purchase earplugs, buy a noise machine, move to another bedroom in my apartment or break my lease at my expense. On the other hand, my property manager states that is a section about noise disturbance during a set timeframe in the lease although its not in my lease and its never been produce when I've asked to see it. I've continued to ask for assistance (mediation, penalty for lease violations, etc.) and nothing has been done. I've been told by the property manager that there is nothing they can do about my tenants noise and I must contact the Baltimore City Police Department. BCPD states they only handle "outside" noise disturbances and can only come out to ask the neighbors to keep it down... nothing more. Also, everytime I complain or call the police, the noise gets worst (i.e., the female resident with walk around with heels on, which is extremely loud under hardwood flooring.

Additionally, I believe the building may not be up to code. I can hear the neighbors flush the toilet, shower, open/close closet and dresser draws, washing machine, and dish washer. Its so loud, it feels as if they live with me.

The combination of the neighbors noise and the house noises has affected multiple aspects of my life. My performance at work has suffered and I have been reprimanded as such... Rightfully so because as a mental health professional, I need to be at my best in order to help my patients. I cant sleep and I'm stressed all the time. I have an autoimmune disease that has been in remission for 5+ years until now so I'm back on medication. I have had to take multiple days off of work (7-10 days) over the past two months because I was too ill to get out of bed. I've been sleeping on my sofa or staying with friends/family to avoid the noise. I have a teenager and I am in a doctoral program but I cannot study at home. There has been no peace since May.

I have recorded the noises but havent shared my recordings with the property manager just yet. I'm doubtful that it will change anything and if I can take a legal course of action, I dont want to reveal all my cards. I just want my neighbors to be considerate and keep the noise down from and keep the noise down from 10:00pm - 7:00am - and if they dont, I want them to be held accountable. I've lived here since July 2018 and never had this problem with the previous neighbors. If all else fails, I want out of my lease at no-expense to myself. I've been trying work with the neighbors and property managers to come up with a solution but no one wants to meet with me to do so.
 


Gail in Georgia

Senior Member
I'd suggest continuing to contact the property manager over this issue until they are tired of hearing your complaints and simply allow you out of your lease without further financial punishment.
Then go rent a house or perhaps a townhouse (unattached) where there will be no neighbors above (or below) you.

Gail
 

FarmerJ

Senior Member
Keep your complaints with the PM in written on real paper sent via certificate of mailing its a low cost way to get you a receipt showing you sent the PM company a letter. Keep calling the police eventually a police officer will tire of going there and tell them if they cant keep it down he/she will take further action regarding the excess noise. You may get lucky and if your city keeps track of police calls about noises / disturbances in rentals they may well notify the LL or take action to suspend the LLs rental licenses or threaten the LLs rental license -forcing the LL to take action. The letters from you also give you the paper trail you would need to be able to prove to a court that you complained should you ever need to show proof to a court that you did complain.
 

commentator

Senior Member
As a mental health professional, as you put it, I do not understand why you would continue to fight this battle that you cannot possibly win, and would have allowed it to drag forward for over a year. Especially, if, as you say, it's damaging your health and well being and peace of mind. I agree with Gail, instead of losing more sleep, (by the way, how about your teen, are they able to sleep through it?) fighting, threatening, calling police, taking legal action, etc. vote your opinion by allowing them to release you from your lease, moving out and finding another place to live. Fixing a noisy living situation is sort of like trying to fix a bad workplace, it won't happen.

There are just too many variables, now that you're super sensitized to everything, it's too easy to piss you off by doing things (like walking across the floor of the apartment in heels) that most people will do anyway and they can't reasonably be prohibited from doing. You can't tell them what time to go to bed to coordinate with your schedule. Even though you joust at this windmill for another two or three years, until it completely drives you crazy, you won't control everything and at this point, ANYTHING is going to bother you. Suppose you spent all the money, effort and mental energy of taking them to court, suppose you are successful and getting a judgment against your landlord, or force him to close down the apartment rental, that will still do nothing but cause you to have to move eventually anyway.
 

FarmerJ

Senior Member
So you know it ahead of time learn from your city if they have required sound proofing / insulation between units walls like in side walls when a rental in a multi unit has side neighbors on common walls and if its a multi level structure then you want to know about in floor - in ceiling sound proofing insulation requirements then when you do begin to look for another place to live try to find out its age . WHY if it was built after your city began to require insulation - sound proofing between units then you know its good odds it will be a lot quieter than a older building that was built before code required soundproofing- insulation between units.
 

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