constant loud obscene noise from neighbors

[catwoman1349]

What is the name of your state? Illinois

I live in Chicago in an apartment building and have neighbors
who are right next door who frequently (day and night) sit on
their back porch and blast very loud rap that is 40% obscenities.
Their porch is literally about 8 feet from my 9-year-old daughter's
bedroom. The noise is loud through about half the apartment, though-
back porch, kitchen, 2 bedrooms, and dining room become unusable
when they're at it. I've called the police on them at night, and it
sometimes helps, but my question is, what rights do I have to get
them to quiet down in the daytime? And can I do anything about the
obscenities?

I've looked up chicago noise ordinances but can only find info
on cars and construction; nothing pertaining to residential noise.
Can anyone help?What is the name of your state?

 

[divgradcurl]

What is the name of your state? Illinois

I live in Chicago in an apartment building and have neighbors
who are right next door who frequently (day and night) sit on
their back porch and blast very loud rap that is 40% obscenities.
Their porch is literally about 8 feet from my 9-year-old daughter's
bedroom. The noise is loud through about half the apartment, though-
back porch, kitchen, 2 bedrooms, and dining room become unusable
when they're at it. I've called the police on them at night, and it
sometimes helps, but my question is, what rights do I have to get
them to quiet down in the daytime? And can I do anything about the
obscenities?

I've looked up chicago noise ordinances but can only find info
on cars and construction; nothing pertaining to residential noise.
Can anyone help?What is the name of your state?

Have you talked to your neighbors? Have you talked with your landlord?

 

[garrula lingua]

Illinois' laws are not easily laid out. It appears that their behavior would be a violation of disorderly conduct :
(720 ILCS 5/26-1) (from Ch. 38, par. 26-1)
Sec. 26-1. Elements of the Offense.
(a) A person commits disorderly conduct when he
knowingly:
(1) Does any act in such unreasonable manner as to
alarm or disturb another and to provoke a breach of the
peace; or

but, it is not clearly defined in the code. The neighbors are actually committing a crime commonly known as 'disturbing the peace' (it's also quaintly termed as 'ruining/interferring with the quiet use and enjoyment of your home')
The question arises - how many people are disturbed ?
Is your unit too close to them ?

What did the cops say ?

Can/will the ll move you to another unit ?

 

[catwoman1349]

I have talked to my neighbor- he is unresponsive. My landlady
is not the type to do anything. And I do mean anything.

I don't know how many people are disturbed-- or at least disturbed
enough to speak up. there are student rentals in this area, so they tend
not to speak up as much. I am the only person who actively complains,
i think. I can't imagine that some of my other neighbors are happy with
the situation, but they are not as close and don't have kids.

The building may be "too close" - practically, but not by building codes.
The squirrels can jump easily between the two.

I really do not see moving as a solution-- I don't have the time or money
and don't feel I should have to move, and, I've put a lot of my own work
and money into this place to make it decent.. Besides, with rentals, you never
know what could come up. This place was fine until these people moved
next door. I have known people who moved to escape the noise only to
have it turn worse in the new place the following year. I am trying to hang on
until I can afford to buy.

 

[garrula lingua]

Well, I dunno ... when I was young and foolish, I got ticked at a neighbor for playing country music very loud ... I put on some of my great bagpipe music ... never heard loud music from him again.

I think you need hymns, or bagpipes, or yodeling CDs.

 

[FarmerJ]

When I lived in one of my units in my 4 plex my DEAR neighbor to the west , her domestic partner worked 3rds and in daytimes had upstairs porch door open and listened and sang to old german **** marching music wich was loud enough to be heard easily, THEN before she sold her home she was so mad at the others accross the alley whom had alot of late into the evening bbqs with music in summer she started leaving a boom box blast rap music when ever she left her home for no matter how many hours. AS to your nieghbors check that info GAR posted out for your self then make a copy of it and send it with a letter of your complaint to your LL via certified mail and keep track of all calls to the police about it and again make sure your LL knows about it via certified mail and keep copys of all of it in a safe place away from home. What your doing when you do this is creating enough of a paper trail that when the time comes for you to consult with a real estate atty to see if your LLs failure to act meets your states laws regarding LLs who breach leases or permit condtions to deteriorate to a point that a tenant can no longer have any kind of peaceful enjoyment of a unit they live in. See LLs have to prove lease violations to a court if a tenant challenges a eviction for reasons other than non payment so the flip side is that you too will have to prove to a court that your LL breached a lease with you if you have to move sooner.

 

[ezduzit]

40% obscenities

More like 90%.

Rap is mainly obscenities set to a beat.

I can't consider it music.

 

[catwoman1349]

Hymns, bagpipes, or yodelling- now that is an idea!
It's not my style, but if I have to fight dirty, I think
yodelling may have a shot - if my other neighbors don't
kill me for it, that is.

 

[catwoman1349]

Farmer- thanks for the idea on documenting. I should
really do that as well- although I refuse to let this drive me
out before i am ready to go to a place of my own. Alll the
same, best be prepared.