Noise Harassment

[Just Blue]

So. It seems we are in agreement that either @nwlce is over-reacting to a common and not bothersome everyday noise (likely) or his audio recorder didn't pick up the sound(s) that s/he believes are unbearable to live with.

 

[cbg]

That about covers it, yes.

 

[Eekamouse]

OP, invest in some earplugs or move. Those are your options. And stop wasting your time crying about excessive noise. You live in an apartment. Noise comes with that. Did you really expect there to be no noise from neighboring apartments?

 

[stealth2]

OP, invest in some earplugs or move. Those are your options. And stop wasting your time crying about excessive noise. You live in an apartment. Noise comes with that. Did you really expect there to be no noise from neighboring apartments?

Noise-canceling headphones.

 

[quincy]

Noise-canceling headphones.

According to nwlce, noise canceling headphones do not “seem to fit any description of enjoyment.”

 

[stealth2]

According to nwlce, noise canceling headphones do not “seem to fit any description of enjoyment.”

Better than having to study in one's car, though...

 

[quincy]

Better than having to study in one's car, though...

One would think so, at least.

 

[Eekamouse]

Really, if utter peace and quiet was so important to OP, getting an apartment with no one above would have been the best choice. I think OP would still find reasons to complain though.

 

[cbg]

I have a set of headphones that I use for working from home, since the software I use to take calls remotely works better with a headset of some kind. They are NOT advertised as noise-cancelling. And they're not, admittedly. But they reduce the noise enough so that if my husband comes by and asks me a question I have to take them off to hear him clearly. They cost under $20 and they're comfortable enough so that I forget that I'm wearing them until I either have to leave my desk or see myself on camera in a Zoom meeting. If a set of actual noise-cancelling headphones is an unacceptable response then it seems to me that the OP is looking for things to complain about. Particularly since on the audio clips that "prove" his case, I heard less noise than I hear sitting in my own home (which is a single-family dwelling) with the windows open.

 

[stealth2]

I have a set of headphones that I use for working from home, since the software I use to take calls remotely works better with a headset of some kind. They are NOT advertised as noise-cancelling. And they're not, admittedly. But they reduce the noise enough so that if my husband comes by and asks me a question I have to take them off to hear him clearly. They cost under $20 and they're comfortable enough so that I forget that I'm wearing them until I either have to leave my desk or see myself on camera in a Zoom meeting. If a set of actual noise-cancelling headphones is an unacceptable response then it seems to me that the OP is looking for things to complain about. Particularly since on the audio clips that "prove" his case, I heard less noise than I hear sitting in my own home (which is a single-family dwelling) with the windows open.

I was thinking OP may enjoy spending a day wrangling Mom w/incessant questions, interspersed with three hounds going insane over the deer out back.

 

[quincy]

Really, if utter peace and quiet was so important to OP, getting an apartment with no one above would have been the best choice. I think OP would still find reasons to complain though.

The noise from an apartment next door to you often can be worse than the noise from an apartment above you. You probably won’t hear the next door neighbor’s footfalls but you probably will be able to hear the neighbor’s voices when raised.

I was thinking OP may enjoy spending a day wrangling Mom w/incessant questions, interspersed with three hounds going insane over the deer out back.

I would invite nwlce to spend one night in my home to show her what REAL noise is ... if I didn’t think it would lead to her calling the local police. Haha.

 

[LdiJ]

I was thinking OP may enjoy spending a day wrangling Mom w/incessant questions, interspersed with three hounds going insane over the deer out back.

Preface: My cats have to live in my room because my daughter's dogs want to eat them. They try to escape at every turn.

Ok, so a couple of nights ago I was sleeping and rolled over. I suddenly got a horrible cramp in my calf and started to swing myself off the bed to try to walk it off. I looked up and the big fat male cat was opening the bedroom door. I forgot about the cramp and tried to jump up and stop him and promptly fell down. So I am sitting on the floor calling for my granddaughter (while the cats escaped) and she slept right through it. So with great effort, I managed to pull myself back on the bed, then stood up, walked off the cramp then went to find the cats.

At that point I was wide awake and never did go back to sleep. The next morning I was telling my daughter and granddaughter about it and my granddaughter got this "oh I get it" look on her face and said "So that is why I was dreaming that grandma was yelling for help last night".

 

[not2cleverRed]

I know it's too late for this, but...

...I have to wonder: did OP start by talking to the neighbor first?

It seems to me that, before going to management, it is better to approach the situation as an adult. "Hi, new neighbor. I'm downstairs. I'm sure you're just settling in, but noise carries really well..."

Mind you, this does not help with a genuinely lousy neighbor. But being able to show management that you have already attempted to work this out with your neighbor in a peaceable way sometimes garners you brownie points.

P.S. Give people a pass on major holidays.

P.P.S. I've got seals barking all night long. Yes, seals.