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When you wish you could mute your neighbours… #PropertyInsights

Neighbors; We all have them and a sort of love-hate relationship exists between us. We knock on their doors when we need to borrow a cup of sugar, or a few matches and when we need help with this or that. This relationship is not always smooth, and they may have habits that get on your last nerve. Maybe their dog finds its way into your garden and tramples on your freshly planted tomatoes. When you live in an apartment building, there is likely to be one tenant who is noisier than the rest. They play their music way too loud, on odd and all hours of the night, sometimes it is pleasant smooth music and other times, it’s just a loud banging nuisance. Some neighbors like company and prefer to cram their apartments full of noisy people on a weeknight and keep them around till late very late into the night. We are all entitled to peace and quiet after a long day and the last thing we need is to have noise stalk us into our very own houses. Noise makes us ineffective and cranks and robs us off decent hours of sleep.

Before you think of packing up and leaving your neighbors to their noise, here’s a few things you could do to salvage the situation.

hand-knocking-on-door

 

Calm Down

They are at it again!! The music is playing way too loud, that couple is shouting their heads off, the dog won’t stop barking, the kids will not stop screaming…etc. Take a deep breathe and evaluate the situation, getting worked up will not help. How loud is the noise? Is it natural or intentional? Find a way to distract yourself and try telling yourself how dull your life would be if you lived in the middle of nowhere with no neighbors.

Dialogue.

Talk to your neighbor. Knock on their door and tell them to quiet things down. They may be completely unaware of their noise and how much it is bothering you. Be courteous and polite and explain the situation factually. You could even suggest a compromise such that both parties still have their freedom intact. If done politely and carefully, the noise problem may go away.

Get the Landlord.

When the noisy tenant refuses to listen to reason, that is what the management is for. Some people cannot handle the situation themselves, so they enlist the help of the landlord. The landlord will write the errant tenant a letter bringing to their attention a noise complaint against them. This should be enough to scare them into keeping their behavior in check. If worse comes to worst, legal action may be taken against them in form of a fine or a law suit. That ought to teach them to be mindful of other people.

Get Creative.

Now could be the time to line your walls with sound proof materials or get that heavy density carpet from the supermarket to drown out the noise from downstairs. Knowing how to block or absorb the sound might go a long way in helping have quieter days and peaceful nights. A fan might help drown out the noise from an overactive neighbor.

Good old earplugs.

Holding a pillow or towel over your head will not be as effective as getting earplugs. The wax ones work better than the foam ones.

Move.

This should be the last option. After you have tried everything short of putting up another wall in your apartment and you can’t take it anymore, you decide to pack up and leave. You are entitled to your own personal space, and do not have to feel that you are under attack in your own house, and if moving away will let you sleep better at night, then by all means do. Do not let the loud bars, the overactive church members or the loud annoying music deprive you of sleep.

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Lastly, if you are going to complain about noise, it is your duty to be responsible with your own noise. Chances are that if you can hear your neighbors, they can probably hear you too.

Get more property insights from Pam Golding.

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