Called the cops on my neighbor (noise)

[Begonia]

My neighbors are noisy. They let their teens party til all hours, they sit in the hot tub yakking until 11, 12 and beyond. They play Spotify loud all day with open windows while their son uses a boxing ball thingy and they lock their dog outside where it whines and yips in loneliness for hours or all night (last night til 1230 am). Tonight it was still whining at 1130.

I called the cops on them a few months back about another party, and now I've called about the dog making noise. I'm currently on furlough but could be called back to work any day and I'm a shift worker that has to be up at 4 am. I let the noise go all day as I'm trying to be cooperative, and being off work have let it go for the past 2 months at night but I'm trying to correct my sleep schedule...so I called it in.

Wish me luck cuz the guy is a hothead and will come banging on my door tomorrow. The police will keep it confidential and I'll play stupid, but it's still stressful to have a poker face when I'm tired and ready to punch the guy in the throat. Did I say that out loud?

Can't sleep now.

 

[TooPatient]

I'm sorry. We have neighbors who do the music and loud talking thing. Not quite as bad as you are describing, but not far off. They are a bit of a distance away otherwise I would be calling often. As it is, we can't open windows or sit outside or even weed the gardens in peace. Neither of us handle the pollen well enough to care much (windows closed, AC on) but I still get irritated that we couldn't if we wanted to.

ETA: if we lived right next door to them, we would have to sell the house and move. I couldn't take it. (Although a dog left crying alone I would probably manage to help disappear...)

 

[Begonia]

Thanks TooPatient. I know you get it. The rage fills me over their self absorption as we are quiet people, no parties or music. Hubbie does the occasional cut on his table saw but only when fixing something.
Our back yards are small and the dog is maybe 30 feet from our window? Not the dogs fault. Good thing I'm skinny and small boned cuz if I was a big dude, I'd whup some #$$.

 

[TooPatient]

A friend posted a similar complaint on FB but about the guy in the office next to his at work. I made a suggestion that could work here too....

First, get earplugs for yourself or earbuds to play your own music through. (Terribly important for your sanity!)
Next, turn on Its a Small World. On a loop. Just play it for as long as they make noise. Not loud. You don't want a complaint against you! Just enough to be heard by them...

 

[Begonia]

Do you mean at night? I'm not good with music playing while trying to sleep, but I did have Bose noise-cancelling earbuds for night. I needed the app so I can hear my 4 am alarm over the white noise but not wake the household. The earbuds got recalled. They were pretty good, but the noise from the neighbors still came thru at times. Time to look for a replacement!
Thank you for your help!!!

 

[TooPatient]

Do you mean at night? I'm not good with music playing while trying to sleep, but I did have Bose noise-cancelling earbuds for night. I needed the app so I can hear my 4 am alarm over the white noise but not wake the household. The earbuds got recalled. They were pretty good, but the noise from the neighbors still came thru at times. Time to look for a replacement!
Thank you for your help!!!

Any time that would bug them! Do they like to sit outside quiet ever? Or maybe while they are having dinner or breakfast. The idea is to annoy them terribly so they remember that neighbors can hear what other neighbors do.

 

[stracci2000]

Where I live now, everyone is quiet,
But I've had noisy neighbors in the past. It makes me furious!!!
I used to live in a part of town where many of my neighbors were renters.
Loud rap music and the vibrations (thump thump thump OMG) have driven me to be bold and confrontational.

Many times, when I lived in that area, I have knocked on doors.
I found out that of you talk to people like their mother would, it has more effect. I think men respond if they are being chastised by a woman.

I would knock on the door and say, while wagging my finger,
"Do you know what? I can hear your music. While I am standing in my kitchen!
I don't want to hear YOUR music when I am in MY OWN house! PLEASE turn it down."
And they would always get contrite and apologize. And turn it down.

Maybe I was taking chances by confronting people, but it worked for me over and over again.

 

[Begonia]

Any time that would bug them! Do they like to sit outside quiet ever? Or maybe while they are having dinner or breakfast. The idea is to annoy them terribly so they remember that neighbors can hear what other neighbors do.

Misunderstood cuz I was tired
I get it now LOL. Starting right at 7 am would be especially effective LOL!

 

[junebug17]

Ugh, I am so sorry @Begonia, this really stinks. I'm amazed sometimes by how thoughtless people can be. And cruel...it's terrible of your neighbors to leave their dog out for hours. I really hope these neighbors cooperate. I'm sure it's terrible for you to have to listen to that poor dog. It's inexcusable.

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

Where I live now, everyone is quiet,
But I've had noisy neighbors in the past. It makes me furious!!!
I used to live in a part of town where many of my neighbors were renters.
Loud rap music and the vibrations (thump thump thump OMG) have driven me to be bold and confrontational.

Many times, when I lived in that area, I have knocked on doors.
I found out that of you talk to people like their mother would, it has more effect. I think men respond if they are being chastised by a woman.

I would knock on the door and say, while wagging my finger,
"Do you know what? I can hear your music. While I am standing in my kitchen!
I don't want to hear YOUR music when I am in MY OWN house! PLEASE turn it down."
And they would always get contrite and apologize. And turn it down.

Maybe I was taking chances by confronting people, but it worked for me over and over again.

SAME. The house that's at our backyard has a very deep yard, huge for where we live. They have a garage right up against our fence. Their teens hang out in the garage playing music, smoking, and just loud loud loud. My son's room is right at the back of our house and they were waking him up when he was a baby. I went right out there and teacher voiced them over the fence. They were quiet after that.

 

[Begonia]

Ugh, I am so sorry @Begonia, this really stinks. I'm amazed sometimes by how thoughtless people can be. And cruel...it's terrible of your neighbors to leave their dog out for hours. I really hope these neighbors cooperate. I'm sure it's terrible for you to have to listen to that poor dog. It's inexcusable.

Right?? They got a larger dog to keep the smaller dog company. Well the small dog is inside all day and big guy gets stuck outside all day alone. No walks, play times etc. Why get a doggo if you're just gonna leave him alone?? It's cruel is right! They're pack animals. Then he has to be outside all night once it's warm? He whines cuz his heart is breaking. Stupid people. Seriously, good thing I have no strength or I'd go pull a Jack Reacher over there.

 

[Slickk]

I had a similar problems with new neighbors who moved into a house behind and diagonal from me. Every single weekend their music would be so loud it was as if it was my own (we have 1 acre plus here). I couldn't enjoy my back yard with their loud music.
Finally, after a couple of months of weekend parties, I left them a note on their mailbox saying,
"Welcome to the neighborhood.
Your music is very loud.
Thank you
Have a nice day!"
Seriously, I never had the problem again. I still hear them, but much less so. I do not think they realized how far music travels up here in the suburbs of NYC.

ETA I would have done the same as you @Begonia had my note not worked.

 

[Begonia]

I had a similar problems with new neighbors who moved into a house behind and diagonal from me. Every single weekend their music would be so loud it was as if it was my own (we have 1 acre plus here). I couldn't enjoy my back yard with their loud music.
Finally, after a couple of months of weekend parties, I left them a note on their mailbox saying,
"Welcome to the neighborhood.
Your music is very loud.
Thank you
Have a nice day!"
Seriously, I never had the problem again. I still hear them, but much less so. I do not think they realized how far music travels up here in the suburbs of NYC.

ETA I would have done the same as you @Begonia had my note not worked.

When they first moved in 3 years ago, and right out of the gate, they had many loud parties. I dropped around several times (in uniform to add credibility, altho I'm not a cop, I'm a mariner) and tried to have a discussion. No one answered the door each time, so on the 3rd try I left a note explaining I'm a shift worker and please keep it down after 9pm. Left my phone number and nothing. Parties continued.

One night I went out there about 11 pm (one of the nights I have to be up at 4 am) and told them to shut it down. I got told to go eff myself you effing b*tch.

So I've called the cops 3 times now, twice for parties and 1 for the dog altho I have a log book filled with entries of noise after 9 pm. The day I leave alone but that would be full to bursting as well.

I'm gonna let the boys/gals in blue handle it. This mariner gal in blue has tried.

 

[telephone89]

Is your local ordinance for no noise after 9pm? That seems early. I think its 11 here, possibly 12 on weekends.
I've only called the cops "on" someone once, our neighbours were away and their grandkid was staying at the house and had a domestic incident with his girlfriend. Shattered windows, thrown furniture, screaming at each other and literally jumping on vehicles on the street. I (and a few other neighbours) called the cops that night, and I emailed the neighbours in the morning and sent some pics of the damage =\

 

[anne_h]

Ohhh, this is a timely topic! Especially while so many of us are all home all day during COVID.

First off - OP, sorry this is happening to you! I think you are totally within your right to push for resolution.

I am in a similar situation... for those interested, read on...

I live in a small period co-op building with live-in concierge, ~30 units. The unit above me is owned by a couple, who rent it out. I've been here a few years, and never had any noise issues with the various past tenants. But late last year, a couple from Europe with young kids moved in. It's a large unit, and stretches over my unit and the unit of a neighbor beside me. Shortly after the aforementioned family moved in, both my neighbor and I began to hear the same types of loud noises... kids running, screaming, furniture scraping on the floor (daily), doors slamming, regular loud thumps and bangs on the floor, etc.

My neighbor started complaining to the building's management company, while I started by going upstairs multiple times to ask the tenants directly for noise reduction. Initially the wife was denying they were the source of the noise, and providing strange rationale why they could not be. I did not agree. (Some time later she finally acknowledged they were the source.)

After some months with no improvement, my neighbor and I contacted the building's board, and asked for assistance. A board member setup a meeting with the unit's owner, herself and me, to discuss solutions. The board member and I asked for additional carpeting in the problem unit, which is also in line with our building's regulations. Here, the owner also tried to deflect and minimize the issue... her responses included "how bad could it be" and "my husband is starting to get annoyed with this situation". Funny, but not funny.

So here we are yet a few more months later, and still no meaningful progress. The unit's owner and the tenant assert the noise is 'normal' and that there is nothing they can do. When we text the tenant during especially disturbing periods to ask for noise reduction (as agreed), she does not reply. Thankfully, the board member is continuing to help us.

So right now we are continuing to push for resolution; I think it may get more uncomfortable yet. IMO, COVID is making things 'worse'... we're now all home all day (including their young children, because daycares and schools are closed). And myself and my neighbor are trying to work from home.

In the mean time, I am using noise cancelling headphones or playing music / TV during the worst times (even when I don't want to), to hopefully avoid having a fit.

Unfortunately, the tenants have a multi-year lease. I can't wait for them to move out!!

Cross your fingers for us... and if anyone has any suggestions, feel free to share!

Anne

 

[Begonia]

Is your local ordinance for no noise after 9pm? That seems early. I think its 11 here, possibly 12 on weekends.
I've only called the cops "on" someone once, our neighbours were away and their grandkid was staying at the house and had a domestic incident with his girlfriend. Shattered windows, thrown furniture, screaming at each other and literally jumping on vehicles on the street. I (and a few other neighbours) called the cops that night, and I emailed the neighbours in the morning and sent some pics of the damage =\

Interestingly our bylaws say no disruptive noise throughout the day (which include nights) with the exception of contractors who can go until 7 pm. So I could call on all of the noise during the day as well, but I'm trying to be reasonable here. While I'm on furlough I've let it go until 10, 11, 12 and beyond and not called. Last night I called at 1130 after listening to the dog yip for hours (second night in a row, but happens frequently anyway).

 

[yssie]

@Begonia Can I tempt you with an unorthodox workaround? Should at least shut the dog up...

Amazon.com

 

[Begonia]

@Begonia Can I tempt you with an unorthodox workaround? Should at least shut the dog up...

Amazon.com

Bwahahahaha!
I want you on my team always!
Brains over brawn

 

[TooPatient]

Unchain America has great suggestions on their website and FB page.

Basically, first step is to see if they will give you the dog. Say a friend really wants him/her. Offer to buy.
Then get to a rescue where he/she can go to a good family.

Doesn't help the rest, but would take care of dog noise and help an innocent dog.

 

[GliderPoss]

This is an interesting challenge and obviously the laws vary from state to state/country to country.

For the dog - here you can report it to Council for barking incessantly but best to have clear written dates & times of when it has been barking for evidence or record some barking on your phone as proof. If it continues Council can issue them a hefty fine! Call RSPCA if you suspect neglect.

As to the noise from the neighbours - I feel your pain, especially as a shift worker. Generally I'm fairly understanding up to about 10pm (although not every night). We have been in a similar scenario before and usually people don't give a rats arse. If you have already confronted them and reported them to the cops, I would seriously look at ways to soundproof your house, Bose noise-cancelling headphones and yes...even look at moving house. In my experience, nothing will make rude people suddenly start being considerate.

For those with little children, especially in apartments with floorboards it's truly hell for neighbours BUT usually there is very little that can be done. Kids are kids ya know? It's impossible to keep toddlers quiet but the parents should at least be honest & own up about it - apologise and attempt to minimise noise.