Whether it's a constant barrage of loud music, screaming children, or dogs that won'tstop barking, it can be extremely frustrating and disruptive.
And it can get even worse...
Repeated noise ultimately leads to sleep deprivation, metabolic issues, and even cardiovascular problems. According to Eulalia Peris, an environmental noise expert from the European Environment Agency, over 20% of Europeans suffer from noise pollution.
Luckily, there are methods that you can try right away to stop the noise and make your living situation more tolerable. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can finally get rid of what's holding you back from enjoying your home life.
Three Steps To Get Your Neighbor To Quiet Down
Noisy neighbors can be a real pain. Here are three (and ultimately a fourth) effective steps for dealing with them:
- A gentle knock on the adjoining wall. This is usually all it takes for them to realize that they're disturbing you. No success? Knock again.
- Have a friendly chat with your neighbors. This is the best way to start resolving any neighbor issues. Don't assume that they heard the knock (did you follow step one?) and simply decided to ignore you. State the problem calmly, concretely, and concisely. The likely result? An apology and an abrupt end to the noise.
- If the noise continues, try writing a letter to your neighbors outlining the problem and how you would like it to be resolved*. Since they haven't respected your initial (verbal) request, you can use slightly more demanding language.
Here’s how you can structure your letter:
"Dear (neighbor's name).
I'm writing to you as a neighbor/nearby resident. This is a reminder that me/my family is being disturbed by the frequent noise from your property (write address here). The noise that bothers me/my family is (describe noise here). We have spoken about this before, yet the noise persists. Please stop immediately, or I'll have to reach out to the landlord.
Regards, (your name & where you live)."
If writing a letter (step 3) somehow doesn't do the trick, the it is time for step 4:
- contact your landlord or homeowners association to see how they can help. Having gone through these steps in order first, will help your case.
What If My Neighbors Are Still Being Noisy?
Have you contacted the landlord? Is the problem still not being solved? If so, it’s time for you to call the police and file a noise complaint.
Yes, you can actually get the police involved as a last resort. Just make sure you've followed all the steps above before resorting to this final option. It's rare that you have to follow this last step, but some people just won't stop.
In conclusion, there are a few ways that you can deal with noisy neighbors. You can knock on the adjoining wall, talk to them and ask them to quiet down, write a letter, or contact your landlord.
If these methods do not work, you can file a noise complaint with the police.
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