Below I have copied a letter I sent to my management company regarding a complaint about my downstairs neighbor whose music is excessively loud. I am a condo owner and the person who lives downstairs from me is a renter. I've deleted out names and address for protection. I am becoming desperate for this individual to keep his music at an acceptable level, and do not know what to do at this point. I am thinking of filing harassment charges or speaking to an attorney if the situation is not rectified. I have also called the police on two separate occasions. Any advice from anyone?
Dear XXXX:
Per your instructions, please accept this letter as my formal complaint regarding the occupants of XXXXXXXXX.
I live at XXXXXXXX, and the occupants of the unit directly below me are an ongoing disturbance. For instance, this past weekend, beginning Friday evening 5/14/04 through Saturday evening 5/15/04, they were extremely loud; however, there was a break from the noise between approximately noon and 8pm Saturday. The noise level was of varying stages, listed below, throughout the course of this time frame:
Stage 1 – Approximately 6pm through approximately 11:30pm, the music and shouting were extremely loud. I am assuming the shouting occurred because they had to converse in loud tones in order to talk over the music. The shouting was so loud that it startled me because it sounded like there were people yelling at me inside my unit.
Stage 2 – Approximately 11:30pm through approximately 2:30am, the radio became considerably quieter; however, I could still hear the bass in my unit and was not able to fall asleep until 2:30am due to this.
Stage 3 – I awoke at approximately 6:40am Saturday morning to the same level of bass coming from the radio downstairs and had to endure this noise until approximately noon.
Stage 4 – Approximately 8pm the booming bass from the radio kicked on at a loud level again, and in my frustration, I used a painting extension pole to knock on the floor in hopes they would turn down the radio. That had no effect, so I went downstairs and asked them to turn the radio down because I could not listen to it again for another evening. As I walked away, they turned it up louder, however by the time I entered my unit, it was considerably lower, in fact at a tolerable level. Unfortunately this lowered volume lasted approximately 10 - 15 minutes and the volume was right back where it was before I had asked them to turn it down. This enhanced volume level lasted approximately an hour, and because of this I had to go in my bedroom and shut the door to watch television because it was too disturbing in my living room. When if finally became quiet I assumed they left, because I did not hear any noise for the rest of the evening.
XXXX, please understand that I do not make this complaint arbitrarily. I have made a complaint with your office in the past, but clearly it has been disregarded by the occupants of the unit. I have also on a separate occasion in the past asked them to keep their noise level down, only for the noise level to increase momentarily as some sort of defiance (similar to what was described above). Most every weekend and some evenings during the week since I moved in to my unit at the end of February, I have had to endure the bass from the radio. Some evenings it is disturbing, and other evenings I tolerate it. Up to this point I feel I have been very tolerant for the most part, but now my tolerance has worn thin. It is quite clear to me that the occupants of Unit XXXX have no respect for others in the complex. I certainly understand what it is like to live in multi-unit dwellings for I have been an apartment dweller for over 15 years, and at times you need to exert patience, but up to this point have never had to undergo this type of continuing disrespect.
I was excited with my first experience of purchasing my own home here at the XXXXXXX Condominium complex. Unfortunately that excitement has been stolen from me, for I now dread the weekends because I either have to deal with noise invasion or I have to confront the occupants, which has no effect. I find no joy in this.
May I add that two neighbors of mine in building XXXXX have both told me on separate occasions that the occupants of the unit below me are notorious for being extremely loud and that they have complained to either your office or their landlord (one rents) about them previously. I understand that the occupants below me are renters and lived in another unit in my building prior to the one they occupy now and were just as disturbing. If it is true they are renters, then the question I have is, who is the owner of the unit and are they aware of their tenant's behavior? If I were a landlord, I certainly would not want a tenant behaving in such a fashion.
XXXX, any help you could extend would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks much,
Dear XXXX:
Per your instructions, please accept this letter as my formal complaint regarding the occupants of XXXXXXXXX.
I live at XXXXXXXX, and the occupants of the unit directly below me are an ongoing disturbance. For instance, this past weekend, beginning Friday evening 5/14/04 through Saturday evening 5/15/04, they were extremely loud; however, there was a break from the noise between approximately noon and 8pm Saturday. The noise level was of varying stages, listed below, throughout the course of this time frame:
Stage 1 – Approximately 6pm through approximately 11:30pm, the music and shouting were extremely loud. I am assuming the shouting occurred because they had to converse in loud tones in order to talk over the music. The shouting was so loud that it startled me because it sounded like there were people yelling at me inside my unit.
Stage 2 – Approximately 11:30pm through approximately 2:30am, the radio became considerably quieter; however, I could still hear the bass in my unit and was not able to fall asleep until 2:30am due to this.
Stage 3 – I awoke at approximately 6:40am Saturday morning to the same level of bass coming from the radio downstairs and had to endure this noise until approximately noon.
Stage 4 – Approximately 8pm the booming bass from the radio kicked on at a loud level again, and in my frustration, I used a painting extension pole to knock on the floor in hopes they would turn down the radio. That had no effect, so I went downstairs and asked them to turn the radio down because I could not listen to it again for another evening. As I walked away, they turned it up louder, however by the time I entered my unit, it was considerably lower, in fact at a tolerable level. Unfortunately this lowered volume lasted approximately 10 - 15 minutes and the volume was right back where it was before I had asked them to turn it down. This enhanced volume level lasted approximately an hour, and because of this I had to go in my bedroom and shut the door to watch television because it was too disturbing in my living room. When if finally became quiet I assumed they left, because I did not hear any noise for the rest of the evening.
XXXX, please understand that I do not make this complaint arbitrarily. I have made a complaint with your office in the past, but clearly it has been disregarded by the occupants of the unit. I have also on a separate occasion in the past asked them to keep their noise level down, only for the noise level to increase momentarily as some sort of defiance (similar to what was described above). Most every weekend and some evenings during the week since I moved in to my unit at the end of February, I have had to endure the bass from the radio. Some evenings it is disturbing, and other evenings I tolerate it. Up to this point I feel I have been very tolerant for the most part, but now my tolerance has worn thin. It is quite clear to me that the occupants of Unit XXXX have no respect for others in the complex. I certainly understand what it is like to live in multi-unit dwellings for I have been an apartment dweller for over 15 years, and at times you need to exert patience, but up to this point have never had to undergo this type of continuing disrespect.
I was excited with my first experience of purchasing my own home here at the XXXXXXX Condominium complex. Unfortunately that excitement has been stolen from me, for I now dread the weekends because I either have to deal with noise invasion or I have to confront the occupants, which has no effect. I find no joy in this.
May I add that two neighbors of mine in building XXXXX have both told me on separate occasions that the occupants of the unit below me are notorious for being extremely loud and that they have complained to either your office or their landlord (one rents) about them previously. I understand that the occupants below me are renters and lived in another unit in my building prior to the one they occupy now and were just as disturbing. If it is true they are renters, then the question I have is, who is the owner of the unit and are they aware of their tenant's behavior? If I were a landlord, I certainly would not want a tenant behaving in such a fashion.
XXXX, any help you could extend would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks much,
