Renter’s Advice and Resources

Have you ever heard sound wafting into your apartment and thought: “my neighbor has their TV’s volume turned up too loud. Now what?” This common scenario can be annoying and not always easy to fix. By keeping a level head and asserting your rights, you may be able to successfully combat this all-too-familiar problem. Evaluating the Problem […]

In an ideal apartment situation, neighbor complaints are rare if not nonexistent. However, it’s a fact of life that people tend not to see eye to eye at times and disagreements arise. If you’ve found yourself with a complaint from a neighbor, take the following steps to keep the situation from escalating. Step One: Hear […]

Nothing makes an otherwise perfect apartment loose its appeal faster than a noisy neighbor. Unlike plumbing or electrical problems in your apartment, noisy neighbors cannot be solved by simply calling maintenance. The only way to truly resolve the issue is to approach your neighbor about the noise. Don’t let the thought intimidate you. Follow these […]

Unless you are very fortunate, you will eventually encounter the neighbor from hell. This type of neighbor seems oblivious to your existence, even though you live right next-door. Their behavior includes many disturbing activities including noise, constant traffic in and out of the apartment, slamming doors, and leaving garbage in the hallway for days. These […]

An otherwise fantastic apartment can quickly become a source of frustration if you reside near annoying neighbors. Whether blaring music at odd hours of the night, leaving trash in the hallways, entertaining an endless stream of visitors, or simply refusing to use use indoor voices, annoying neighbors are something most renters will encounter at some […]

Remember that horrific tune, sung(?) by none other than Eddie Murphy called “Party All the Time?” Yeah I know, it does bring back some images we’d rather not remember. However, why is it that some of our neighbors seem to use that song as their mantra? You know the ones. The frat boys who come home close to three in the morning and party from the car to their apartment, leaving beer bottles strewn along the way; the three guys in Apartment 3C who are trying to form the next power-rock trio; the Hugh Hefner-wannabe whose friends take over the pool area, and the half-deaf woman living above you who gets a hankering for Neil Diamond when the sun goes down. Ah, the joys of apartment living.

You’ve moved into a new apartment, your stuff is unpacked and you’re finally settled in- and that’s when you notice it. It might be the neighbor’s insufferably loud music, a broken security gate, a clear fire hazard or water that smells like sewage running down the only set of stairs to get to and from your apartment. Get ready to file a complaint with your landlord or management company, because little will get fixed if you don’t. But first, you’ll need to take some steps to make sure you come out on top. Keep these five tips in mind to ensure that your complaint will not only be read, but that some action will be taken.

When your apartment is separated from your neighbors’ by nothing more than a thin wall, it’s inevitable that you hear what’s happening on the other side. You hear their music, their fights, and their routine comings and goings. But most of the time, you can expect things to be quiet … unless your neighbor has a dog that won’t stop barking. When dog barking doesn’t stop, it can really make life in your apartment miserable. Even worse is a dog that barks throughout the night, causing you to lose sleep and be less productive at work. So what can you do to stop your neighbor’s barking dog?

Noisy neighbors are a nuisance to us all. Sometimes they can be convinced to calm down; sometimes not. Beyond working with your neighbors, landlord, and perhaps even the police in extreme cases, you can take some steps to make your apartment a less noisy place.