Neighbor kids upstairs making noise

[Amigone201]

I'm really annoyed with the family upstairs. All day long, I hear their kid(s?) stomping, pounding, jumping off things, and in general, shaking the building. In fact, I can hear them right now, as I type this.

I've typed up a note, and I'm thinking of dropping it in their mail slot. Yeah, I know, it's technically a federal offense, but I can't think of a better way to do it. Any suggestions?

Here's the note I wrote:

Dear Family:

I moved to this complex last August, and, for the most part, I like it here. I enjoy the corner of the complex I live in, and I appreciate having you above me. Your kids are well-behaved and pleasant to be around.

While most of the time, I am happy here, I have one small concern that I wish to respectfully bring to your attention. Sometimes I hear noise above me. Usually it sounds like a child or children, running or jumping. On very rare occasion, it is heavier, as of a person jumping off furniture. When this happens it makes a frightful noise throughout my apartment, sometimes causing the chandelier over my dining room table to shake.

Therefore, my only request is that you speak to the child or children who are making this noise and/or to any caregiver who watches them, and to make everyone aware of what I can hear. Further, if it is only one of your children whom I can hear, I humbly apologize for directing my concerns at both of them.

I recognize that children have boundless energy, and that it is probably unreasonable to expect you to change their behavior entirely or quickly. However, I do wish that you speak to them about it.

If you wish to discuss the matter with me, I would be more than happy to spend some time talking to you. Further, if you have any concerns about me or my own living style, I am willing to discuss that as well. After all, it would be only fair.

Sincerely,

[My Name]
Your neighbor downstairs

[mags]

Originally Posted by Amigone201

I've typed up a note, and I'm thinking of dropping it in their mail slot. Yeah, I know, it's technically a federal offense, but I can't think of a better way to do it. Any suggestions?

Two: either tape it to their door/ attach it some way to the doorknob, or visit in person to discuss.

[Ellestar]

I've had upstairs neighbor problems in the past. I was counseled then to NOT leave a note, but to speak to the neighbor face-to-face. I did. It didn't solve all of my problems, but it felt better than just leaving a note.

With another neighbor (who kind of scared me, so I didn't want to talk to her face-to-face), I wrote a letter of complaint to the leasing company about her late-night parties and let them deal with her.

In person is best, I think.

(I now live on the top floor. )

[Jahungo]

I don't know about your building in particular, but I do know that in many buildings it is easy to not realize how loud the noise made from running around can be.

[DemonWolf]

I think that the best way is friendly and face-to-face. If that is not possible, writing the note, but make sure to leave contact information. Be sure to include your name, telephone number, and apartment number so that they can reply to you.

[Gibbie]

Keep in mind that apartments are notoriously un sound proofed. What sounds like jumping and running may just be normal walking and moving. I had an apartment so bad that I could hear the upstairs tenants alarm clock. I could also hear him in the bathroom which was even less pleasant.

I'd go for face to face first and be prepared to understand that it might just be normal living noise.

Gibbie

[Mosherette]

Originally Posted by Ellestar

I've had upstairs neighbor problems in the past. I was counseled then to NOT leave a note, but to speak to the neighbor face-to-face. I did. It didn't solve all of my problems, but it felt better than just leaving a note.

I did that, with my ex, in a similar situation. Led to us being cornered by a very angry husband who said we'd driven his wife to distraction with our accusations and to leave them both the NFBSK alone and their children could do what they wanted in their own own home (including banging on our mutual wall for literally hours on end in the middle of the night, apparently).



BUT I'd still say trying to have a word in person would be the best first line of attack (as it were) and if that doesn't seem to get through try your note.

[Johnny Slick]

I guess I should count my blessings then. I rarely hear anything in my apartment due to the thick layer of concrete that separates us all. The downside is that this place is like an oven in the summer, and not the good kind of oven either. Still, as a place that's frequented by young singles and couples (it's a bunch of studios), I have to marvel at the fact that I've never had to make a complaint against someone (or gotten a complaint despite several late-night yelling-at-my-XBox sessions).

[DemonWolf]

There's always the age-old method of banging on the ceiling with a broom handle when things get too loud.

[Amigone201]

Originally Posted by Mosherette

BUT I'd still say trying to have a word in person would be the best first line of attack (as it were) and if that doesn't seem to get through try your note.

Update: Okay, I did this. I had a very awkward, halting, uncomfortable conversation with the mother and older daughter. I'm not entirely sure the mother understood; the daughter told me her English wasn't very good, although she did seem to understand what I was asking. She told her daughter to tell me they were sorry and would work on it. The daughter didn't do much translating (although I asked her to, and she agreed, but just sort of stood there slack-jawed while I stated my case).

Everything was good the day after that, but now, it's back. Not so much the stomping of kids, but the sound of music. I can't hear the music so much as feel the bass. When I sit in my living room, I hear something that sounds like "brrrrmmmmmm, brrrrrrmmmmmm, brrrrrrmmmmmmm" coming through my ceiling.

This really sucks. Did they not understand me? Do they not get that bass travels?

[Rebochan]

Do you have a landlord you can report the issue to? In addition to being a higher authority, this is also their job.

[Beejtronic]

Originally Posted by Amigone201

Everything was good the day after that, but now, it's back. Not so much the stomping of kids, but the sound of music. I can't hear the music so much as feel the bass. When I sit in my living room, I hear something that sounds like "brrrrmmmmmm, brrrrrrmmmmmm, brrrrrrmmmmmmm" coming through my ceiling.

This really sucks. Did they not understand me? Do they not get that bass travels?

My downstairs neighbour does this all the time. After I went down and screamed at him for playing his music after midnight one time, and after I called the landlord another time because it's so loud I can hear every single lyric of every single song, it's gotten a bit better. But we still hear it. Just the other night, I was sick and sleeping in bed when I was woken up by his music. I was tired and half-dead, so I banged on the floor. He got all angry and bashed on the ceiling. A while later, the music stopped abruptly. I'm hoping it's because someone else either told him to stop being a jerk, or called the landlord.

In short, the best you can probably do is call the landlord. It's all I've got right now.

[vanilla]

Originally Posted by Amigone201

I'm really annoyed with the family upstairs. All day long, I hear their kid(s?) stomping, pounding, jumping off things, and in general, shaking the building. In fact, I can hear them right now, as I type this.

I also vote for a face to face meeting. You may find out that there are no kids above you and instead, you are hearing cats jumping and running around the apartment. Especially if all you are hearing is foot traffic and not children's voices.

No, really. Cats can be loud. The floors in our house are very thin and the cats running around upstairs or jumping off of furniture sometimes sound like adults are partying above us.

ETA: No fair posting when I am! I still think you should talk face to face with them though.

[mags]

Originally Posted by vanilla

No, really. Cats can be loud. The floors in our house are very thin and the cats running around upstairs or jumping off of furniture sometimes sound like adults are partying above us.

This.

Our house is pretty well soundproofed, and I can't hear SO moving around if we're on different floors or in different rooms. Occasionally, though, the cats will run around, and I can hear them clearly if I'm on the same floor, but if they're above me, it sounds like elephants. I think they're able to selectively alter their mass.

[Amigone201]

Yeah. It's not the cats. I don't think they have any pets.

I see the benefits of talking in person, I'm just not really confrontational. Also, the parents don't speak great English. The grandmother who takes care of the kids while the parents are at work speaks none at all.