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Noisy upstairs neighbor? — Brooklynian

Noisy upstairs neighbor?

independent mind
independent mind
edited November -1 in Park Slope
Quick q for anyone who has had such an experience. I have an upstairs neighbor who is a VERY large woman who wears heels around her apartment regularly. It is, needlessly to say, explosively loud, has the ability to wake me out of a deep sleep. She also seems to drag furniture around in a manner that is unusually frequent.

I'm wondering what might be the best way to negotiate this, either through her directly, or the leasing agent? Also, aren't there laws requiring, in these cases, that the tenant carpet or cover 3/4ths of their floors? If anyone has any info, it would be greatly appreciated. :(

Comments

  • nykittyny
    nykittyny
    First things first, speak to your neighbor, and explain your concerns. Let her know how much the sound is traveling, and mention the rugs. (The rule is 85% of the apartment, but is seldom enforced, and usually needs to be added to a lease)

    Secondly, if that doesnt work, speak to your landlord. Best to also put it in writing, so your complaint is official in case things get more complicated in the future.

    Your leasing agent has nothing to do with issues you are having with a neighbor.
  • modsquad
    modsquad
    There is no law regarding rugs
    http://www.housingnyc.com/html/resources/faq/quality.html#carpet

    Unfortunately the best solution is to confront her every time she is causing a problem. If she learns to expect a pounding on the door every time she bounces around the apartment she might think twice. You'll sleep better without all that seething anger also
  • modsquad
    modsquad
    Unless there is some evidence of a continuing noise problem such as an air compressor mounted on the floor or something like that you will never get a noise complaint violation. The momentary noise created by furniture or shoes is not considered an ongoing problem no matter how often it happens. You might be able to get the landlord on your side for a while but he too will grow weary of your complaining. I work with landlords and after a while they simply avoid the problem. Try killing the fat pig with kindness at first but be prepared to escalate to pounding on the steam pipes with a hammer if necessary.
  • seasidearms
    seasidearms
    You live in the city not in some hick town in the middle of nowhere, so either learn to live with others or move along. I could see your point if she was blaring music at 3 A.M. every night, but to complain because she is walking is just ridiculous. Get some ear plugs or those noise blocking headphones. Also, you could always buy your own home[redacted]

    MOD NOTE: No name-calling. Be civil even in disagreement or your account may be suspended.
  • independent mind
    independent mind
    Actually, it is PRECISELY because I have lived my whole life in the city that I am resentful of hayseeds who come to new york and have no idea how to behave in apartment buildings. There is 100% chance if I ever have to confront mrs. piggy upstairs that she is going to be a typical oblivious transplant. True urbanites would be way too self conscious to behave this way. And its 1:30 and she is doing her recycling and dragging furniture around in her loud trotter-heels. It is not cool, I don't ffing care.

    Follow up q: if she does not cooperate, any ideas for revenge, other than banging on the pipes (which I fear would disturb others, ironically).

    seasidearms -- 'you could always buy your own home and stop being such a whiner' how gross an attitude!

    MOD NOTE: tit for tat redacted.
  • modsquad
    modsquad
    independent mind wrote:
    Follow up q: if she does not cooperate, any ideas for revenge, other than banging on the pipes (which I fear would disturb others, ironically).
    I had a problem with a recording studio below me and started banging on the steam lines because I knew they ran through the "insulated room". The pipes also ran through others people's apartments. Their initial reaction was that I was the asshole until I explained and showed them what the actual problem was. Ultimately they accepted my banging as justified and they too called the LL to complain.
    It's a mindset really, You need the courage to enlarge the problem because really nobody cares until you do.
    I did have revenge on some frat boys living above me many years ago. They had alcohol fueled parties once a week which gave them courage to ignore my pounding. I was able to open up my ceiling and wedge a Sawzall with the safety guard removed against their subfloor. I would turn it on at 6am and run it for hours. I understand that several glass bongs were broken vibrating off the kitchen table.
    That is involved though.
  • sweet tea
    sweet tea
    modsquad wrote:
    I did have revenge on some frat boys living above me many years ago. They had alcohol fueled parties once a week which gave them courage to ignore my pounding. I was able to open up my ceiling and wedge a Sawzall with the safety guard removed against their subfloor. I would turn it on at 6am and run it for hours. I understand that several glass bongs were broken vibrating off the kitchen table.
    That is involved though.
    don't ever change.
  • modsquad
    modsquad
    sweet tea wrote: [quote=modsquad]
    I did have revenge on some frat boys living above me many years ago. They had alcohol fueled parties once a week which gave them courage to ignore my pounding. I was able to open up my ceiling and wedge a Sawzall with the safety guard removed against their subfloor. I would turn it on at 6am and run it for hours. I understand that several glass bongs were broken vibrating off the kitchen table.
    That is involved though.
    don't ever change.

    image
    Hey, I resemble that!
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    IM, maybe you could offer to let her come into your place while you drag some bags of recycling around her place. She may really just not realize how much the sounds travel in your place (I lived in a building where you could practically hear nothing through the floors/ceilings and certain walls so this isn't a problem everywhere.)
  • independent mind
    independent mind
    Modsquad, I don't know you, but I think I would like you.

    Ditto on sweettea's comment.
  • kaiserkai
    kaiserkai
    I had a guy living above me who was similar.
    He must have been a barkeepers or so, always came home around 4-7am, and started doing shit like vacuuming, moving furniture and whatnot.

    Now, one of my ears is 100% deaf, the other one i tried to earplug, but he always woke me up, even after taking weapons grade sleeping pills on the worst of days.

    I talked to him, he was very nice and understanding, but the next day, he once more he completely forgot about it.
    I walked up there 2-3 time a week, and every time he looked at me like he had never seen me before..........

    I moved, top floor, problem solved.
  • modsquad
    modsquad
    independent mind wrote: Modsquad, I don't know you, but I think I would like you.

    Ditto on sweettea's comment.
    Some here would disagree with you, but really I'm just a big pussy cat. :)
  • yoda
    yoda
    Is the miss piggy comment neccessary?

    Punk
  • carnivore
    carnivore
    modsquad wrote: [quote=independent mind]Modsquad, I don't know you, but I think I would like you.

    Ditto on sweettea's comment.
    Some here would disagree with you, but really I'm just a big pussy cat. :)

    As long as we stayed away from politics, I'm sure we'd get along great! :wink:
  • independent mind
    independent mind
    Yoda: yes.
  • pokersloper
    pokersloper
    independent mind,

    When I was in grad school I lived in the city on the second floor. One day my neighbor from below banged (didn't knock) on my door and when I answered yelled at me, "Stop jumping around, you sound like a heard of elephants."

    She was rude, but, once I knew that I was that loud with my walking (I really didn't know), I could then make the effort to walk more gently - which I did. Talk to the person and see where it gets you. I would start nice as pie and then take it as it comes. Even though my neighbor was rude to me, I didn't want to bother her, so I tried to walk up the stairs quietly and I tried not to thump around.
  • raw
    raw
    Are there any clauses in the lease about carpeting a percentage of the apartment?

    I had a super large upstairs neighbor once, but she was super considerate and respectful, so size is not the issue. The floors in the building were terrible, but thick rugs and padding reduced noise.

    Wearing shoes inside tracks dirt all over the place. Maybe you can convince her that she's rubbing street germs all over her floor.
  • modsquad
    modsquad
    Carnivore wrote: [quote=modsquad][quote=independent mind]Modsquad, I don't know you, but I think I would like you.

    Ditto on sweettea's comment.
    Some here would disagree with you, but really I'm just a big pussy cat. :)

    As long as we stayed away from politics, I'm sure we'd get along great! :wink:

    Wouldn't that be funny if we actually knew each other! LOL
  • pastoralia
    pastoralia
    The first step is to talk to her. Not fun but essential. I had the same experience before I moved to the top floor. I will never live under someone again. It's not really anyone's fault, the floors in Brooklyn brownstones amplify sounds.

    It all depends on if the neighbor is cool or a twat. Is she's a twat...put superglue in her lock. She can't make noise if she can't get into her apartment.
  • garfunky
    garfunky
    independent mind wrote: Actually, it is PRECISELY because I have lived my whole life in the city that I am resentful of hayseeds who come to new york and have no idea how to behave in apartment buildings.
    Ive lived in the same apartment for a number of years and YES there can be a huge difference in the volume created by simple walking. My upstairs neighbor occasionally sublets her place. for years and years and years the sound of walking was never a problem, never even had to think about it....
    and then ...
    a heavy set woman with a penchant for wearing klompen had moved in for a few months. Routinely getting woken out of bed at 3 am simply because it sounds like someone is stomping thru your bedroom is quite ,um, jarring.

    In all honesty this sounds like it could be the same woman.
    My "bane" also had a weird thing about moving around furniture at 1 2 3 am.
    I never understood that at all.
    3 am is not the time to rearrange the couch. :x
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