Advice on dealing with loud belligerent townhouse neighbor (1 Viewer)

[Rob Gardiner]

My roommate and I had this same problem in our apartment. Complaining to them, the landlord, or the police was futile. I would recommend against "revenge" with a subwoofer because you could annoy other innocent folks. But my roommate came up with an ingenious solution that doesn't rise to the level of revenge, but rather falls under "giving them a taste of their own medicine."

When the banging starts, VACUUM THE CEILING. Hold the vacuum cleaner upside down above your head, turn it on, and run it across the ceiling (their floor). They should catch on pretty quick.

 

[Philip Hamm]

Let's get this clear.....

THERE WILL BE NO EXCESSIVE NOISE FROM MY HOUSE.

We have decided to move.

 

[Philip_G]

sorry to hear that :frowning:
it sucks that you have to move from your home to find peace and quiet.

 

[Philip Hamm]

Actually with interest rates as they are; considering that I could afford my very large townhouse on my own for 4 years before getting married; and now we are combining our incomes; it's actually a perfect time to buy. And we're looking forward to having a big beautiful new house.

 

[Bruce Hedtke]

it sucks that you have to move from your home to find peace and quiet.

It's the risk you assume when you live in a shared dwelling. Sometimes you luck out and have great neighbors and everyone gets along but as a renter, you have to always be prepared for the problem tenants. The only real control you have is the ability to move.

Bruce

 

[Glenn Overholt]

I'd go find myself an attorney if I were you. If your place could not get sold or suffered a substantial price-cut due to their noise, and they should be the ones paying for it.

Glenn

 

[Philip Hamm]

I'd go find myself an attorney if I were you. If your place could not get sold or suffered a substantial price-cut due to their noise, and they should be the ones paying for it.

With the housing market the way it is, I don't think I'll have any trouble selling this home. Other HTF members who have been here may be able to speak on that.

 

[LDfan]

I gotta agree with Philip on this one. I attended one of his theater meets about a year and a half ago and his townhouse is very nice. He should fetch a very good price for it and it'll sell in no time whatsoever.

Jeff

 

[CapnSharpe]

This is a rather ironic thread considering that I just sold a house and moved into a townhouse (partly) to get away from loud inconsiderate neighbors.

I think we should keep in mind that the loud inconsiderate type can move into any house/townhouse/condo/apartment in any community anywhere at any time. No amount of construction material can counter their behavior.

Good luck Philip and I hope you find a cool new house.

 

[Reginald Trent]

Philip, I don't get it. Don't you own a SVS, yet you ask what to do about noisy neighbors? I say fire up the HT near reference and see if they come to their senses and surrender.

 

[Tom Meyer]

Why isn't the HOA enforcing the rules ? As much as people around here seem to hate them, this is exactly the type of situation that they are designed to take care of. You have every right to tell them to enforce the rules. Can't one of your lawyer friends review your HOA rules/covenants and draft a letter to the HOA demanding that the enforce them ? Even if you had to pay for a lawyer, it'd be cheaper than moving.

 

[Paul_Fisher]

asdfasdfasdf

That's it???

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Not that I want to come off like a jerk, but if you sell it for the full market value and don't tell the new owners about the neighbors - well, in my book that isn't a nice thing to do.

I wouldn't want to buy it, nor anyone else that I knew. If you took 10K off for the neighbors and sued the jerks next door for 10k, everyone would be better off, but that sort of goes back to sticking it out with the HOA.

Glenn

 

[Henry Gale]

Long ago I realized that cranking the tunes up to a high volume was something I enjoyed once in awhile.
So I got myself to a house on 4 acres.
There is no substitute.

 

[Win Joy Jr]

Not that I want to come off like a jerk, but if you sell it for the full market value and don't tell the new owners about the neighbors - well, in my book that isn't a nice thing to do.

It is also something that can come back and haunt you. If you fail to disclose this nuisance, you are asking for a suit by your buyers. You have documented the nuisance here, with the police, with the HOA, and with the neighbors. You will have to disclose it or you face the prospect of yourself being sued. Talk to the agent you plan on listing with, and even a real estate attorney.

Good Luck...

 

[Peter Kline]

As a long time renter I know what it can be like. It's hit or miss, but I've had mostly great neighbors for the last 3 years in my tri-level apartment. Unfortunately, one neighbor has moved and I dread what the management will let in. I had a neighbor last year on the other side of my apartment that put his surround sound system in his bedroom. Every night was movie night from 11 PM to the wee small hours. I complained to the management. When I returned from a business trip, he was gone! He was there for about 4 months. The person who took over his apartment is very nice and we get along fine... he doesn't seem to be there much!

 

[Clinton McClure]

A bullhorn at 4AM usually works pretty good...

 

[Robert_Z]

Unfortunately some of that is true. This is something that is only solvable by one party moving out. This is exactly the reason I moved out of an apartment and would never consider living in a condo or townhouse or another apartment.

Mike, I moved out of my apartment a few years ago for the same reason. I also live in Austin. As a lowly state employee, the only dwelling I can afford to buy is a condo/townhouse, but having experienced my share of apartment neighbor nightmares, I will not settle for shared walls. With my luck, I will have hypersensitive neighbors like my last one, who complained when I had my TV on at moderate volumes (that's TV with no surround sound), yet he would loudly bang who knows what in his bedroom at least a couple of nights a week in the early AM hours. He was a freak. Nobody needs that kind of aggravation.

Philip, enjoy your new house!

 

[Philip Hamm]

They've been quiet the last few days.

 

[Tony Whalen]

Best of luck Philip, whether you buy a house or not. And I'd like to say "BRAVO" for not stooping to their level!

I was sorta in the same boat. Had a townhome I'd bought on my own, and it was great...EXCEPT for some of the neighbours. Lived that way for years, until my now-wife came along.

Once we did some calculations a while back, we realized we could afford an honest-to-goodness house, and get away from that place.

Our house was built, and we moved in about 15 months ago. Couldn't be happier! So I hope the house angle works for you...sure did for us!

(Best part is that we purchased a lot next to a lane entrance. We only have neighbours on one side, and they are great people.)

So, I highly recommend the house-route. I'm never going back to a condo/townhouse/apartment...

Best of luck!