Confronted the noisy neighbors tonight...

[MouseJunkie]

Oh, apartment living. I remember it well.

The kitchen with fruit flies coming out of the sink because of the disgusting mess in the guy upstairs' kitchen. Had to go clean his kitchen.

The drunk who set his house on fire or fell asleep on the common landing. "Just climb over him kids." With the fire - called THAT DAY to up the renter's insurance. Told them about the guy and the fire and would that be a problem, they said the insurance would not only be there but that I was wise to up it.

The lovely sound of "romance" in the next apartment. And the prayers the woman was always saying. Oh God. Oh God. God spent a lot of time there, I guess.

The guy who beat his wife. And the wife coming over when she'd been beaten.

The drug dealer across the hall who wasn't SO bad, but had customers who puked in the hallway (and left other garbage as well) and came banging on his door at all hours screaming his name.

Attempting to exit the apartment only to find a cop right outisde the door with his gun drawn who didn't even look at me, but loudly and quickly commanded me to "Get back in the house!" Half an hour spent fully dressed in the bathtub to avoid being in the line of fire. Idiot robbed the bank down the street, but his girlfriend (the getaway driver) left him while he was inside.

There are just so many joys to apartment living.

OP, I felt your pain! But...

Kids run around and play. They bang. That's what kids do. If you're going to live in an apartment, sometimes you just have to suck it up and make-do. Next time, try to live on the top floor.

If I could work out deals with all of those neighbors to make my life fairly livable (and I did it, even with the drug dealer - got his respect, cooperation and a sort-of friendship)...you can, too!

Grin and bear it and save every cent you can to get the hell out.

Holy whole HERD of COWS now that's really bad!!!! Yeah, next time I'll question in much much greater detail. Unfortunately, my biggest concern as far as the unit location itself was that it was ground floor because of Elvis being 10. Stairs would be way too hard on him. Lesson learned.

 

[justhat]

I know I've said this already, but you can still hear everything on the top floor. So that may not even help your problem. Our old downstairs neighbor had Bose speakers wired into the ceiling, so imagine how loud Bette Midler sounded when he blared her throughout his unit. We don't hear the walking, stomping, etc., but we can hear all tv, radio, talking, etc.

About the jumping off of the furniture, he may not be jumping persay. My 15 month old rolls off of our couch all the time. He is just now tall enough to climb on by himself and he wants to sit with his sister, but then he plays up there, drops things, and just rolls off to get them. I know that if our neighbors are home when that happens that it must sound like we dropped a tv because his head is made of brick, but not something I really plan for so I can't prevent it.

Now, should I keep him off the couch? Yes, probably, because falling off isn't the best plan. But he's only 1yo and doesn't really get why he can't sit there but his sister can. Then the neighbors would hear a tantrum, which I'm not sure is better.

Your neighbors have 2 kids right? I think it's farily easy to keep 1 kid calm and quiet, as I had no trouble doing that with just my daughter, or my son, for the most part, when she's in school. But when the two of them are together, that's another story. They're like a noise making team!

 

[Cool-Beans]

Holy whole HERD of COWS now that's really bad!!!! Yeah, next time I'll question in much much greater detail. Unfortunately, my biggest concern as far as the unit location itself was that it was ground floor because of Elvis being 10. Stairs would be way too hard on him. Lesson learned.

That's not all of it. I could go on and on and on.

Just with landlords! I could write 50 pages!

The one who was a drunk (that was his buddy my kids were climbing over) and sent actual drunk people to fix things!! And they were dumb sober! He got our electricity turned off because he didn't pay the bill. He "forgot" to turn on the heat in the winter.

Then there was the landlady who didn't want me to open to the windows because "that's how the VD gets in." Jesus talked to her a lot. Jesus sent her nursing student to help her (I was in school at the time.) Jesus didn't want the windows open. Jesus didn't think my kids should drink chocolate milk because it "makes their brains soft"...the doctors might not know that, but Jesus did. Jesus didn't like loud music. Jesus didn't want people drinking beer. Jesus wanted the rent paid on the 1st (go figure!).

Lordy, the fun I had with her. Opened the windows and when she commented on it told her Jesus told me to open the windows. Jesus also told DH and his pals to have a few beers out back.

When looking for apartments, check the windows first. If the windows look crappy, the landlord won't be much help to you.

If you live on top, you are spared all the noise, but heat rises, so your air conditioning bills are higher (but your heating is lower, so that offsets that.)

When you live on the bottom you have to hear noise from upstairs, but you don't have lug groceries and get to the top.

Apartments are always a trade-off. And there is always *something* wrong with them. If the toilet fluses, the fan doesn't work. Etc, etc.

If you play your cards right and have a little bit of luck, it gets better. I promise.

 

[poohandwendy]

I never said I expected him to be tied down and told never to move. Please don't exaggerate what I've said. Again, I appreciate all the comments, but don't feel like I need to defend my actions. Really, I do realize there are many many things that factor into what's going on. I've taken everything a lot of people said including you and I agree with a lot of it.

What it boils down too is I'm not the right kind of person to live with these conditions no matter who or what is at fault. I can't just suck it up and say oh well...I need to be comfortable in my home too. I never signed on to live with a 3 year old. This precisely why I'm not a parent. I don't have the patience for it. If they were downstairs. I'd be happy as pie. Maybe someone else wouldn't mind being under them, but I do. It's not for me. Like I said I just want to be comfortable too!

Thanks. Really...I do appreciate the comments.

Sorry about that, I was only trying to say there isn't much they can do to keep them still. Not trying to put words in your mouth.

I actually totally understand your frustration, I hated living in an apartment, I don't tolerate having to live in such close proximity to other people either. So, I can understand why it's driving you crazy, but I really can't see much of a solution. Hopefully, you can find a place that works out better the next time.

 

[MouseJunkie]

Yeah, I thought it was two kids at first, but since I've found out it is one. You've got a point about hearing things from downstairs too. I think the music and tv would bother me less to be honest. Even Bette Midler... I do hear the tv next door and that doesn't bother me at all. It's not floor shattering loud.

 

[MouseJunkie]

Sorry about that, I was only trying to say there isn't much they can do to keep them still. Not trying to put words in your mouth.

I actually totally understand your frustration, I hated living in an apartment, I don't tolerate having to live in such close proximity to other people either. So, I can understand why it's driving you crazy, but I really can't see much of a solution. Hopefully, you can find a place that works out better the next time.

Let's hope so! I'm sure part of it is I gave up a house to be closer to my better paying job. So, yeah there's a lot of factors involved here in my adjusting to apartment life again. I'm thinking of pushing up the buying a condo date. I just can't swing financing two mortgages right now which is why I did the apartment. I intend to look for a 1 level condo in a year or two or if the house sells sooner and believe me I'll be asking questions out the wazoo.

 

[poohandwendy]

LOL Coolbeans, you totally took me back with your post.

We had a drug dealer who lived next door, he wasn't the problem...it was his 'customers' who were a real pain in the butt.

The dude across the hall who stabbed his GF in the apartment, we couldn't leave for hours because the hallway was part of the crime scene. That was fun. (she lived...and they went on to have many, man more physical altercations- both being the aggressors.)

The woman who cooked some kind of nasty food that permeated the whole building for hours after dinner every night.

The guy in the NEXT building who blared Prince's "Kiss" song 4 million times per day...and I mean it, he repeated that song over and over and over and over again, every single day for months. (it was summertime and we didn't have air, so closing the windows was out of the question)

The landlord, the police...no help at all. They really couldn't care less and have better things to do.

Apartment living is interesting, to say the least.

Hopefully, the OP can very soon look back on this kind of living and laugh....

 

[Cool-Beans]

LOL Coolbeans, you totally took me back with your post.

We had a drug dealer who lived next door, he wasn't the problem...it was his 'customers' who were a real pain in the butt.

The dude across the hall who stabbed his GF in the apartment, we couldn't leave for hours because the hallway was part of the crime scene. That was fun.

The woman who cooked some kind of nasty food that permeated the whole building for hours after dinner every night.

The guy in the NEXT building who blared Prince's "Kiss" song 4 million times per day...and I mean it, he repeated that song over and over and over and over again, every single day for months. (it was summertime and we didn't have air, so closing the windows was out of the question)

The landlord, the police...no help at all. They really couldn't care less and have better things to do.

Apartment living is interesting, to say the least.

Hopefully, the OP can very soon look back on this kind of living and laugh....

LOL, I totally FORGOT about the interesting food smells. I don't know WHAT some of those people were cooking, but I know for a fact I sure as hell wouldn't have eaten it!!!

And the music!!! One young girl broke up with her boyfriend and played Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" as loud as it could get over and over and over - almost all day, every day for a couple weeks. I still don't like to listen to it. To this day, when I hear it, I turn it off.

We also came home once to find yellow cop tape across the front and back doors. We weren't supposed to go in, but I debated for a few seconds and was like, "What the hell am I supposed to do?" In I went. There was nothing there I could see that needed to be taped off. Everyone else ignored it, too. I now think the only people who are bothered by cop tape live on TV or have spent their entire lives in the suburbs.

It wasn't all so funny then, though. Some stuff (like the guy's girlfriend/getaway driver bailing on him) was...but some it I didn't enjoy a bit.

You have to laugh, because your other option is crying. And you have to look on the bright side, because the other side is just so dark and no fun at all.

 

[MouseJunkie]

Now that's one thing, I did choose my neighborhood very carefully. So, far it's very peaceful in that respect. There's not much crime at all here. I had a laundry list of have to haves and I believe I got most if not all of them. I really like the complex and the apartments themselves well other than the lack of soundproofing.

 

[Cool-Beans]

MouseJunkie, when I had kids in apartments I always lived on the bottom so that I wouldn't have to deal with people who were upset by the running and banging.

Sooooo, I know what it is like to hear the crap going on above you.

Good luck with your condo!!!! I hope you're happier there!

 

[poohandwendy]

Now that's one thing, I did choose my neighborhood very carefully. So, far it's very peaceful in that respect. There's not much crime at all here. I had a laundry list of have to haves and I believe I got most if not all of them. I really like the complex and the apartments themselves well other than the lack of soundproofing.

LOL, we were poor and newly married...so, it was all about the price of the rent.

I hope you can get out of there soon, or the other people move LOL.

 

[MouseJunkie]

LOL, we were poor and newly married...so, it was all about the price of the rent. & I've been there done that too! I hope you can get out of there soon, or the other people move LOL.

Yeah me too!

 

[MouseJunkie]

Well the verdict is in. I'm moving units at the end of December. I went ahead and upgraded my unit while I was at it. I figure lets make the hassel as worth it as possible. At least my street will be easier to spell. I think Elvis and I will be much happier!

 

[jenrose66]

What it boils down too is I'm not the right kind of person to live with these conditions no matter who or what is at fault. I can't just suck it up and say oh well...I need to be comfortable in my home too. I never signed on to live with a 3 year old. This precisely why I'm not a parent. I don't have the patience for it. If they were downstairs. I'd be happy as pie. Maybe someone else wouldn't mind being under them, but I do. It's not for me. Like I said I just want to be comfortable too!

Thanks. Really...I do appreciate the comments.

If you didn't sign up to live with a 3 year old, maybe you should have made an effort to see who your neighbor's were before you signed your lease.

Not to be snarky, it's just something that you don't think about. It is a valuable lesson, to know next time to find out who your neighbors will be before you get moved in.

It's always important to try and know who your neighbors will be. I saw a nice house for sale, but the next door neighbors had an old junky car parked on blocks in the front yard and their yard was overgrown with weeds, no way would I look at the house for sale, because look what I'd be living next to.

 

[HelenePA]

I'm so glad I'm not in an apt. anymore! We were the noisy neighbors, I hated the fact my kids couldn't be loud, my kids couldn't run, my kids couldn't do stuff with our upsetting some of my neighbors. We got out of there as soon as we found a house we could afford and liked. I know that's not an option for everyone