Help! with Rude & Disrespectdful Neighbors

Updated on November 27, 2011
P.A. asks from Los Angeles, CA
22 answers

So here's the story............a young attorney used to live next door but is now renting the house out to a bunch of young (21+) kids. They continually have jacuzzi parties and you guessed it the jacuzzi is right next to my bedroom window. I wouldn't mind so much but their parties start around 11 and they usually wake me anywhere from 2-4am. Yep I have called the police every time and they come out and make them stop but by that time it is usually too late. I get up early as I work with children who have special needs (right now a child with autism) and I leave the house @ 6:45am so going back to sleep (if I am lucky) @ 3, 4, or 5 really isn't an option. The party they had on Halloween week-end was unbelievable and the light they were using was shinning into my bedroom. They are messy, loud, rude, and disrespectful. I have left messages for the owner who doesn't seem to care. Any of you wonderful moms out there have any suggestions on how to handle this awful situation.

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So What Happened?

Thx for all the answers so far. Yes I have talked with them.........they don't seem to care either. Here's the scenario: they are young and think they are living on frat row, this is a large house and can have as many friends living there as they want (yep checked with building and safety), it has a jacuzzi, and they are all from out of state...........did I mention THEY ARE RUDE, DISRESPECTFUL, AND DON'T SEEM TO CARE!

Featured Answers

A.C.

answers from Jacksonville on

Bright and early after they have just gone to bed, go run a power tool or lawn mower under their bedroom window/windows. If you can't beat em, join em!

10 moms found this helpful

☆.H.

answers from San Francisco on

I like the barking dogs idea, but i'd do it in the morning when they are finally going to bed/hungover and it is not a time you can be cited for noise.

2 moms found this helpful

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C.B.

answers from Kansas City on

i bet you'll get better answers than mine, but how about next time you call the police, ask them what your next option is? especially if they know you have to report them regularly, they might have some good advice. usually i thought if they had to keep getting called, they would start issuing citations or arresting...but maybe that's more than once per party or something. sorry i can't help more, but i feel your pain!

6 moms found this helpful

K.L.

answers from Medford on

Get a tape of a dog barking, non stop. Get some really good speakers in the yard and when they start making noise, you turn on the tape and let the dogs out. Really if there are noise restrictions in your city, note what time they have to stop and call the police everytime. I also like the idea of making noise when they are sleeping. Try it. If nothing else, you might feel better. Get any and all neighbors who are bothered by them and sign a petition and hand deliver it to the owner and let him know you have plans to go to the local tv station, radio and newspaper and you know how to spell HIS name and arent afraid to use it. I hate lousy neighbors.
OR
Toss a few Baby Ruth candy bars over the fence into the water. (o:

6 moms found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Atlanta on

Usually after a certain number of noise citations the property owner has to appear in court. When you call the police make sure they are issuing citations! Let the owner know that you have no other recourse and you will be pursuing this in whatever manner you have to in order to shut them up! Personally at this point I would have probably gone so batshit crazy on them they would be scared to make a peep! Get mean!

5 moms found this helpful

G.T.

answers from Redding on

I'm sure you see the signs when it's gonna be ONE of those nights... I'd call the cops much earlier, 10pm is generally the cutoff time for loud noise. I'd put it in writing to the guy that owns the home that you are planning on suing him for tenants that continue to disrespect your right to a quiet, safe living environment. Document, keep copies, go get some xanax from your doc for stress, and sue for the anxiety it's causing you.
If it's something that doesnt happen every night, there really isnt a lot you can do about it honestly. I'm an apartment manager and noisy neighbors happen from time to time, not enough to evict them over unless they do it every night of the week. I'd keep bugging the homeowner tho... he'll get sick of hearing you eventually.
If nothing else, I'm sure it's temporary, these kids will party for a season, but it does eventually wear off or they move. Patience is a virtue. Get black out curtains and things that make white noise until you get new neighbors. Youth is wasted on the young, but it sure is fun when you are there.

4 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

I'm sorry - this has to suck big time!!!

Talk to the lawyer. He should know about the noise ordnance in the city. He might care if you chose to sue him for noise violations as well as the mess. Bringing a suit against him might get his attention.

If you live in a home owners association - you can complain to them as well. If the police are called out often enough - I'm sure that they will start issuing monetary fines...

Talk to the police and find out if that's an option...I know here in Fairfax County - they will issue citations and the owner will need to appear in court as well as the renters...it's not fun...especially when there is video of the noise and mess...

start hitting him where it hurts...

GOOD LUCK!!

4 moms found this helpful
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G.S.

answers from New York on

We had neighbors from hell & ended up moving, biggest mistake we could've made - we should have run them out of the neighborhood, not the other way around. However our daughter who was not even 4 at the time had her front tooth cracked in half by one of them pushing her off of her monkey bars, she had one of the children spit in her face, it was awful. If I were in your situation, I would call the owner of the home at whatever time it is that you are being woken up and let him know what is going on each and every time. Best of luck to you.

3 moms found this helpful
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L.F.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi Penny,

The best advice I have is to document, document, document. Date,time, what happened, what you did, what police did etc. Then, write a letter to the attorney who rents this house out and ask if they can help you. Tell them you have specific instances and you need him to take care of his tenants or you will have to pursue other options. Be nice but firm and ask for what you need. There is NO reason you should have to live like this---best wishes!

M

3 moms found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Dallas on

We used to have the same problem. Calling the police didn't work until we told the officer that we wanted them cited. The police have to actually hear the noise before they can issue a ticket, so call when it starts. Here in my city, it's a $500 fine! They were quiet after that...

2 moms found this helpful
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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

The police usually don't know every city code. Research it, we found ours online and when we have to call the police about a noise made by a mechanical means they have to go make them stop or give them a fine. It is the law but they may not know about it. We always hand the police officer a copy when they come to the door.

We routinely have to call the police on Walmart. They have decided that doing all their construction work during the night time hours is the best way to go...they will have a jackhammer going about 50-100 feet outside my bedroom window and wake everyone in the neighborhood. I call and then when the officer comes to my house to see what I need I hand them the paper and ask them to make them stop. They always do. If they start it back up again I call them again, if a different officer comes out I hand them the copy and tell them to make them stop. It goes on like this for the whole night. Finally the manager in charge gets the idea and tells the construction crew to go home. In a few days they are doing it during the daylight hours but even then, if it is too loud they have to stop when the police go and tell them their mechanical noise is too loud.

Our city ordinance does not have a decimal amount to it, it just has to be annoying to someone. If it is people noise that falls under a different code but noise made my machinery or a mechanical instrument such as a car stereo or a boom box at a party they have to turn it down 24 hours a day if anyone complains.

2 moms found this helpful

K.M.

answers from Chicago on

Ok, so at this point you have to play dirty, they are young and do not care. You need to understand that at this age there are probably underage drinkers and you should report the party and the concern of young drinkers, after a few "contributing tickets" they will change their tune. You can also get all of the neighbors to sound bull horns at the legal time you may begin to make noise 6am or 8am .. whatever it is. If it is everyone but them what the bleep are they going to say? Heck, you can even drop one at their door and say neighborhood wake up call is 8am please honk! You can leave notes, talk to them daily and become "that neighbor" since they have become "that neighbor" in their own respect and I liked the idea of calling the landloard each time as well. You can also order them a pizza with all the NASTY toppings as a "bite me" gift too! I can be mean and spiteful so if you would like to go this route let me know.

2 moms found this helpful

E.F.

answers from Chattanooga on

I agree if you can't get this taken care, play their own game on a day you have off. Wait till they go to sleep and have your own little loud fest! I hate to say that. Definitely try all legal avenues, and then if that doesn't work fight fire with fire. =( I Hope you figure this out. I remember being at an apartment when I was at home with my first baby Nathan (now 10) and we had neighbors from who went to the local college and they were so loud. Fine if had just been me and my husband, we were young once, but we had the baby and he needed sleep as did we! Good luck! I feel your pain!

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B.K.

answers from Detroit on

Have you tried actually talking to them? Explain to them what you just typed out here and I bet they will tone it down!

1 mom found this helpful
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A.H.

answers from Omaha on

Do you have a homeowner's association? They may be able to help. Otherwise, I agree with the Dawn B. I would seek out the help of an attorney as well. There must be something you can do to get this sort of thing to stop without having to resort to moving! How awful!
Hugs,
A.

1 mom found this helpful

V.C.

answers from Dallas on

Boy do I feel your pain. We have horrible neighbors, too.
You have received some helpful info. But you might also check to see if there is a limit to how many individuals can live in one residence. I know an area near a college here has a limit to avoid this kind of problem.

1 mom found this helpful
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I.G.

answers from Seattle on

I second heavy curtains and earplugs. Keep calling the police for noise disturbances as well - they will eventually get fined and maybe paying for citations all the time will slow them down a bit.

Other than that there is nothing you can do to make them care, and apart from breaking any noise ordinances (for which you call the cops) they can party in their rental all they want - especially if the landlord does not care either.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.K.

answers from Kansas City on

That is a bad situation, especially if the owner of the home doesn't care. We had horrible neighbors in the past, and we couldn't get much done about them either, so we moved, and are so glad that we did.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

Get an attorney involved. There are attorneys who work with people who have been shafted by bad attorneys. That's their job, to work for clients against bad attorneys. If you get him to write a letter, this attorney landlord will know that he can't appease him because they are both attorneys.

Dawn

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S.L.

answers from Columbia on

Go over there and tell those kids how it is. :)

L._.

answers from San Diego on

How about very heavy black out curtains and ear plugs? What I can't tolerate is the music with the heavy bass that shakes my house. That can't be drowned out with ear plugs.

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☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Have you ever tried talking to them yourself? I might try that first.

And what about trying some white noise for your bedroom, window darkening shades/curtains, etc? Might help a bit.

You've gotta find out the specific noise ordinance for your particular town, Township, city, etc. Once they break it, call the police each and every time.

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