By Stephen Rose
When purchasing a house, one of the things that you may not realize is just how noisy your neighbors are going to be. You move in on a Tuesday and things are quiet, but then Friday rolls around and suddenly they are loud because of a party. Or, perhaps the dog and the kids are just barking and screaming far too much. Regardless of what is going on, chances are, you are getting frustrated with the noise that they are making and want to try and get them to stop. But, what can you do? Is there any hope?
The most important thing to remember when trying to deal with noisy neighbors is that you want to try and stay as peaceful as possible. If you get hostile with them, whether it be physically or verbally, it's only going to create a negative situation that won't help you out in the end. The following are a list of things that you can do to try and ensure that you get to live with peace and quiet, but more importantly, that you get that without causing a war with your neighbor. So, here they are:
1. Talk to your neighbor. If you calmly ask them to try and keep the noise down, chances are, they will. The truth is they might not even know they are making so much noise. By letting them know that they are making so much noise, the problem might be solved just like that.
2. If they don't stop making noise, you can then consider writing a letter to them expressing your concerns about the noise. Include a copy of the city ordinance in which it states how loud people can be at certain periods of time. Keep a copy of the letter for your records to use as evidence.
3. You can consider putting foam insulation for soundproofing in your walls. By doing this, you are effectively blocking out the sound from the outside, but also keeping the sounds that come from your house from going out to the rest of the world. It's a pretty good, even balance.
4. Call the cops. If it continues to get back and you just can't stand it anymore, call the cops. But, show them the letter and explain that you have tried talking to them about the noise. Police will be more sympathetic to you if they see that you tried to do it without police intervention.
5. Finally, sue them. Take them to a small claims court and explain that your loss of sleep has gotten in the way of you getting work done or enjoying your life to the fullest. By them breaking the city ordinance, they can pay fines. Consider this a very last step effort.
Neighbors can be very annoying sometimes, especially if they are making a load of noise. The trick to dealing with them is to try and be civil. No matter how bad you want to jump at them, beat them up, and all of that, the importance of civility cannot be stressed more. Use the above tips, in any order, and you can really find success in having that peace and quiet that you deserve.
Stephen is a representative of Cut Foam. He has a lot of information about getting foam insulation at soundproofing.
Source:www.isnare.com |
