Noise wars: does the tenant A not belong in a MF or is tenant B really loud?

Question

What would you do?   Tenant A  is  coming from a SF home rental loved the 1st floor apartment but keeps complaining tenant B on the second floor is walking in the morning too loudly and shutting the door loud.  Tenant B , is an adult working 10 hr a day who gets up for work in the morning at about 6 am and walks in the apartment to get ready for work.  I have told them we can support less noise in whatever way we can (door closer etc) but they need to figure out between them the noise issue. In general this is the only noise complaint I am getting after doing some door planing. Thoughts?  Just let them fight it out?

Jean Bolger · Answer

If it's just "walking around noise" then there's nothing you can do, really. Can't tell the tenant not to walk! My guess is that this new tenant is just super sensitive to noise. I sympathize- I'm that way myself, but that doesn't stop my neighbor next door who owns a lawncare business and has a love affair with his leaf blower. every. single. day :(

You might consider offering to let her out of her lease with no penalty. She might go, she might stay; but it will at least make her think hard about whether her fondness for the apartment outweighs the inconvenience of the noise. And if she chooses to stay then she has chosen to live with the noise, not been forced to. Something you've chosen to endure can be far less unpleasant than something imposed upon you.

Elizabeth Colegrove · Answer

@Colleen F.

I had a difficult tenant once. Not in the same way but "picky". I have a break lease clause. i would remind him about the clause, offer him the second apartmetn for same price but not as nice. If he turn it all down, tell him to "nicely get over it.

Colleen F. · Answer

@Jean Bolger  I can relate to the leaf blower, for me it is the dirt bikes.  I try to make that exact point,  I can't ask her not to walk in her apartment.   I am guessing anyone might be annoying to  this tenant.  I considered offering a different apartment which now has become vacant.  but the finishes are not as nice as the  current apartment which we completely redid , new kitchen etc.  No upstairs tenant though. I will give some thought to the you want to leave offer.

Colleen F. · Answer

@Steve Babiak

Thanks I had some idea there were panels and drop ceiling stuff we could install but it would likely  destroy the character of the apartment and  I doubt the downstairs tenant would want it even if I offered to do it.

Tenant A has offered carpets to upstairs tenant  via notes  but it sounded like a flippant offer.

While this is going on the  other up down unit doesn't complain, same wood floors. I also have no other complaints of slamming the common door aside from this tenant A complaining about tenant B.

@MARK MULATTIERI I  hope they don't get warring like that.  no police reports so far, the police are probably not going to deal with this unless it becomes a party complaint.

@Richard C.  that was my first reaction is people have to walk in their apartment. I don't know if it is deliberate.  I am thinking not but you never know.

I do  think one is going to eventually need to go.  I guess I just am trying to get a feel for who is unreasonable here or if they can work it out. They keep dragging me in and frankly I don't see progress.

Richard C. · Answer

Noise from above is part of living in a up/down duplex.  I'm not even sure "fight it out" is right, insofar as it implies there is an equal need for the parties to accommodate one another.  People get to walk around and shut doors, unless they are intentionally stomping and slamming.

At least so far the downstairs tenant hasn't audio-taped the upstairs having sex, like that thread a couple weeks ago.

MARK MULATTIERI · Answer

Yes. . . . . .  They must work it out themselves.

FYI:  When an upper unit is fighting with the lower unit it can get ugly.  I had a case where the upper unit would pour water on the bathroom floor so that it would come down on the lower unit.  (figure this out over a very long period of time and several plumbers' house calls)

When each tenant would complaint to me I would simply ask to see the police reports!  In addition, I visited the police station and reviewed all police calls to the house.  This help me decide who was telling the truth.

Steve Babiak · Answer

Carpet or area rugs upstairs should help with footstep noise.

Maybe ceiling sound reducing panels might help overall:

http://www.controlnoise.com/how-to-soundproof-a-ce...

Andrew S. · Answer

@Colleen F.

Seems like you already offered to do whatever you can to reduce noise - I'd let them fight it out.

Noise wars: does the tenant A not belong in a MF or is tenant B really loud?

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