Dealing With Noise Complaints in a Multi-Family

[Andrew Sonntag]

Hi Everyone,

I've recently purchased my first multi-family property, a 4-Unit building.  The building has two units on the right (1 up, 1 down) and two units on the left (1 up, 1 down).

I've received a number of noise complaints from one of my lower tenants.  Her complaint is a running and jumping sound coming from the unit directly above her.  

There is only one unit directly above her, with two occupants, a mother and her 7-8 year old daughter.  I've spoke with the Mom twice, once after each complaint.  The first time, the Mom was surprised and said her daughter does not run or jump, but she would talk to her.  The second time I spoke with the Mom (20 minutes after the second noise complaint), she said that her daughter was not home and she was the only one home, watching TV alone in her bed.

I've asked the tenant who keeps complaining if the noise could possibly be traveling from another area?  She insists the noise is coming from directly above her.

How should I go about handing the complaints moving forward when the upper unit tenant is flat denying any possible noise?

[Jeff Willis]

@Andrew Sonntag - This is very common for a lower apartment with an upper occupancy. Unfortunately, not much you can do about 'common and standard living noise.'  Assume that it is from the child, it is standard behavior. When a person rents a lower unit, there is an assumption that there will be noise coming from the upper apartment. I have had complaints from lower tenants because the person in the upper walks very heavily.

I would tell the lower that you have spoken to the upper tenants and they will make every effort to minimize the noise, but unfortunately, being in a lower unit, there will always be some noise that can not be avoided.

If the lower wants perfect silence, then they need to rent an upper.