Tenant Noise Complaint

[Megan Tyberg]

I have a new tenant that moved into my quad in Columbus OH. The 3 other residents are all good tenants that haven’t had any issues with each other. The 4th tenant moved in and now the neighbor keeps texting me saying she’s blasting her music and it’s keeping her baby up, she’s always screaming at someone and apparently the neighbor has called the police on her multiple times. She’s knocked on her door asking her to keep it down too. I also called the tenant regarding the noise complaints and asked if she could use an extension cord to move the speaker to a wall that isn’t shared with the neighbor. She said okay but I’m continuing to get noise complaints… What should I do? I don’t want any problems between the tenants but I don’t know how to make this girl turn down her music

[Tom Rofe]

@Lolo Druff - Noise complaints between tenants can be tricky, especially in a multi-unit. Here's what's worked for me:

**1. Document Everything**

Keep a log of every complaint - date, time, what was reported, and how you responded. If the neighbor is calling police, ask them to share copies of those reports with you. This documentation is critical if you need to escalate later.

**2. Send a Formal Written Warning**

A phone call is easy to ignore or "forget." Send a formal written notice (email with read receipt or certified mail) citing the specific lease clause being violated (most leases have a "quiet enjoyment" or "nuisance" clause). Make it clear this is the first warning.

**3. Know Your Ohio Landlord Rights**

Ohio allows landlords to issue a 3-day notice to cure for lease violations. If the behavior continues after written warning, you can issue this notice. If they don't cure it, you can pursue eviction proceedings.

**4. Consider Mediation**

Sometimes having a neutral third party helps. Some cities have free mediation services for neighbor disputes.

**Pro tip:** Check your lease to make sure you have specific language about noise/disturbances with defined quiet hours. If not, consider adding it at renewal.

The key is building a paper trail. If this tenant won't change behavior after formal warnings, you have grounds to not renew or pursue eviction - and you'll have documentation to support it.

Good luck!