Navigating an Issue With a Neighbor
Living in an apartment comes with an awesome feeling of community. You will get to enjoy meeting plenty of great, like-minded people. However, you can’t rule out the possibility of having a difficulty with a neighbor. Most people are respectful and don’t want any trouble. You will almost always be able to sort things out with words, but if you aren’t able to handle a situation on your own, there are steps you can take to keep yourself in the clear.
Talk with the Neighbor
While most people hate confrontation and this will probably be a conversation you don’t want to have, you have to go straight to the source. The best thing you can do is keep your composure and get right to the point. People appreciate honesty. Explain to them what they are doing that is a problem and work towards a solution. This will show them you don’t want to argue and you just want to remedy what is happening.
Talk with the Landlord
If the conversation with your neighbor doesn’t solve anything, it’s time to talk to your landlord, especially if it is an issue the landlord can solve. If your neighbor isn’t respecting quiet hours, your landlord simply needs to send out an email reminding every tenant of the building’s policies. If the behavior isn’t corrected, tell the landlord they need to speak with the neighbor directly. There is always a solution, you just have to work towards it.
Law Enforcement
Hopefully your landlord will be able to bring the problem to an end, but if you and your landlord cannot solve it, then you will have to make the authorities aware of the hazardous living situation. Be mindful that you really only want to bring the police in if you feel your life or someone else’s life is in danger and you already spoke with the neighbor and your landlord.
Do It Yourself
If your landlord has tried and can’t change the behavior, you have to do what you have to do. Perhaps this means you buy soundproofing and send the receipt to the landlord as a deduction from rent, or maybe this means you have to install a deadbolt on your door. You have to look out for yourself and stay safe, as you can’t rely on others to do it for you.
Court if You Have to
If you find you have exhausted all options, you may have to take your neighbor to court. You will want to make sure you have everything documented accordingly so your argument will hold up in court and it won’t end up being a huge waste of time and money. You will have to have all conversations with the neighbor and landlord on file and ready to present before the judge and jury.
