If you’re trying to document a noise complaint, you need to record true decibel levels, not just get an audio recording.
Are you willing to put up with the noise during certain hours, or are you trying to get rid of it all together? If you and your other neighbors can agree together that you are willing to put up with the noise between 9 and 7 for example, I think you all should negotiate with the guy. If everyone is on board, this might work. (Send the neighbor the guy is friendliest with to talk to him)
If you all are trying to ban the noise all together, that will be a tougher road and will have to go through the town.
@Lindagaf I think you did the right thing by talking directly to your inconsiderate neighbor, and you could let him know that you didn’t call the police only if you feel comfortable doing that. But, I would recommend doing everything going forward anonymously if possible because he is a jerk, as you say, and see if other neighbors can file reports with the town simultaneously to strengthen the case. The problem with reporting neighbors is that you then have to live near them, see them, and it can just make life unpleasant but sometimes you just don’t have a choice. Even saying that, however, I still think you did the right thing by letting him know calmly and respectfully that the noise was a nuisance and against town ordinance (and giving him a chance to be a good neighbor). I had a similar incident confronting a neighbor who keep their two dogs outside in extreme weather with little shelter. One day it was hailing and I confronted them about it (they wouldn’t even open the door). A longtime resident told me what I did was stupid and that I might get beat up (“they won’t kill you” is how he put it). I was frightened but nothing every happened and I then just reported them (after some time) to animal control periodically. Looking back I’m glad I confronted them because I gave them a chance to remedy the situation and I did what I felt was the right thing to do. Any chance they are renters? Landlords don’t like problem tenants.
This can vary greatly by landlord and by local/state housing laws.
Unless the tenant is involved in some serious criminal activity(felony level such as dealing drugs or operating a meth lab), the landlord isn’t always considered responsible for the conduct of the tenants depending on the jurisdiction.
Also, considering some states/cities are known for laws which lean in favor of tenants so evicting those who know their tenant’s rights can be an ordeal which the tenant can drag out, landlords in those states aren’t likely to be willing to subject themselves to such a process…especially if the tenant had no issues paying the rent on time and doesn’t cause problems for the landlord such as property damage.
We had a really awful neighbor! He had loud barking dogs (sometimes 4-6 adults and litters of pups). Nicely pointing out to him that my young children were sleeping only made him angry and worse! Then he would mow his lawn late in the evening when small children are sure to be sleeping. He continued to do anything he could to be just awful to us. At that time we owned about 1/2 of an acre. We found the most wonderful solution! We moved to 3 acres! It is heaven! I hardly hear anyone. Just this weekend I took care of the “new” (been a few years now) neighbor’s dogs. We have a handful of nearby neighbors (although everyone has 2-6 acres) and each neighbor is just lovely. I pray nobody moves because each neighbor is wonderful. Everyday I am grateful we moved! I have come to understand if you don’t like what is going on around you either live with it or buy more space/land!
Given the description of the neighbor as an unrepentant jerk and that he has kids who like to have parties, I’d be thinking pretty hard about putting up a camera to monitor the front of the house. If you park your cars outside, I’d make sure they’re covered by the camera too.
Today must be the bad neighbor day. H just called our neighbor behind and up a hill to let him know
about the drainage repair that we did to take care of the water coming from his lot. The guys not on speaking
terms with the neighbor above him because of the water coming from that lot. We spend really big money
dealing with his side of the fence (with his permission) as well as our own. He made it clear he was not paying for anything and we did not ask him to pay.
H did point out when they were together looking at the situation
that he has two garden beds that are completely overgrown and has chicken wire falling down around it.
It is what we see when we are in the yard. It is a side yard and we do not spend time there so have let it
go for 2-3 years. Our D is getting married in Sept. and we had asked him to deal with it. He said he would.
But today he went completely off on H and said, "are you saying it does not look good? H responded that it
looks awful and this is what we see…the guy got really sarcastic and will have his guys remove it tomorrow and
then slammed the phone down. H is pretty rattle. I think H could have pointed out that the wedding was coming up and so forth but also know this guy is jerk. As H said, “he is showing his true colors now”.
If he does not take the mess down we will get the HOA involved. Not sure what power they have but they
have become much more involved with exterior issues.
Lindagaf, I would probably leave it alone. Sometimes just leaving things alone is best. If I did decide to
let him know that I did not call the police I would wait a few days in any event.
So then why has this noisy neighbor been able to get away with this kind of behavior for a year and a half?
You say you don’t want to be a jerk by reporting him, but he’s already shown he’s a jerk. You’ve tried to do right by him. You might want to try one more time, accompanied by several other neighbors who are also annoyed by the situation. Since there is a “strict noise ordinance”, this isn’t a question of him getting to slide on the time. Maybe you can offer to look the other way if there are (very) occasional outbursts of noise outside of quiet hours, as long as he and his family don’t violate quiet hours.
We went through something similar. I went to talk to the problem neighbor to try to work out a mutually agreeable agreement. He turned belligerent, telling me all kinds of nonsense about how what he was doing wasn’t against the law (it was). Unbeknownst to me, another neighbor called the police to report the problem…and he got a citation. He reacted badly–creating more noise.
Unfortunately for him, he was a renter, and we were on very good terms with the owner of the property. Even more unfortunately for him, he was actually not on the lease–his wife/girlfriend was, but he’d never been added. Evicted for cause. Still took a few months.
ugh I can relate, we live next door to a hot rod guy. I swear he always planned his engine revving for when my kids were napping! Fortunately the noise never lasted too long, and these days he doesn’t do it too much (I do think one of our neighbors complained to the township, and he has curtailed his at-home engine tuning because of that.) Fortunately he is not a jerk. We have never said anything to him about the noise, but it definitely didn’t ingratiate him to us, either. We share pleasantries across the driveway but that’s it. Oh and he also is a freak about his lawn; he mows and blows it 3 times a week which takes 1.5 hours because he cross-cuts and blows every nook and cranny. I always say we will have the last laugh when he is deaf at age 60!!
Being angry for 15 years over a simple complaint doesn’t seem good for one’s health.
If I knew the guy is a jerk and that he’s breaking local noise ordinances, I’d have called the police or the town from the get go. I wouldn’t have gone over there. My sweet words and apologies would have been to the police (“sorry for this bother, but…”) A qtr mile isn’t like he’s next door or personally close to you, etc.
And now, I wouldn’t assume he’ll think you reported. You seem to be saying you’re not the only one who’s brought it up.
But if If I were very concerned, when I did speak with the police, I’d mention that, too. (That his reaction was unpleasant and you’re worried.)
Does OP no good at all to tell her the police won’t care, just because they’re busy where another poster lives. Plus, Lindagaf is saying they did show up. And some older example may neither be relevant today, nor assure OP.
Best wishes, LG. If it continues, think about you and other neighbors banding together to discuss with authorities.
OP, I get the problem, but you relate going over there and I’m thinking, really, the first interaction and you are bringing up the noise ordinance, telling him you are recording it, telling him you’ve spoken to all the other neighbors about it (how else would you know how they feel) and you don’t want to call police (which implies that you can and will) ---- and you wonder why he’s defensive and hostile?
But what’s done is done. and the time to go right over and say hey, I am not the person who called the cops, just so you know, is also past.
I would leave a note in the mailbox – " I feel like this isn’t going well, and I apologize for not handling it better. If we could agree on a time that works for us both, for the weekend start-up, that would be great. I know your cars are important and I hate to see police involved. My number is 123-2345 if you’d like to talk"
We live in suburbia. and we have to coexist with leaf blowers, a guy who mowed down my garden, 5 small dogs that bark, neighbors who loathe an overhanging tree — it’s awkward at times, but sometimes you just have to buy earplugs, or spray the bushes with srichaca, or agree to cut the tree down at their expense. Because you don’t have the car sound solved, and NOW you have a larger problem. So, bite the bullet and be concilatory in order to reach detente.
I like that approach @greenbutton. It’s always best to try to start off in a friendly and nonjudgmental way. I have moved a bunch so I have had lots of different sorts of interactions with neighbors, mostly good, a few very bad. Having good relations with neighbors is very important to me and I try to keep the peace if it’s at all possible.
I had one neighbor with a dog who barked incessantly. When we were both outside I asked her if I could help and watch the dog or give her treats. She was very appreciative. She mentioned that my cat had been coming over there and that she’d given her water. See? I’d been a bad neighbor too and didn’t even realize it. This neighbor was later the one who saw me struggling to shovel snow and came out with her own shovel to help. I wish we still lived next door to them.
But then there was the neighbor in a different neighborhood who decided to plow up my property, property which happened to include state and town protected wetlands. H and I brought brownies over and tried to have a talk generally, welcoming them to the neighborhood and commiserating about the “wetlands police” who were known to force people to replant huge tracts if they discovered any disruptions–and they were known to inspect all over the town. My gauge of the guy was that he was young and angry and spoiled and not amenable to compromise. After that I went directly to the town for assistance. About six months later, he was arrested and later convicted of assault. A neighbor been taking pictures of the neighborhood and he thought she was filming him, possibly because he was doing something he should not have been doing?, and grabbed her and twisted her arm to wrest the camera from her and smash it. I’m very glad we don’t live anywhere near these people now.
So now our backyard shares a boundary with a neighbor who thought nothing of putting up an oversized play structure right at the property line. It exceeds height restrictions as well as setback restrictions. I don’t like it and I don’t like that it invades my privacy. We’ve sort of solved the problem by training the climbing rose bush that was already growing at the rear fence to grow upward and create a visual barrier. It’s not perfect and they’ve removed trees in other areas that affect us (this is the cardinal sin in this town-it’s taken just as seriously as the wetlands preservation was in the other) but I can live with it and count myself lucky.
"If cops respond to noise complaints at all, it’s usually at the very bottom of their priorities. "
“Does OP no good at all to tell her the police won’t care, just because they’re busy where another poster lives.”
For some quiet, low crime towns, it might be the highlight of the LEO’s day. 
^Yes, we live in such a small town that the weekly newspaper report usually has no arrests or sheriff’s calls. Usually only a couple of medical calls. When I called 911 when a pipe in my basement burst, five law enforcement vehicles showed up! A couple of fire engines, even. It was kind of cute.
We had horrible - dangerous- neighbor’s many years ago when my kids were little. Thankfully they moved- I hope their kids are ok and I still think about them.
The dad was forbidden from entering the school to pick up his kids because of threats he made to teachers and students. This guy had orders of protection against him, was arrested, had child protective services at his house, kids taken away, etc. One day the police came to his house and he blamed me. He came to my front door - thankfully another neighbor was outside with his dog and walked over to calm this guy down. He destroyed our bushes, broke a neighbor’s mailbox, and destroyed his rented house before moving out. He was arrested for beating up his wife, among other things. Needless to say it was horrific.
@Lindagaf part of me thinks you should go over there with some cookies and let him know that you did not make the call; the other part of me wonders if it is safe to go over there alone- I would not … due to my prior experience. I do think that you have the right to peace and quiet… and I hope that this guy is “just” an inconsiderate jerk and nothing more. A camera might be a good idea, but I say this based on my past experience.
In our town there is a large fine for noise past a certain hour. One family I know has parties often… and the police are always called. They blast their music at 11:00, 12:00, 1:00 am… They don’t seem to care.
“For some quiet, low crime towns, it might be the highlight of the LEO’s day.”
+1!!
I can’t blame them considering the complaining neighbor failed to acknowledge their wrongful accusation…much less apologize for attributing my parents as the cause of the leak when the super found the leak had nothing to do with them and the fact their proximity is such they pass each other regularly.
And to add insult to injury, that neighbor even tried to foist the repair costs on my parents even after it was confirmed the cause had nothing to do with them. Talk about nerve…
Good luck! I hope that this man and his sons don’t retaliate. Camera is a good idea.
I would say nothing to Mr. Hotrod for now. But you might tell your other neighbors that you talked to the guy, and that someone else (one of them?) called the police, and that you all should keep eyes/ears open for more noise or possible payback.
Years ago, I reported a violation (involving bullying/hazing/nudity at neighborhood pool) to our POA–after the fact by email. I was told to call from the pool if it happened again. It did, and I called. POA guy came right away and kicked the teenagers out. My teenage sons and younger kids were with me at the pool at the time. I called from the restroom. I asked the POA guy to “question” my sons, too, to reduce suspicion that I had called. The violators were in such a rush to get out of there that they backed into each others’ cars in the parking lot! Then they retaliated against the POA guy by pouring chemicals on his lawn and egging his house and car. Another kid told the POA guy who did it, then the police went after them. They only had to apologize, pay for the damage, and were banned from the pool. (I’m not sure if being high school athletes, including a “superstar,” made them go easy on them. Superstar won big state award that year with lots of praise for his character as well as talent.) POA installed cameras at the pool. I wonder though if I had just kept quiet, none of this drama would’ve happened.
In issues with neighbors, I would only deal with authorities or say nothing/put up with annoyance. Someone who consistently breaks the law by revving a hotrod early in the morning or late at night, or leaves their dog barking and doesn’t even think this will bother the neighbors, is usually not the type who will be receptive to neighbors’ polite complaints.
Some people are just inconsiderate. And people have very different ideas about how much noise is too much. A mom I know recently got an anonymous note from a group of neighbors asking her to supervise her kids and keep them quieter in the yard. The note complained of continuous, excessive screaming/ shrieking that sounded like someone was seriously injured or being abused. (They have a trampoline, and the kids play out there for hours on end.) So instead of showing the note to her kids (who are not that little–8,10, 12?) and teaching them to be considerate/save the screaming for emergencies-- the mom posted the note on facebook and mocked the neighbors–and received dozens of comments/jokes in support of her “let kids be kids–grouchy neighbors need to chill” position!! (WTH??) I did not post anything, but I would definitely take the neighbors’ side here. Calling the police may have been more effective.
For quite a few years I endured neighbors’ barking dogs–dogs left in an apartment or yard while the owners were gone at work all day. In the apartment, I complained in writing to the property owner. (Dogs were eventually banned there after I left-- too many complaints about noise and poop). In the neighborhood, I sensed that the owners were inconsiderate types who would likely ignore, mock, or retaliate against complaints. I got one of those gadgets that makes a high-pitched noise when the dog barks. It seemed to help. Also, I got some dog biscuits and my kids started talking to the dog, feeding him under the fence. (Glad we moved from there).
@greenbutton , your thoughts are interesting. The neighbor and I know each other, but we don’t socialize or anything. And your interpretation of our conversation is just not correct. I walked up to him at 7:52 this morning and said hello, and explained why I was there: he had woken me up with his car. Yes, the noise ordinance came up. Otherwise, what justification do I have for being annoyed about being woken up? Maybe he is unaware that there is a noise ordinance. Plenty of people are clueless about town codes. The conversation evolved. He began shouting at me. Of course he’s on the defense, he knows he’s in the wrong. I had no idea that more people than just two neighbors were annoyed until he told me that another neighbor is leaving notes on his cars in the driveway, etc… Should I have remained silent and said nothing about talking with other neighbors? I went there and talked to him. I let him know there’s a problem. Would it have been more appropriate to have talked to him a year ago? Maybe, but I reached my breaking point. I was hoping that maybe other neighbors would speak to him I guess. I have only ever discussed him with two neighbors, not all neighbors. None of us have ever acted on anything. I have no idea which neighbor called the police, but it was not the two I know well.
I will absolutely not say I should have handled it better. I was calm. I was polite. I let him know the facts. At no point did I shout, even though he shouted at me. I am a very direct person and I did the awkward and uncomfortable thing, even though I would have rather stayed in bed. I could have cursed silently again and let my frustration build up, but I decided I needed to do something about it, so I did. If I hadn’t seen a police car in his driveway, there would be no issue for me. I would have simply hoped that perhaps our conversation might result in more considerate behavior, and if it doesn’t, Imwould then have to decide what to do next. But I saw the police car, and I feel unsure about what to do. However, I feel 100% that I did the right thing, in the right way, this morning.
I will probably leave a note and my phone number. I will not apologize. I did nothing wrong. I am certainly happy to engage in conversation and I will make that clear. This is not a person blowing leaves at 7:45 on a Sunday. It is not dogs barking, roosters crowing, or doors slamming. Wearing earplugs every single time I sleep is not going to happen. I live in a semi-rural area with no street lights, where people keep horses and chickens. I can’t wear earplugs around all day, whenever he tinkers with his car. He tinkers with it at all hours of the day, randomly, whenever he feels like it. I am explaining all,this to give you a better idea.