<p>The guy/girl above me on my current apartment blasts loud stereos at night. I can hear from one floor below. Should I file a noise complaint? If so, has anyone done it before?</p>
<p>Do they know who filed the complaint?</p>
<p>Ask the office to go talk to them. If it persists, file a formal complaint.</p>
<p>Complaints are typically anonymous, unless you have the idiot who says “the people below you…” </p>
<p>I would talk to the office if you’re living in an apartment complex. If it’s a privately owned condo, then just file a formal noise complaint. I filed one on a 48 hour party (not in Austin) and the police were here within an hour and the party was raided.</p>
<p>Yep, I was the “party pooper” on that one, but it was a bunch of people who weren’t my age, and I wasn’t there - so I didn’t care. Was sick of not being able to sleep.</p>
<p>I would just knock on the person’s door and politely ask to turn the music down. It’s well within your rights to expect quiet on weeknights.</p>
<p>I did this at my previous apartment complex and at my current one and got positive results.</p>
<p>Front offices often don’t do anything about noise complaints, and I think the police only intervene on outrageously loud parties.</p>
<p>You can call information. (411 or 311)? That’s to file an official noise complaint with the city. They might send a patrol car over to see just how loud it really is and then tell them to quiet down. That’s about it. Unless they discover a party with lots of underage kids.</p>
<p>Straight from the city’s website:</p>
<p>“The Noise Ordinance is found in Chapter 9-2 of the City of Austin Codes and Ordinances.
It briefly states that a person may not make an unreasonable noise between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 7 a.m.”</p>
<p>“d. Loud people/parties
If you need immediate assistance, call 3-1-1.”</p>
<p>I would not knock on their door, especially if you don’t know them. That could easily backfire.</p>
<p>I don’t live in Austin, but in my city the police WILL come if someone complains.</p>
<p>I would definitely knock on their door first.
If they say no, you file a complaint. If they say yes, you resolved the problem!</p>
<p>They’re probably young kids who figure the people around them are also young and assume they don’t mind… if theyre jerks and tell you no, bummer, but now you know what to do. I wouldn’t burn bridges so quickly like that, I think people are pretty friendly for the most part.
Just my $.02 though :]
Good luck!</p>
<p>And I say this because at my old complex, I was on the third floor and could hear people on the first floor with LOUD music during the week, and kids would stand outside talking and being loud. I stood out on my balcony and only once had to ask them to turn it down, they were never loud again. I know someone across the hall who could hear the people below them as well and also had similar results when they spoke to them… you know what they say, it never hurts to ask!</p>
<p>You shouldn’t personally ask them because if they say no and you do file a complaint— they will know it was you. Ask the office or whoever is in charge of the apartments to go ask.</p>
<p>“You shouldn’t personally ask them because if they say no and you do file a complaint— they will know it was you.”</p>
<p>Bingo. This happened to us with a neighbor and his barking dog. Every morning at 4:00 a.m. the dog started up and didn’t stop (I think it heard the morning paper being delivered.) DH tried to have a reasonable conversation with the neighbor and it made him angry. We ended up calling the city anyway. Neighbor badmouthed us after that.</p>
<p>it’s a valid point assuming that they’re not gonna find out anyway. If you complain to the office often times it’s residents who work there and they may very well know the person you’re referring too and it’s likely the person you are complaining about may find out it was you who complained. Likewise, if they know the neighbors on their floor they may be able to figure out who it was… I knew everyone on my floor. Process of elimination would tell me who it was pretty quick. If they find out it was you because you ask them or find out it was you because you went straight away and complained… i dunno…
maybe it’s just me that i don’t really care what my neighbors have to say about me but if you’re badmouthing me to other people in the complex you either a) already know me so you dont care b) dont know me but may know some one who knows me and dont care c) dont know me but youre never gonna meet me anyway so who cares or d) they just dont care hahah
but basically, if you ARE gonna complain, definitely do it through the city so youre less likely to be found out… good luck!</p>
<p>Agreed.</p>
<p>The people working the front desk are more likely to make the mistake of saying “the person below you has been hearing your music, please turn it down.” If you just call 3-1-1, or whatever the number is, chances are it will be anonymous and a patrol car will come by to ask them to stop playing their music so loud.</p>
<p>A cop is also more likely to make a statement more similar too, “I was over in this area and could hear your music,” which also aids in deterring the neighbor from thinking it was you who complained.</p>
<p>Okay, I will tell the office… right before I renew my lease. Thanks for the comments. :)</p>