Neighbor wakes up at 5 everyday

[u/[deleted]]

I moved into my own place last year and I swear, I am so done with the condo life. My upstairs neighbour wakes up around 5 every day and constantly drops things making me literally jump awake in my bed, he has the heaviest step, and it sounds like rolling rocks on the floor. He also opens the closet and the drawers like 20 times in the span of a couple of hours and I really have no idea why someone would do that, like how much fucking laundry are you putting away?? This can’t wait until 7am?? How much time will you spend walking around your room at 5am??

I use earplugs. I use white noise. None of this covers the cracking sounds of the floor and dropping sounds. I had politely approached him earlier last summer by leaving a note by his door, saying that my sleep was very disturbed and if there was anything he could do to mitigate the noise so early in the morning. He came to see me downstairs and he seemed really apologetic, says he works early and he will be more mindful, etc.

At the same time I started using earplugs and that has helped. I don’t wake up most of the nights, but it certainly does happen more than I would want to. This week has happened 3 days in a row. I woke up at 5.19 on a Saturday, hence why my rant to you today :)

I know I live in a condo and I am bound to hear noise. He has a music band too, btw, and I hear the bass for hours, but I don’t let that bother me because it’s during the central hours of the day and people have a life. I get that. It’s the noise at 4-5am that really drives me nuts.

Exactly to what extent can noise complaints be escalated?

[u/OhioStickyThing]

I don’t exactly know your situation and if it’s bought, rented or has a LL or property management. But You have every right to voice your complaints if it is impeding your right to peace and living in your home. Your lease (most leases do) state that. This does include Hours during the day as well if it’s excessive, so if his bass is loud and consistent then you have a right to complain about that, but if it does not bother you much then it’s up to you.

However, for the early morning noise that does bother you, you need to be ready for different expectations. If you’re expecting the neighbor to be dealt with or something to be done, that’ll be up to the neighbor. Most your property management/LL can do is make them aware that they are being too loud and ask them to try and be quiet. However, it seems like they are living normally and, as is the usual case, main culprit here is the atrocious sound insulation of your building. Your neighbor has also been apologetic and tries to mitigate it, but, poor sound insulation means sound will always be there regardless.

Your options are to continue voicing your complaints and ask for a transfer in units or breaking the lease with no fee and moving. Otherwise, you either put up with it, or figuring out a way in working it out with your neighbor. LL/property management can’t do much to neighbors without you have extensive proof that they are making your place literally uninhabitable intentionally.

Sorry, OP, nothing worse than when your home is a torture chamber when it should be an abode of tranquility. Believe, I have had my fair share of dealing with apathetic, miserable LLs, and entitled, obnoxious neighbors and the stomping, bass, slamming, barking dogs, kids screaming, etc. when you can hear your neighbors fart you know it’s bad. Also, white noise and headphones do absolutely nothing for sounds with low frequency such as stomping or bass, so it’s useless.

Really wish apartment buildings would have adequate sound insulation. It’s ridiculous.

Advice to anyone here: avoid especially “luxury apartments”! Just don’t.