Apartment Neighbor Argument / Security - Please Help!

[InTheRed]

A couple months ago I signed a one year lease with an apartment complex. Since then a female neighbor living directly above me has been extremely noisy.

This past weekend she was vacuuming and generally being really loud from 11:30pm-6:00pm and it woke me up so I banged on the ceiling a little to let her know that I was simply trying to sleep (this has been an ongoing problem since we've moved in.) Whenever I call the complex regarding the noise issue, they never do much at all (and we've called numerous times.)

Back to the story: I banged on the ceiling and before I knew it she was downstairs knocking on my door claiming she can be, "as loud as she wants whenever she wants." Possibly not the best response, I said out of frustration "The next time I hear it, I'm gonna call the cops." The girl was pissed saying that SHE was going to call the cops.

Two day later, sure enough theres a knock at my door as I'm using my water tube. The police just wanted to get my half of the situation but the girl had also mentioned that there was some marijuana smoke she smells from time to time. The officer then explained that even though she was not here regarding the smoke, she wanted me to be aware that she could smell it and to be careful in case they called again.

Today I have used my vapor brothers once but I am much too afraid to simply create smoke content. I know it is much too risky but I also know the girl only told the cop out of spite because she was upset that I told her to be quiet.

Girls are vindictive and she is in college no less. What are my options regarding both the neighbor, smoking, and relocating? Obviously we are trying to break the lease (the legal lease ends in October so it would be a long time to wait) and move out of this complex but I can't afford to break the lease if it will effect my credit history. The apartment complex has been nothing but grieve, because they never do anything about the noise. We are apparently just supposed to live this way and now I feel so sketchy about letting her know shes being too loud. I don't have any plant matter in the apartment and have no plans too. It is a really depressing situation and I feel trapped and worried.

I feel used, and treated like hell simply because I wanted to go to sleep at night. I am not a bad person. I am a great neighbor besides the smoke. Obviously moving into a first floor apt was a mistake and I've learned my lesson but I just need some insight on the next step to take.

Thank you for your help!

PS I am currently not a MM Patient and the officer did seem like she wasn't super worried about the smoke but she did want to just make me aware.

 

[accessndx]

Question #1: ARE YOU GROWING IN THE APARTMENT?

We already know you're smoking, so that's a no brainer. If you're not a MM patient, you're "breaking the law" as they say.....and with that being said....all bets are off.
Your douchey neighbor who you've been locking horns with obviously has you in the crosshairs.....she ratted you out already......what makes you think it won't happen again.

If you were growing and you couldn't break the lease, I'd say get real quiet...suck it up and never answer the door. Don't make waves and leave when you can.

If you aren't growing, you could always take your smoke breaks outside where it doesn't stink up the apt. Then you could make life a living hell for your noisy neighbor.
That's probably the move I'd make. Since you know her address, you could do all sorts of evil things. For instance: Take a stroll by your neighborhood post office....pick up a change of address form....and fill it out for her....compliments of you! Maybe her bills and such should end up in Serbia or Pakistan! If she's a college student, you may want to drop an anonymous letter to the dean that she's a cheating motherfucker and that you overheard her preparing crib notes during an exam. Most colleges have big issues with that...but nobody drops a dime......this time I'd say it's worth at least a dollar.
Send her all sorts of shit like pizza and such using a non-traceable phone. I'm talking exterminators, piano repair people, Jehovah's witnesses.....
Why not go down to your local paper and put in an advert (all cash) for a monthly support group with complimentary refreshments and food.....all at her addy......maybe it's a Herpes support group?
If you can screw with her utilities, I'd give that a whirl.....all you have to do is swipe her mail.....some basic info......and baboom......cable is off.........electric is off.....phone.....gonsky! With the mail re-directed at your behest.......it may be awhile before she gets things ironed out.

BTW: Apartment complexes are a great thing because your neighbors leave their cars.....practically ready for you to vandalize.....a healthy helping of human feces on the underside of the door handle is a great morning wakeup call.....especially if you haven't had your first coffee. Smearing vegetable or olive oil all over the windshield can wreak havoc especially if you're trying to get somewhere in a hurry. There's always sugar in the old gastank.....and my personal favorite: a heaping helping of bleach right into the oil tank. Being a degreaser....it works it's magic right into the engine!

I'd really lowkey your extra-curricular activities.......down-low on the smokey smokey. Then I'd make sure you're SUPER-ULTRA-HYPER-EXTRA-LOUD AT ALL TIMES. This may involve you getting a guitar half-stack or full stack......and playing music really loud.....
Maybe you dig megaphones? Quite possibly when she's being loud you could let her know by blowing a gym whistle right into the megaphone.
Marching band and Calliope music played at inappropriate times is always a nice ice-breaker.

Find out when she's the most quiet....and then start up with the B.S..

Since the mgmt. doesn't give 2 shits, I'd say it's open season on bitches with noise.

 

[Maj.Cottonmouth]

White noise like a loud ass fan should help. It may take a little while to get used to it but once you do you will sleep like a baby and it might have the added benefit of annoying the hell out of her.

 

[whodair]

is she hott ?? there are a lot of apartments in my hood, fresh meat every fall for the old dog, they usually move out june 1st... consider a sexual relationship with her ... shes up all night anyway

 

[AOD2012]

yo fuck that bitch. next time shes loud call the cops for a fucking noise issue. people like her are going to continue to fuck with you until you smack them in the mouth(literally, or metaphorically). im really liking accessndx's opinion. to add to that, if you really want to get back at this girl, and you have access to her car, do this: go to sports authority, or any hunting store, and get deer piss. they use it as a scent to attract deers. anyways, the shit smells awful, and if you pour a little bit of that in her car, the smell will NEVER go away. she will literally have to have the car totalled.

we did this to a teacher in high school, filled like a 12 gauge syringe with that shit, went right up to the dudes convertible PT Cruiser(yea a dude drove a convertible PT Cruiser) and shot that shit through the roof. lets just say the look on the dudes face was priceless.

i hope all goes well, and definitely keep us posted.


aod

 

[whodair]

i still say give her an orgasm

 

[accessndx]

An extra helping of concentrated evil

An extra helping of concentrated evil

Krazyglue her wipers to the glass. Just thought of that one.....what a pain in the ass it would be to have your wipers not working at just the time you needed them....ROFL!

 

[InTheRed]

OK I LOVE ALL THE FAST RESPONSES.

To answer some questions:

NO I am not growing and I have no intention too.

The officer took a report of this situation with my full name and phone number and address. If anything malicious were to happen to her, she would suspect me first. That's why I am nervous as to do anything besides just be loud.

Smoke breaks are in my car from now on.

It is currently the dead of winter out and I don't even know the girls first or last name.

The digging of her heels is hearable through my fan and ear plugs at night.. it is a combination of her being a bitch and the shitty construction/insulation the building.

Oh and shes not hot.. I live with my girlfriend as is.

 

[Iraganji]

I would never fuck with other peoples mail.

Many apartment complexes around here have "LOTS" of rules. You need to get out your lease and find out if she or you are breaking any of them.

Rule number one of apartment renting if you have the lower unit and sound travels through walls well.... Do not get in a noise war with the folks upstairs, they always win.

 

[accessndx]

Don't worry about suspicion......there's NO EVIDENCE. The cops have better shit to do than investigate pranks. If they can barely do anything about identity theft...I'd say you sending some college chick some pizza and religious wackos isn't going to land you in hot water.
If she's this much of a bitch, she probably has gotten on the bad side of multiple people.....one more in the crowd won't be noticed.
Plus, it seems like your local fuzz are like the Keystone cops. They're hardly interested and not capable of tracking down your trail of mayhem.

BTW: the last poster stated he wouldn't mess with people's mail. I find that honorable.....and that's the general consensus....but it won't protect you from an insidious dark mofo that has it in for you.....they (much like I) don't care about the fear factor involving the U.S. Mail.
I say pluck it....use it.....and never look back.

 

[InTheRed]

I won't mess with her mail. I don't want to cause more trouble then its worth. The Dean of College is a great idea if I could just snag her name. If there is any other info on how to find out the name that would be great.


The mail is under lock and key anyway.


Thank you for all the help. I will keep everyone posted but I am still so fuckin frustrated. I hate living here.

 

[ddrew]

Your not growing? Then it's on.
Myself I would tell the bitch if she fucks with me again I will knock her fucking teeth out(i wouldn't, but she doesn't know that) and she can go run tell anyone she wants that I said that.

What I would do for sure is pull out my huge old speakers, and jack them up as close to the ceiling as possible, crank up the bass, and put on some alvin and the chipmunks, or anything else I find annoying, these would play from 6am till 10pm, the hours in which you are allowed to make as much noise as you want.
Turn up the heat on the bitch to the point where management lets you out of your lease, or she moves.

 

[WasntMe]

First off, you totally handled the interaction with her all wrong ... learn for next time.

Banging on your ceiling is both impersonal and confrontational. How would you react to someone you don't know being confrontational to you out of the blue? ie If someone flips you off while driving, do you stop and offer to buy the guy breakfast to make peace or do you flip him off right back?

What you SHOULD have done was politely gone up their and introduced yourself as the downstairs neighbor, said hello, small talk etc ... build friendly knowledge of each other and THEN mention that due to your work that your sleep schedule is a little different. You mention how thin the ceilings are in a joking manner and joke that you can hear every time she is wearing high heels in the apartment. Then you ASK her if she wouldn't mind turning aerobics class noise level(by how it sounds) down during the hours you need to sleep.

If you were successful in chatting her up and being friendly then typically a girl will be more concerned about what people she knows think of her ..... usually you would have heard far less noise... but that interaction needed to be done as soon as the noise started... her move in or yours. learn that for next time.


As the situation stands you are now both in the mind set of passive aggressiveness. Not good. Defuse this or things will not get better.
These people above recommending vandalism are obviously children or childish people with their own social issues that haven't learned to deal with social conflicts in a healthy manor. Advice like that has no use for you, other then entertainment, unless you are looking to escalate your problems unnecessarily.

Look from her perspective, single college girl home alone with verbally aggressive neighbor ... of course she is calling the poepoe.

Google "city noise ordinance" in what ever town/city you live in. Know your local laws. Lot's of areas DON'T have noisy & "quiet hours" in their ordinance, a big misconception of most people. Some list decibel levels etc. Local rules are different all over. Know your local area guidelines. knowledge is power.

See, since you made a bad first impression and did not make a friendly understanding with your neighbor ... now local guidelines are all you have unless you repair your neighbor relationship and come up with your own agreed upon situation..

Depending on what your local laws/guidelines are will make a big difference on what you can actually do. Not knowing what they are I can only recommend 2 courses of action.

- Suck it up and go apologize (not that you are wrong per say, just that you want to find common ground at this point so you can get her to be quiet) .... Say something like: you haven't been able to sleep well do to noise and it has made you off your game and extra grumpy, ... you should have talked to her first... your bad. Tell her you'll stop banging on the ceiling and leave her be if she could be more conscious of your sleep schedule and how thin the floors/ceiling are.

-move, roll the dice and see if you end up in a better situation ... maybe get a place where people don't live above you.




and obviously, whatever the Cannabis rules are in your area apply .. until you defuse the issue or move ... cops are on the board and in play.

Also Messing someone's mail falls under federal jurisdiction. Vandalizing their car? Seriously people, are your social skills that stunted that you cant look someone in the eye and talk to them like a normal human being? If this is really how some of you actually deal with the world around you then I would seriously suggest some professional therapy.
Telling someone to break local and federal laws is not being helpful when dealing with a social conflict .... it's just childish and irresponsible.

 

[InTheRed]

Thats a good idea too. I will consider that ddrew. I like the Dean of College idea if I could just find out a way to snag her name.

If I play the music on normal times then I should be good too. Thanks man.

 

[InTheRed]

very good point 'wasnt me'

This is the main reason I don't wanna do anything. It is hard for me to bite my toungue and just apologize though. I'm ready to just not do anything at all and not smoke here anymore.

I'll only smoke outside until we move but moving is clearly the best (and saddest) option.

 

[ddrew]

It's already hostile between you two, it will be hard to back it down from here.

Another option is to go to the building management, and tell them, in person and writing(make copy) that this woman is making your life unlivable there, and if they will not do something about it, then you want out of your lease with no penalties as they are in breach of your rental agreement by not providing you with a peaceful residence like you thought you were getting when you signed the lease.

Show up everyday at the rental office until you get what you want.

 

[Iraganji]

My last lease was strict with noise after 10 pm. This protects all of the renters from noise wars. I'm going to assume that there are other neighbors as well? Along the sides and perhaps above her as well?
IMO, fighting noise with noise will make your next 10 months miserable and piss off a lot of innocent neighbors. This is why I haven't suggested dumping your change jar in the dryer and things of the like.

Your goal should be to try to dissolve this situation rather than to allow yourself to loose your Fonzie and commit crimes of retaliation. Some people like a good feud and you may have more than you bargained for once it's too late and you're already in it. Take me for example, I don't care what kind of petty shit is going on with people in my life, if you fuck with my ride, my belongings, my family and kids, I will FUCK YOU UP! Is her man someone like me? Is it worth finding out? No, dissolve this shit my friend.

edit...took me too long to write this. nice post wasn't me

 

[darkhorse]

I think she is going to kick your ass if she hears another peep out of you.

seriously though the battle is on and it will be a long one i bet.

 

[teemu shalanie]

R -u- in a med state , get a card ......
stop being a dick, what time was she making noise , u said 1130@night till 6 @ night , man that s a long time , to do shit?, maybe you got AM/PM SWITCHED UP?, If you are in an apt everyone has to try and get along , maybe have your girl talk to her to smooth it out. This high school shit banging on ceiling,etc.
grow up , get over it.
TS

 

[ddrew]

- Suck it up and go apologize (not that you are wrong per say, just that you want to find common ground at this point so you can get her to be quiet) .... Say something like: you haven't been able to sleep well do to noise and it has made you off your game and extra grumpy, ... you should have talked to her first... your bad. Tell her you'll stop banging on the ceiling and leave her be if she could be more conscious of your sleep schedule and how thin the floors/ceiling are.
.

This is good advice too.^^^^
Go knock on the door, when she opens it, smile and hold your hands up, and say you're here with an olive branch to make peace.
Tell her you weren't feeling well, and had a bad headache and had laid down to try to get some relief from it, and when you heard the vacuum, you just flew off the handle and starting banging.
Tell you'd like to start over, say hi, my name is ******* and I'm your downstairs neighbor, nice to meet you.

Not as fun as a neighbor war, but ultimately it's probably the easiest solution here.

Now if she wants to keep being a bitch after that, great, then the fun really starts.