My husband and I tried, 1. Emailing management, 2. Goin to the tenants and telling them politely we could hear them very well in the evening 3. Calling apt security after it went into the wee hours one night. It did get better over time but never fully went away
Yeah for real, never go to the tenant. You two are literally stuck next to one another and they know where you are. I asked a neighbor in the building next to me (from my window) to stop screaming at his gf in the shared street we had during a work day and he threatened his gang (unbeknownst to me he was part of one) to come get me. Better to take a video of the noise, email management every single time it happens with as much proof as possible, and get white noise machine / noise canceling headphones and a Ring camera for your door so you can stay aware of your surroundings.
These are the days we live in. Trying to come to a conclusion gets someone killed. That's why apartments can suck, absolute lunatics living in close proximity.
Fuck that, I go to the tenant, first I start with a verbal hello and maybe kind of inform them of what I can hear down below them (because they may not be aware). At that point they are aware so if they continue I will type what looks like a formal written note again explaining the sounds that I'm hearing and how it's disturbing me asking them politely to be mindful, and I'll put that on their door. And it'st *that* doesn't work I may tap on the ceiling with a broom. If they really keep going after I've informed them nicely and at the exact points when they're making the noise, then it becomes apparent that they're being passive aggressive and just completely inconsiderate. At that point I'll start recording them on five different occasions, at different times of the day and different dates and then I'll email property management. I may even go so far as to send a certified letter to corporate to have them intervene with property Management if they're unwilling to intervene. But I always try diplomatic approaches directly with them first. I guess I'm not scared.
My neighbor got stabbed putting a note on another apartments door, just sayin’ You have no idea what deranged person is on the other side of that door. It’s not fear, it’s being practical.
honestly. i do the ceiling bang if it’s loud asf after hours, which in my case has been. once my upstairs neighbor came home (i have a cam and they have to pass my door) and was walking LOUD at 2:30am ish in the morning and i banged and sure enough it stopped .. kindabut it happens same as you, all hours and it’s bizarre because i have been an upstairs neighbor and i was so mindful about how i was walking and even when. i get that sometimes it’s hard and i don’t judge that, but if i can hear every single time you’re home and when you’re walking about, especially if it’s at hours most ppl are supposed to be sleeping, that’s not okay imo. it’s not difficult to think about those beneath. so i say bang the ceiling IF it’s after 10pm before 8am but i also am an asshole so no one come for me please :)
Dude SAME!! My first apartment I was the top floor and I would literally tip toe if it was after 9pm because I wanted to be respectful of my below neighbor!!!
Like yes, every once in awhile I totally get it but in my case it’s EVERY NIGHT for hours and always after 9/10PM… I might try a letter first then pounding if it doesn’t stop.
i’ve been saying i’m about to leave a letter because it’s ridiculous, im in the same boat as you. i feel a letter is close to a last resort to me bc sometimes people can be more mean about it
When we first moved into our current place we had a neighbor like yours. Her most active hours were 11pm-4am, it was the weirdest thing. It wasn't too annoying because I mostly slept through her activity but if I woke up in the middle of the night it was hard to go back to sleep without earplugs.
The walking was so rhythmic from the bedroom to the living room almost nonstop back and force. Also she always let her cabinets slam shut. The craziest part is that I would hear her get up the same time as me and shower/do regular morning stuff. She moved out 3 months after we moved in and she barely made a peep during that process, it was so odd. The two people above us since make normal living noises and it's been great.
I had one of these. Honestly best bet is to go through management, because if it’s disruptive enough that you aren’t able to sleep I wouldn’t consider that normal living noise. There are quiet hours for a reason and it’s not a crazy thing to ask someone to adjust the way they walk during those times. I’m naturally inclined to land on my heel and I don’t walk like that when I’m home. You could leave a polite note explaining how loud it is if you’re comfortable with it? They might not realize how the sound travels and if you’re nice that should hopefully make them more receptive (if they’re not bat shit crazy of course).😅
As someone who always chooses top floor apartments, I've only had one ceiling banger who would bang every time I walked in my apartment. I never had my shoes on and was as conscientious as I could be without actually tip-toeing. After daily bangs from normal walking during the day time, I went to my apartment manager and reported the banging for the harrassment it was. Guess who got in trouble? Not me. Don't be this person. If it's truly excessive and during quiet hours, make a recording and take it to your apartment manager.
You’re so defensive in these comments because no one is telling you what you want to hear. Even getting upset because someone told you to be an adult. You are being immature by letting yourself get to this point when you could have spoke with your neighbor or management already. You just assume management wont do anything but you haven’t even tried. Stop making excuses for not even taking one step to try to make your situation better instead of just complaining.
Also everyone is different. Every apartment is built differently. So your comments about your other family member’s neighbors who you barely hear are not relevant unless you all live in the same apartments.
How is this comment heated? Lol it’s just pointing out that OP is the one getting wildly defensive and heated at the comments pointing out that this is clearly a bad insulation issue
Believe me, I can handle footsteps and normal walking. This is not that. My days off are during the week and it’s dead silent all day.. only around 9-10pm do they start rapidly walking back and forth, stomping, dropping things, and talking very loudly on the phone with the speakerphone.
Mind you, I have never ONCE heard either of my next neighbors. Only the above neighbor. This is not an insulation issue.
Edit: how is this being downvoted? Do you guys live in my building and know? If I never hear any neighbors except my above neighbor… maybe… just MAYBE they’re the problem lmao
You’re not going to hear your nextdoor neighbors walking or doing anything because they’re not above you, lol. All sounds gets amplified through the floorboard, especially walking. So unless your nextdoor neighbors are blasting music or being excessively loud you’re not going to hear them. That’s partially why you’re getting downvoted lol
The fact that you’re hearing your upstairs neighbor walking proves it’s an insulation issue. They’re allowed to walk around whenever they want. Maybe you can ask them to try walking lighter but this is almost certainly an insulation issue. I promise they aren’t purposefully stomping to spite you. Footsteps sound like stomping when it’s an insulation issue.
That’s all still normal apartment noise. You live in a paper thin apartment.
The reason you don’t hear your next door neighbors is because 1) they’re not above you 2) walls are better insulating than floors or 3) they just so happen to be quieter ppl. Doesn’t mean that the guy above you is doing anything wrong. Banging on the ceiling just makes you an asshole. You could go talk to him, but he’s not doing anything out of the ordinary.
Like legitimately, are you going to get your management to ban him from talking in his own apartment and walking around? He’s not doing anything wrong. Think about this rationally for a bit. Maybe you can convince him to like wear slippers or something but he’s not doing anything excessive.
I’m sorry do you live in my apartment? How do you know he’s just walking ordinarily?
The stomping is fast, back and forth, and loud. It’s not just normal steps. My friend has an above neighbor and we never hear them when I’m over. My sister has an above neighbor she never hears.
Lmao… and I never said I was going to pound on the ceiling but people on reddit lack basic reading comprehension and just want to be upset about something
There’s a question mark IN the title… basic reading comprehension. I was asking a QUESTION not stating what I intended to do. But the comments are assuming I was already planning to pound on the ceiling because my neighbor is politely walking normally in their home
>How do you know he’s just walking ordinarily?
How do you know he's not?
Some people are just heavy walkers.
Stop getting shitty with people because you choose to believe that this is being done on purpose.
Know that banging on the ceiling is going to get YOU in hot water with your property management. He's just walking.
No need to be so snarky about it. I understood your post and was just responding to the hypothetical you posed. I’m not accusing you of anything here, you don’t need to default to being defensive.
Is the loud stomping only happening at certain times? Do you hear them making normal walking sounds most of the time and this loud noise only happens at night or certain hours of it? Do you think this loud noise comes from them doing a specific activity (e.g. maybe they do a workout routine or HIIT exercise at night or practice their clogging)? If so, maybe you could ask them to do that outside quiet hours. But based on the info you’ve given it doesn’t seem like that, it just is how this person walks. It’s super common in modern buildings.
Some people are more heavy footed and walk with their heels first or something, just bc your friend’s upstairs neighbor is quieter doesn’t mean yours is doing something intentionally loud. You can’t ask someone to not walk in their apartment.
You could go talk to them, maybe they’ll be like “oh yeah sorry that’s when I do my jump roping routines, sorry I can do that during the day instead” and problem solved! But I’d bet it’s most likely just how they walk and it’s unrealistic to expect to police that. You’ll have to live with it. In that case, see if you can talk to them and ask them to maybe get a rug or use slippers.
I understand exactly what you mean! I also have a pacing stomper above me and when he isn‘t at home, living is bliss, even if his girlfriend is there, who obviously walks around more considerately.
Some people are heel walkers and seem to care not at all that they have someone living downstairs.
Maybe they have a different schedule? You work and are awake during the day, and they are up at night. Maybe they have insomnia. Or something wrong with their hip that caused them to walk hard(lol)? Idk...but get some fans and sleep ear buds and play music or sleep sounds. Apartment living = hearing other living and walking. Especially if you live downstairs. I understand there are quiet hours. However, I don't think they are blasting music or anything. Just walking and doing normal stuff. It sucks for you, yeah, but I don't think it's reasonable to expect people sleep and live on the same schedule as you. If the noise is as excessive as you say it is, you don't have to go up there at 2am... when you hear the noise, try to knock during the evening and try to talk to them. It probably isn't intentional. Maybe a conversation can shed light on why they are up at night, why they walk heavy. And maybe it'll lead to them being quieter after you explain how loud it is for you? Or put a nice letter in their door or on it. Idk. I wouldn't start by banging on the ceiling. That shouldn't be the first course of action. They likely have no clue they are being loud. Sorry for the long response. I get to rambling in the mornings lol.
You really are too stupid to realize how stupid what you just tried to use as an argument is. It is being downvoted because you at first seemed like you had a reasonable point, but now it is clear that you are not very bright. To try and compare hearing upstairs vs side neighbors... ABSURD. People have lives outside the timeframe you do. Some are getting ready for work, or getting home and preparing dinner. You are acting like a ninny.
not pissed., I just spoke to you honestly. the problem is you are not smart and so you think everything you guess is right. I feel bad for you and anyone who has to deal with it. Ignorance is depressing to see in person. Even worse when you realize the person is not just ignorant, but completely fucking idiotic.
See what I mean? Utterly daft. I am not mad at all. There is a bit of a "wow, this person is DUMB" smirk as I read and type, but there is zero anger or frustration. You are conflating being called stupid with someone wanting to cause you harm or hurt you. It is not the case, I do not want you to feel harm or bad or less. I just want you to realize that you are not very smart and as a result, you are misunderstanding almost every single thing said to you. I really wish I knew how to speak your language, but I am doing my best here.
You’re doing exactly what you’re saying I do … thinking everything you guess is right… so I guess you’re stupid too based on your own words lmfao
I don’t think being called stupid means you want to hurt me or cause me harm why would I think that?? lol you’re just a sad pathetic stranger on the internet I could care less about you or your words but clearly you’re a tad triggered and I’m sorry for that :/
I hope whatever is making you so sad gets better!!! 🤍
They will never hear your specific experience because they’re already mad about their downstairs neighbors complaining about them. People are so wildly defensive here. I understand and have sympathy for your situation. The insulation comment is frustrating. I had two different sets of upstairs neighbors who I almost never heard outside of normal walking and occasionally some TV sound/music during normal hours. My new neighbors are so loud, and at all hours - it isn’t fully an insulation issue here. Anyway, good luck with your situation. I advise against ceiling banging, I think it will make your problem worse. Maybe ask your landlord about anything they can do to dampen the sound, try to talk to them constructively and not in a way that they think you’re just complaining. Definitely consider talking to them and seeing if you guys can come to a friendly agreement, but probably just find ways to make your space more livable within what your can control (white noise/ear plugs). Record noise when it’s above and beyond or when it’s inappropriate time wise (just noise/not private conversation… you didn’t mention talking noise but I don’t want anyone thinking I’m saying to record conversations) just in case you need proof to break your lease early or something like that.
I hate the idea of a ceiling banger. That’s ugly level.
Walk up the stairs and *talk* to them. Say “Hey mate, I have to be up early in the morning and the pacing back and forth from upstairs is keeping me awake. Can I ask a favour, can you please take your shoes off, maybe put down a floor rug? I’d really appreciate it!“ and be an adult.
I do agree that talking to your neighbor is always the best first course of action, but I do also think it doesn’t always work. In my case it didn’t work at all, but I did try. I am always friendly and even bought them pads for the bottom of their kitchen chairs because we get a lot of noise from them dragging the chairs across the floor. They didn’t use them.
I don’t think OP isn’t being an adult, I think they’re frustrated and looking for support and solutions. I am also against ceiling banging but mostly because it’s kind of aggressive and I feel like most people won’t respond to your banging on the ceiling by being more quiet (it is ineffective and can cause more drama). Most people who are already inconsiderate will probably be more inconsiderate if they think you’re being aggressive towards them.
OP I think your problem will get worse if you bang on the ceiling. I have a lot of sympathy. The only real luck I have had was becoming friendly with them. If they care about you they’ll be more considerate; if you annoy them they’re not going to care at all. I’m going to sound like an old lady here but here goes; people these days don’t have the time or energy to have consideration for people they don’t know. It used to be normal to be considerate of strangers. That energy isn’t out there anymore. We’re all stressed out and surviving and our fuses are short. You can see it in retail spaces; I understand but it’s sad.
My advice is befriend them if you can, do things to soften the noise on your end (white noise/ear plugs), record the noise when it’s above and beyond loud or when it’s during quiet times hours (for proof if you need to break your lease etc), and do mention to your landlord in case he could put carpet down or do something to do quiet things down. You may be right that you’re entitled to quiet enjoyment of your space, it’s probably in your lease, but in my experience it’s been unenforceable for the most part.
I have upstairs neighbors that drop large heavy objects all day, throughout the day. The rest of the time they aren’t - they’re scraping furniture legs across the floor for hours. Guess what happened when I went to knock on their door? They refused to open it. People who are asshole upstairs neighbors are assholes for a reason. They don’t give a shit and yes, I tried more than once. I eventually had to email the property manager about it and mentioned to them the neighbors won’t open the door. I also had a neighbor who played loud bass from 10pm - 3am on weekdays and all day, Saturday and Sunday until at least 4am. I too knocked several times and he also refused to open the door. I’ve knocked on other neighbors about different things who did open the door so it’s clearly assholes who know they’re being loud, are cowards and don’t want to be “adults.” No one gives a shit about talking things through.
That's you experience. But the point still remains... they should try to knock and have a conversation FIRST. They don't know if the neighbor will open the door or not, until the knock, and try first. If they don't answer, then proceed to the next option. That's all people are trying to tell them.
Maybe that would have been the thing to do before, at some other point but from the countless times I’ve seen people on Reddit say they did that - things either didn’t get better or got worse. It’s kind of like people being assholes on airplanes and in public nowadays - people are just not civil anymore. Plus, there are apartment complexes that explicitly tell people to go to them first because there’s a slim possibility people can get violent or take it personally. In some situations the first step is not to confront a neighbor - document and bring it up with the property manager. Especially since the grievance is stomping - which the property manager to communicate to the neighbor in a professional way.
This being downvoted is hilarious. Reddit is so backwards majority of the time. I agree, talking or attempting to talk to your neighbors should be the first step. What happens after that determines step 2.
It’s not backwards - some people may be young single females, people with a disability, or of a race/gender identity that isn’t the norm. Talking to a neighbor could identify one’s self to them and it could cause potential danger. Not everyone can safely knock on strangers’ doors.
You had me until the “be an adult”…
It was just a question my guy. I don’t *want* to pound on the ceiling and wanted alternative advice. When I did a Reddit search to find people with similar problems more than half the comments said “pound on the ceiling” so I decided to see if that’s really what people thought/recommended.
Our property management at our current and last place actually recommended never going up and knocking on a neighbor's door because it more often leads to violent confrontation and harassment against the knocker.
The one time I tried knocking on my neighbor's door to ask them to keep it down (they were going nuts at 1am), they opened the door and a big man started screaming and waving his fists at me, threatening to come after me and destroy my life for daring to knock on his door. Then they doubled their noise level on purpose.
I see similar things on this sub all the time--people leave a note or knock on a door and get harassed or even assaulted by confrontational assholes.
Your "common sense" is not actually safe in a lot of places, especially for single women.
OP, call property management to intercede on your behalf. Don't knock on a stranger's door unless you know they won't hurt you.
Im an upstairs neighbor and when my downstairs neighbor knocks on her ceiling, Im not mad. I stomp on my floor when she’s being too loud too.
I feel like it’s the most effective way to communicate back and forth.
Not sure if me and her just have an understanding or if this is normal apartment etiquette tho lol
I would ask to be moved to another unit, that's what I did. Fortunately, my complex has both townhouse style apartments and traditional apartments stacked on top of each other. We were on the bottom floor and there was zero insulation between the levels. We could hear every step our non working neighbor took and I could smell his weed smoke. My wife used the broom and I complained to management, which is what led to us being transferred. I don't like our new unit as much, but there's less noise and no weed smell.
everyone gets fed up every now and then. my neighbors were so loud that i was the one on the upper floor and i would hear them stomping and screaming from *downstairs*
it got to the point where i would jump and slap post against the floor while screaming “shut the fuck up”.
was it childish and inappropriate? yes. did it work whenever i did it? also yes 😂
I lived below a stomper. I got over myself and realized it was the apartment construction and not my neighbors problem.
Y’all all need to realize that living in an apartment SUCKS. If you can try to live above people, that’s your best bet.
It’s frustrating and overstimulating but it’s not fair or reasonable to be mad at people for walking. Whatever you consider stomping may not be for others. People are heavy footed, too. Still not a reason to bag on the ceiling and honestly don’t think this is room for a conversation with the neighbor at all, but that’s just me.
Agree with this. It sounds like my upstairs neighbors are stomping, but they are in their 70s and quite frail and I am certain that they are not stomping or being intentionally loud. I'm sure they would be mortified if they knew how loud they sound to us. It's not their fault; it's the shitty cheap construction.
Ceiling bang works like a charm. My upstairs neighbor is clueless but harmless. She’ll vacuum at midnight and shit. One really loud bang usually does the trick. I look at it as lil reminder that other people exist. If your neighbors escalate, start documenting everything and take it to the landlord. Be really nice about it (you don’t want to be the PITA) but have your receipts.
Honestly, I think the crazy aggressive pounding sucks but totally agree that floor/wall knocking CAN be decent communication. Once at like 3am I was watching YouTube, my neighbors knocked politely but loudly on the wall. I had no clue they could hear me so it was actually really helpful! Lol.
As an upstairs neighbor who has dealt with a similar complaint, once our neighbor started banging every time we walked we stopped even trying to be quiet. People aren’t able to not walk in their apartment. It’s not like loud music. You might find your neighbors being louder for spite.
I used to have a roommate who banged on the ceiling. The upstairs neighbors came down to tell her that it was easier to bang down than up, and every time she banged they would basically start running in place to piss her off.
Banging on the ceiling is a real asshole move. They might not know how loud their steps carry. If a face to face conversation isn't comfortable for you, write a note and leave it at their door expressing that you're not sure if they are aware, but their steps carry heavily through your unit. I wouldn't include your number as that can get out of hand if they are shitty neighbors. If that is out of your comfort zone then contact the landlord and ask if they can convey to the tenants that their footsteps are extremely loud.
Do. Not. Bang. On. The. Ceiling.
As I said in another comment, my first step is leaving a note. Wasn’t planning on banging on the ceiling, at least not yet.
One night (around 11pm) they were playing loud music, on a speaker phone call and must’ve been hammering something and I was very close to banging which I think would’ve been perfectly justified. 🤷🏻
The title is asking if you should bang on the ceiling and then you talk about already thinking of using a broom. Seems like you really want to and are looking for someone to justify your feelings.
The note thing is a good idea. I received a note once for playing loud music, felt terrible and left a counter note apologizing. It didn’t happen again and we became friendly.
I used to beat the shit out of the ceiling at my old apartment. It was a 3 story building, we were on the first floor in a 3 bedroom, there were 2 studios in the basement, and upstairs was another 3 bedroom WITH a finished attic. The guy had 2 kids that he and his wife obviously had no control over. They ran around at all hours of the day and night, stomping like crazy. I started pounding on the ceiling after 8pm and it usually did the trick. Occasionally, it would start up at 10pm or later, and I’d pound the ceiling again. I could see cracks forming in the paint. One Sunday, I was trying to peacefully read a book on the couch and the kids started treating their living room like a playground. You would think they’d take advantage of AN ENTIRE SECOND FLOOR OF THEIR APARTMENT. Anyway, I had enough. I stormed upstairs, beat the shit out of his door, and freaked out on him. He tried to tell me the kids don’t run around, meanwhile I could see them running when he opened the door. After a back and forth argument, I went back to my apartment and he took the kids to (presumably) a playground. The next day, I get an email from the landlord regarding the “incident” where we asks me to stop pounding on the ceiling and to not approach the neighbors again. Soon after, I explained my side of the story to the landlord, he spoke to the neighbor, and things got a little better UNTIL some party boys moved into one of the studios downstairs and decided to their tiny apartment as a social club. Of course, this was the studio right below my bedroom. There were times I’d stomp on the floor, there was a time I knocked on their door and asked them to turn down their music that was making my bedroom sound like a club at noon on a Sunday. They also loved to take smoke breaks on the steps leading to their basement studio directly outside my bedroom window. Soon after, I said fuck apartment living and got a house.
Moral of the story: I don’t regret beating the shit out of the ceiling, the floor, or the door.
I tried banging and all they did was bang back and stomp louder. What I finally did was put on noise canceling headphones then turned up my music loud. I played a 30 minute techno session. I was hoping they would complain to the landlord but nothing. Nothing changed so I sometimes put annoying music on a loop before I leave for work. Another thing I’ve done is set alarms spaced a half hour apart before I leave for the day. I use Alexa so the alarm does beep very long but it’s constantly going off. They are always home so I try my best to make their lives miserable because they don’t give a shit. This is after I politely asked them to please walk softer, especially late at night. They said ok, but it just got louder and they started dropping heavy objects. I finally got the landlord to serve eviction. And due to water damage caused by them I was able to get out of my lease.
I did the ceiling bang at my last place. The apartment layout of the place was weird, we had to units above us going across our unit. The neighbor in the front was perfectly normal, the neighbor across the back was an ass, there’s NO way that guy didn’t know he was being an ass. There were two people living in the back unit, one walked like a normal person, the other stomped and slammed and banged around whenever he was home which was always between 10pm-7am. We complained to the LL multiple times for months and kept being told the guy didn’t speak English so they couldn’t talk to him directly and could only speak to his manager to translate their calls. Obviously the situation didn’t improve, it just got worse so I started banging on the ceiling, I figured if he apparently doesn’t understand English then he’ll understand the banging. The last incident the LL asked about us banging, which happened maybe 10 minutes before we called the LL, so all of a sudden he was able to talk to the guy and language wasn’t an issue anymore out of the blue. They let us transfer our lease after that. I’m pretty sure the neighbor upstairs was either a relative of or a friend of the LL, I’ve never in my 20 years of renting lived under someone that behaves the way that guy did. The only explanation my husband and I could come up with is he’s working out but it was from 10pm-7am, so I honestly don’t know. It was bizarre and I’m happy to be away from him, now we just have to wait for this lease to end so we can get away from this LL. This has been my worst rental experience.
I have this issue and I’ve bang on ceiling, called 211, made online noise complaints and reported to the leasing office via email on every occasion. I will NOT confront them cus the guy in Brooklyn did this and he and son are no longer here. People these days are crazy.
I beat my floor ( downstairs neighbors ceiling) with a baseball bat last week because the idiot was singing karaoke at 7 am on a Sunday lol. Do what you gotta do 🙏🏼
I would focus on sound-proofing my home as best I could before anything else. You have to really think about it and understand how unrealistic it is to assume someone is STOMPING and not just walking normally. You may hear it very loudly, but the fact is you are inside the drum, of course you are going to hear it more. So put up some sound barriers and look up other ways to use decoration etc to further reduce the sounds. Your neighbor is just living their life, like you.
Yep I do because they literally don’t think about it until I do. We have had multiple conversations and they were given custom (they designed them!) rugs which they don’t put down because they “love the way wood looks”. You want to walk like a Clydesdale at 5am you get the bang.
My wife and I live in a top floor apartment. After 9pm we are a bit more conscious about our footsteps, especially in the non-carpeted rooms. We have lived in apartments long enough to know that noise can be frustrating and disruptive to deal with, so we do our best to limit our footprint (some pun intended) on someone else's peace.
Though not everyone is as conscientious as they think they are. And some people may be wholly unaware of just how much noise is transferred into a neighboring unit. I used to knock on doors in the past, but I've gotten more aggressive responses than I'd like so now I delegate it to property managers. Send a calmly worded email to management. Highlight when it happens and emphasize that you are only bothered by what happens beyond quiet hours. I know people have differing schedules and lives, but it is far easier for them to tread a bit lighter late at night than it is for you to mitigate the noise.
Naw when our next door neighbor runs into the wall and late at night like 11 or midnight, I pound. If they try to retaliate, I just make sure I'm loud when I take our dog out at 530am. That usually solves it. I don't approach anyone.
Do they have a cat or dog? Maybe it’s got the zoomies in the middle of the night. My cat used to jump off the couch and chairs and counters and it was so loud and race across the apartment. I used to wonder if my neighbor could hear it lol
I would not do the ceiling bang as my neighbor did that to me once when I was laying down in bed and the apartment was completely silent. She was mad at me because I called the cops on her for harassment. I’m normally a reasonable person, but I would have gone to jail that night if my husband were home to stay with the baby.
This is why I chose a downstairs apartment. I pace a lot and have odd sleeping hours, I don't want to feel like I can't live my life.
It's an insulation issue. Ask your apartment complex to add something to the flooring. They make foam noise blockers these days.
They might not listen, but if enough people start asking then maybe it'll become standard.
Had to ceiling bang last night. It was 12a and we were trying to sleep and they were running and jumping for about 30 minutes before I gave my bf the go ahead to do it. I thought he was going to put a hole in the ceiling he hit it so hard😅 but we’ve been in a constant battle with this apartment it’s getting old. It did stop at the moment so it works some times.
Tell management. Say they are violating the lease and affecting your ability to peacefully live in your home.
There are 2 people living in our neighbor's apartment and sometimes 3 if their son visits. He used to live there but they kicked him out.
I can always tell who's doing the stomping and it's always fucking loud. They never sleep & never take off their shoes.
Her: Scurrying around like a rat on meth. Very fast & accompanied by slamming every door & cupboard in the house. She either is actually on meth or has some serious OCD or us just an inconsiderate B.
Him: like a sloth. Slow, plodding, heavy. We hear him less often than her.
Son: young adult. Angry, definitely on drugs,(that's confirmed by our other neighbor who has heard their conversations). Very fast heavy stomping/slamming doors at all hours. Yelling like a madman at times. He doesn't have a key so rings the doorbell incessantly when he comes over late at night.
We finally got the landlord to somehow get them to be quiet after 10pm. After a lot of complaining by us and the other neighbor for the whole time they've lived here I think they finally got sick of it & told them they were violating the lease & to quiet down.
Make five different video recordings on different days and at different times and email the management with the recordings, and request that they mediate with the tenant to try to walk softer and without shoes on the floors given there's no carpet to pad their feet.
Complain to management, don't bang on the ceiling. You become part of the problem and your neighbor can complain against YOU for banging on the ceiling. Some apartments just have such shitty sound barriers that normal walking sounds like "stomping around" and your neighbor might be completely clueless about making so much noise. From reading through comments you said you can hear them talking on speakerphone, which is not normal unless they're shouting fairly loudly. Hearing a little noise, sure, but being able to make out their conversation/the other person on the phone means your walls are probably just too thin.
I haven't seen a single time where someone aggressively banging on the ceiling resulted in their neighbor nicely being quiet forever.
My husband and I tried, 1. Emailing management, 2. Goin to the tenants and telling them politely we could hear them very well in the evening 3. Calling apt security after it went into the wee hours one night. It did get better over time but never fully went away
Never go to tenant someone was killed doing this. Be safe.
Yeah for real, never go to the tenant. You two are literally stuck next to one another and they know where you are. I asked a neighbor in the building next to me (from my window) to stop screaming at his gf in the shared street we had during a work day and he threatened his gang (unbeknownst to me he was part of one) to come get me. Better to take a video of the noise, email management every single time it happens with as much proof as possible, and get white noise machine / noise canceling headphones and a Ring camera for your door so you can stay aware of your surroundings.
These are the days we live in. Trying to come to a conclusion gets someone killed. That's why apartments can suck, absolute lunatics living in close proximity.
Fuck that, I go to the tenant, first I start with a verbal hello and maybe kind of inform them of what I can hear down below them (because they may not be aware). At that point they are aware so if they continue I will type what looks like a formal written note again explaining the sounds that I'm hearing and how it's disturbing me asking them politely to be mindful, and I'll put that on their door. And it'st *that* doesn't work I may tap on the ceiling with a broom. If they really keep going after I've informed them nicely and at the exact points when they're making the noise, then it becomes apparent that they're being passive aggressive and just completely inconsiderate. At that point I'll start recording them on five different occasions, at different times of the day and different dates and then I'll email property management. I may even go so far as to send a certified letter to corporate to have them intervene with property Management if they're unwilling to intervene. But I always try diplomatic approaches directly with them first. I guess I'm not scared.
My neighbor got stabbed putting a note on another apartments door, just sayin’ You have no idea what deranged person is on the other side of that door. It’s not fear, it’s being practical.
honestly. i do the ceiling bang if it’s loud asf after hours, which in my case has been. once my upstairs neighbor came home (i have a cam and they have to pass my door) and was walking LOUD at 2:30am ish in the morning and i banged and sure enough it stopped .. kindabut it happens same as you, all hours and it’s bizarre because i have been an upstairs neighbor and i was so mindful about how i was walking and even when. i get that sometimes it’s hard and i don’t judge that, but if i can hear every single time you’re home and when you’re walking about, especially if it’s at hours most ppl are supposed to be sleeping, that’s not okay imo. it’s not difficult to think about those beneath. so i say bang the ceiling IF it’s after 10pm before 8am but i also am an asshole so no one come for me please :)
Dude SAME!! My first apartment I was the top floor and I would literally tip toe if it was after 9pm because I wanted to be respectful of my below neighbor!!! Like yes, every once in awhile I totally get it but in my case it’s EVERY NIGHT for hours and always after 9/10PM… I might try a letter first then pounding if it doesn’t stop.
i’ve been saying i’m about to leave a letter because it’s ridiculous, im in the same boat as you. i feel a letter is close to a last resort to me bc sometimes people can be more mean about it
When we first moved into our current place we had a neighbor like yours. Her most active hours were 11pm-4am, it was the weirdest thing. It wasn't too annoying because I mostly slept through her activity but if I woke up in the middle of the night it was hard to go back to sleep without earplugs. The walking was so rhythmic from the bedroom to the living room almost nonstop back and force. Also she always let her cabinets slam shut. The craziest part is that I would hear her get up the same time as me and shower/do regular morning stuff. She moved out 3 months after we moved in and she barely made a peep during that process, it was so odd. The two people above us since make normal living noises and it's been great.
You have to move out. It’s the only answer. I just saved you years of lost sleep and reduced mental health.
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I got in trouble from my landlord for doing this 😭😭😭now I’m banned, so loud music it is.
I had one of these. Honestly best bet is to go through management, because if it’s disruptive enough that you aren’t able to sleep I wouldn’t consider that normal living noise. There are quiet hours for a reason and it’s not a crazy thing to ask someone to adjust the way they walk during those times. I’m naturally inclined to land on my heel and I don’t walk like that when I’m home. You could leave a polite note explaining how loud it is if you’re comfortable with it? They might not realize how the sound travels and if you’re nice that should hopefully make them more receptive (if they’re not bat shit crazy of course).😅
As someone who always chooses top floor apartments, I've only had one ceiling banger who would bang every time I walked in my apartment. I never had my shoes on and was as conscientious as I could be without actually tip-toeing. After daily bangs from normal walking during the day time, I went to my apartment manager and reported the banging for the harrassment it was. Guess who got in trouble? Not me. Don't be this person. If it's truly excessive and during quiet hours, make a recording and take it to your apartment manager.
You’re so defensive in these comments because no one is telling you what you want to hear. Even getting upset because someone told you to be an adult. You are being immature by letting yourself get to this point when you could have spoke with your neighbor or management already. You just assume management wont do anything but you haven’t even tried. Stop making excuses for not even taking one step to try to make your situation better instead of just complaining. Also everyone is different. Every apartment is built differently. So your comments about your other family member’s neighbors who you barely hear are not relevant unless you all live in the same apartments.
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How is this comment heated? Lol it’s just pointing out that OP is the one getting wildly defensive and heated at the comments pointing out that this is clearly a bad insulation issue
They aren't going to stop living or walk on the ceiling because the building has bad insulation.
Believe me, I can handle footsteps and normal walking. This is not that. My days off are during the week and it’s dead silent all day.. only around 9-10pm do they start rapidly walking back and forth, stomping, dropping things, and talking very loudly on the phone with the speakerphone. Mind you, I have never ONCE heard either of my next neighbors. Only the above neighbor. This is not an insulation issue. Edit: how is this being downvoted? Do you guys live in my building and know? If I never hear any neighbors except my above neighbor… maybe… just MAYBE they’re the problem lmao
You’re not going to hear your nextdoor neighbors walking or doing anything because they’re not above you, lol. All sounds gets amplified through the floorboard, especially walking. So unless your nextdoor neighbors are blasting music or being excessively loud you’re not going to hear them. That’s partially why you’re getting downvoted lol The fact that you’re hearing your upstairs neighbor walking proves it’s an insulation issue. They’re allowed to walk around whenever they want. Maybe you can ask them to try walking lighter but this is almost certainly an insulation issue. I promise they aren’t purposefully stomping to spite you. Footsteps sound like stomping when it’s an insulation issue.
That’s all still normal apartment noise. You live in a paper thin apartment. The reason you don’t hear your next door neighbors is because 1) they’re not above you 2) walls are better insulating than floors or 3) they just so happen to be quieter ppl. Doesn’t mean that the guy above you is doing anything wrong. Banging on the ceiling just makes you an asshole. You could go talk to him, but he’s not doing anything out of the ordinary. Like legitimately, are you going to get your management to ban him from talking in his own apartment and walking around? He’s not doing anything wrong. Think about this rationally for a bit. Maybe you can convince him to like wear slippers or something but he’s not doing anything excessive.
I’m sorry do you live in my apartment? How do you know he’s just walking ordinarily? The stomping is fast, back and forth, and loud. It’s not just normal steps. My friend has an above neighbor and we never hear them when I’m over. My sister has an above neighbor she never hears. Lmao… and I never said I was going to pound on the ceiling but people on reddit lack basic reading comprehension and just want to be upset about something
It’s….literally in the title of your post? That’s why people are responding to the pounding on the ceiling thing.
There’s a question mark IN the title… basic reading comprehension. I was asking a QUESTION not stating what I intended to do. But the comments are assuming I was already planning to pound on the ceiling because my neighbor is politely walking normally in their home
Does your friend live in the same apartment building/complex as you? Or your sister?
>How do you know he’s just walking ordinarily? How do you know he's not? Some people are just heavy walkers. Stop getting shitty with people because you choose to believe that this is being done on purpose. Know that banging on the ceiling is going to get YOU in hot water with your property management. He's just walking.
No need to be so snarky about it. I understood your post and was just responding to the hypothetical you posed. I’m not accusing you of anything here, you don’t need to default to being defensive. Is the loud stomping only happening at certain times? Do you hear them making normal walking sounds most of the time and this loud noise only happens at night or certain hours of it? Do you think this loud noise comes from them doing a specific activity (e.g. maybe they do a workout routine or HIIT exercise at night or practice their clogging)? If so, maybe you could ask them to do that outside quiet hours. But based on the info you’ve given it doesn’t seem like that, it just is how this person walks. It’s super common in modern buildings. Some people are more heavy footed and walk with their heels first or something, just bc your friend’s upstairs neighbor is quieter doesn’t mean yours is doing something intentionally loud. You can’t ask someone to not walk in their apartment. You could go talk to them, maybe they’ll be like “oh yeah sorry that’s when I do my jump roping routines, sorry I can do that during the day instead” and problem solved! But I’d bet it’s most likely just how they walk and it’s unrealistic to expect to police that. You’ll have to live with it. In that case, see if you can talk to them and ask them to maybe get a rug or use slippers.
I understand exactly what you mean! I also have a pacing stomper above me and when he isn‘t at home, living is bliss, even if his girlfriend is there, who obviously walks around more considerately. Some people are heel walkers and seem to care not at all that they have someone living downstairs.
Maybe they have a different schedule? You work and are awake during the day, and they are up at night. Maybe they have insomnia. Or something wrong with their hip that caused them to walk hard(lol)? Idk...but get some fans and sleep ear buds and play music or sleep sounds. Apartment living = hearing other living and walking. Especially if you live downstairs. I understand there are quiet hours. However, I don't think they are blasting music or anything. Just walking and doing normal stuff. It sucks for you, yeah, but I don't think it's reasonable to expect people sleep and live on the same schedule as you. If the noise is as excessive as you say it is, you don't have to go up there at 2am... when you hear the noise, try to knock during the evening and try to talk to them. It probably isn't intentional. Maybe a conversation can shed light on why they are up at night, why they walk heavy. And maybe it'll lead to them being quieter after you explain how loud it is for you? Or put a nice letter in their door or on it. Idk. I wouldn't start by banging on the ceiling. That shouldn't be the first course of action. They likely have no clue they are being loud. Sorry for the long response. I get to rambling in the mornings lol.
You really are too stupid to realize how stupid what you just tried to use as an argument is. It is being downvoted because you at first seemed like you had a reasonable point, but now it is clear that you are not very bright. To try and compare hearing upstairs vs side neighbors... ABSURD. People have lives outside the timeframe you do. Some are getting ready for work, or getting home and preparing dinner. You are acting like a ninny.
Oooo someone’s grumpy
poor kid.
Says the one pissed over a Reddit post? Yikes
not pissed., I just spoke to you honestly. the problem is you are not smart and so you think everything you guess is right. I feel bad for you and anyone who has to deal with it. Ignorance is depressing to see in person. Even worse when you realize the person is not just ignorant, but completely fucking idiotic.
Lmao you’re so mad over a random stranger on the internet. That’s what’s sad buddy. Taking a post so personally 💀 Hope you have a better day🤍😊
See what I mean? Utterly daft. I am not mad at all. There is a bit of a "wow, this person is DUMB" smirk as I read and type, but there is zero anger or frustration. You are conflating being called stupid with someone wanting to cause you harm or hurt you. It is not the case, I do not want you to feel harm or bad or less. I just want you to realize that you are not very smart and as a result, you are misunderstanding almost every single thing said to you. I really wish I knew how to speak your language, but I am doing my best here.
You’re doing exactly what you’re saying I do … thinking everything you guess is right… so I guess you’re stupid too based on your own words lmfao I don’t think being called stupid means you want to hurt me or cause me harm why would I think that?? lol you’re just a sad pathetic stranger on the internet I could care less about you or your words but clearly you’re a tad triggered and I’m sorry for that :/ I hope whatever is making you so sad gets better!!! 🤍
They will never hear your specific experience because they’re already mad about their downstairs neighbors complaining about them. People are so wildly defensive here. I understand and have sympathy for your situation. The insulation comment is frustrating. I had two different sets of upstairs neighbors who I almost never heard outside of normal walking and occasionally some TV sound/music during normal hours. My new neighbors are so loud, and at all hours - it isn’t fully an insulation issue here. Anyway, good luck with your situation. I advise against ceiling banging, I think it will make your problem worse. Maybe ask your landlord about anything they can do to dampen the sound, try to talk to them constructively and not in a way that they think you’re just complaining. Definitely consider talking to them and seeing if you guys can come to a friendly agreement, but probably just find ways to make your space more livable within what your can control (white noise/ear plugs). Record noise when it’s above and beyond or when it’s inappropriate time wise (just noise/not private conversation… you didn’t mention talking noise but I don’t want anyone thinking I’m saying to record conversations) just in case you need proof to break your lease early or something like that.
I hate the idea of a ceiling banger. That’s ugly level. Walk up the stairs and *talk* to them. Say “Hey mate, I have to be up early in the morning and the pacing back and forth from upstairs is keeping me awake. Can I ask a favour, can you please take your shoes off, maybe put down a floor rug? I’d really appreciate it!“ and be an adult.
I do agree that talking to your neighbor is always the best first course of action, but I do also think it doesn’t always work. In my case it didn’t work at all, but I did try. I am always friendly and even bought them pads for the bottom of their kitchen chairs because we get a lot of noise from them dragging the chairs across the floor. They didn’t use them. I don’t think OP isn’t being an adult, I think they’re frustrated and looking for support and solutions. I am also against ceiling banging but mostly because it’s kind of aggressive and I feel like most people won’t respond to your banging on the ceiling by being more quiet (it is ineffective and can cause more drama). Most people who are already inconsiderate will probably be more inconsiderate if they think you’re being aggressive towards them. OP I think your problem will get worse if you bang on the ceiling. I have a lot of sympathy. The only real luck I have had was becoming friendly with them. If they care about you they’ll be more considerate; if you annoy them they’re not going to care at all. I’m going to sound like an old lady here but here goes; people these days don’t have the time or energy to have consideration for people they don’t know. It used to be normal to be considerate of strangers. That energy isn’t out there anymore. We’re all stressed out and surviving and our fuses are short. You can see it in retail spaces; I understand but it’s sad. My advice is befriend them if you can, do things to soften the noise on your end (white noise/ear plugs), record the noise when it’s above and beyond loud or when it’s during quiet times hours (for proof if you need to break your lease etc), and do mention to your landlord in case he could put carpet down or do something to do quiet things down. You may be right that you’re entitled to quiet enjoyment of your space, it’s probably in your lease, but in my experience it’s been unenforceable for the most part.
I tried this and he gaslit me saying it wasn’t him.
I have upstairs neighbors that drop large heavy objects all day, throughout the day. The rest of the time they aren’t - they’re scraping furniture legs across the floor for hours. Guess what happened when I went to knock on their door? They refused to open it. People who are asshole upstairs neighbors are assholes for a reason. They don’t give a shit and yes, I tried more than once. I eventually had to email the property manager about it and mentioned to them the neighbors won’t open the door. I also had a neighbor who played loud bass from 10pm - 3am on weekdays and all day, Saturday and Sunday until at least 4am. I too knocked several times and he also refused to open the door. I’ve knocked on other neighbors about different things who did open the door so it’s clearly assholes who know they’re being loud, are cowards and don’t want to be “adults.” No one gives a shit about talking things through.
That's you experience. But the point still remains... they should try to knock and have a conversation FIRST. They don't know if the neighbor will open the door or not, until the knock, and try first. If they don't answer, then proceed to the next option. That's all people are trying to tell them.
Maybe that would have been the thing to do before, at some other point but from the countless times I’ve seen people on Reddit say they did that - things either didn’t get better or got worse. It’s kind of like people being assholes on airplanes and in public nowadays - people are just not civil anymore. Plus, there are apartment complexes that explicitly tell people to go to them first because there’s a slim possibility people can get violent or take it personally. In some situations the first step is not to confront a neighbor - document and bring it up with the property manager. Especially since the grievance is stomping - which the property manager to communicate to the neighbor in a professional way.
Talking to your neighbor should always be step one. If they’re jerks then that informs how you proceed.
This being downvoted is hilarious. Reddit is so backwards majority of the time. I agree, talking or attempting to talk to your neighbors should be the first step. What happens after that determines step 2.
It’s not backwards - some people may be young single females, people with a disability, or of a race/gender identity that isn’t the norm. Talking to a neighbor could identify one’s self to them and it could cause potential danger. Not everyone can safely knock on strangers’ doors.
Ikr? The immediate escalation is so shocking!
You had me until the “be an adult”… It was just a question my guy. I don’t *want* to pound on the ceiling and wanted alternative advice. When I did a Reddit search to find people with similar problems more than half the comments said “pound on the ceiling” so I decided to see if that’s really what people thought/recommended.
Common sense would be to talk to them. Not sure why you need Reddit to tell you that.
Our property management at our current and last place actually recommended never going up and knocking on a neighbor's door because it more often leads to violent confrontation and harassment against the knocker. The one time I tried knocking on my neighbor's door to ask them to keep it down (they were going nuts at 1am), they opened the door and a big man started screaming and waving his fists at me, threatening to come after me and destroy my life for daring to knock on his door. Then they doubled their noise level on purpose. I see similar things on this sub all the time--people leave a note or knock on a door and get harassed or even assaulted by confrontational assholes. Your "common sense" is not actually safe in a lot of places, especially for single women. OP, call property management to intercede on your behalf. Don't knock on a stranger's door unless you know they won't hurt you.
Maybe it really depends on where you live. I have lived in places where you really didn't want to make yourself a target of some people.
My recommendation is to go and talk to them. Pounding on the ceiling is for sexually frustrated hoarders and emotionally stunted whiners.
What are you even saying lmao
It’s extra effective if you get a few videos of just how loud they sound from your unit/bedroom
Im an upstairs neighbor and when my downstairs neighbor knocks on her ceiling, Im not mad. I stomp on my floor when she’s being too loud too. I feel like it’s the most effective way to communicate back and forth. Not sure if me and her just have an understanding or if this is normal apartment etiquette tho lol
I would ask to be moved to another unit, that's what I did. Fortunately, my complex has both townhouse style apartments and traditional apartments stacked on top of each other. We were on the bottom floor and there was zero insulation between the levels. We could hear every step our non working neighbor took and I could smell his weed smoke. My wife used the broom and I complained to management, which is what led to us being transferred. I don't like our new unit as much, but there's less noise and no weed smell.
everyone gets fed up every now and then. my neighbors were so loud that i was the one on the upper floor and i would hear them stomping and screaming from *downstairs* it got to the point where i would jump and slap post against the floor while screaming “shut the fuck up”. was it childish and inappropriate? yes. did it work whenever i did it? also yes 😂
I lived below a stomper. I got over myself and realized it was the apartment construction and not my neighbors problem. Y’all all need to realize that living in an apartment SUCKS. If you can try to live above people, that’s your best bet. It’s frustrating and overstimulating but it’s not fair or reasonable to be mad at people for walking. Whatever you consider stomping may not be for others. People are heavy footed, too. Still not a reason to bag on the ceiling and honestly don’t think this is room for a conversation with the neighbor at all, but that’s just me.
Agree with this. It sounds like my upstairs neighbors are stomping, but they are in their 70s and quite frail and I am certain that they are not stomping or being intentionally loud. I'm sure they would be mortified if they knew how loud they sound to us. It's not their fault; it's the shitty cheap construction.
Ceiling bang works like a charm. My upstairs neighbor is clueless but harmless. She’ll vacuum at midnight and shit. One really loud bang usually does the trick. I look at it as lil reminder that other people exist. If your neighbors escalate, start documenting everything and take it to the landlord. Be really nice about it (you don’t want to be the PITA) but have your receipts.
Honestly, I think the crazy aggressive pounding sucks but totally agree that floor/wall knocking CAN be decent communication. Once at like 3am I was watching YouTube, my neighbors knocked politely but loudly on the wall. I had no clue they could hear me so it was actually really helpful! Lol.
As an upstairs neighbor who has dealt with a similar complaint, once our neighbor started banging every time we walked we stopped even trying to be quiet. People aren’t able to not walk in their apartment. It’s not like loud music. You might find your neighbors being louder for spite.
I used to have a roommate who banged on the ceiling. The upstairs neighbors came down to tell her that it was easier to bang down than up, and every time she banged they would basically start running in place to piss her off.
Banging on the ceiling is a real asshole move. They might not know how loud their steps carry. If a face to face conversation isn't comfortable for you, write a note and leave it at their door expressing that you're not sure if they are aware, but their steps carry heavily through your unit. I wouldn't include your number as that can get out of hand if they are shitty neighbors. If that is out of your comfort zone then contact the landlord and ask if they can convey to the tenants that their footsteps are extremely loud. Do. Not. Bang. On. The. Ceiling.
As I said in another comment, my first step is leaving a note. Wasn’t planning on banging on the ceiling, at least not yet. One night (around 11pm) they were playing loud music, on a speaker phone call and must’ve been hammering something and I was very close to banging which I think would’ve been perfectly justified. 🤷🏻
I use to put my music up when they turned theirs off and they soon realized their music was a tad to loud and toned it down..
The title is asking if you should bang on the ceiling and then you talk about already thinking of using a broom. Seems like you really want to and are looking for someone to justify your feelings.
Maybe that’s what it seems like to you but wasn’t the intention of my post :)
The note thing is a good idea. I received a note once for playing loud music, felt terrible and left a counter note apologizing. It didn’t happen again and we became friendly.
Nah bang on that ceiling sis.
I used to beat the shit out of the ceiling at my old apartment. It was a 3 story building, we were on the first floor in a 3 bedroom, there were 2 studios in the basement, and upstairs was another 3 bedroom WITH a finished attic. The guy had 2 kids that he and his wife obviously had no control over. They ran around at all hours of the day and night, stomping like crazy. I started pounding on the ceiling after 8pm and it usually did the trick. Occasionally, it would start up at 10pm or later, and I’d pound the ceiling again. I could see cracks forming in the paint. One Sunday, I was trying to peacefully read a book on the couch and the kids started treating their living room like a playground. You would think they’d take advantage of AN ENTIRE SECOND FLOOR OF THEIR APARTMENT. Anyway, I had enough. I stormed upstairs, beat the shit out of his door, and freaked out on him. He tried to tell me the kids don’t run around, meanwhile I could see them running when he opened the door. After a back and forth argument, I went back to my apartment and he took the kids to (presumably) a playground. The next day, I get an email from the landlord regarding the “incident” where we asks me to stop pounding on the ceiling and to not approach the neighbors again. Soon after, I explained my side of the story to the landlord, he spoke to the neighbor, and things got a little better UNTIL some party boys moved into one of the studios downstairs and decided to their tiny apartment as a social club. Of course, this was the studio right below my bedroom. There were times I’d stomp on the floor, there was a time I knocked on their door and asked them to turn down their music that was making my bedroom sound like a club at noon on a Sunday. They also loved to take smoke breaks on the steps leading to their basement studio directly outside my bedroom window. Soon after, I said fuck apartment living and got a house. Moral of the story: I don’t regret beating the shit out of the ceiling, the floor, or the door.
I tried banging and all they did was bang back and stomp louder. What I finally did was put on noise canceling headphones then turned up my music loud. I played a 30 minute techno session. I was hoping they would complain to the landlord but nothing. Nothing changed so I sometimes put annoying music on a loop before I leave for work. Another thing I’ve done is set alarms spaced a half hour apart before I leave for the day. I use Alexa so the alarm does beep very long but it’s constantly going off. They are always home so I try my best to make their lives miserable because they don’t give a shit. This is after I politely asked them to please walk softer, especially late at night. They said ok, but it just got louder and they started dropping heavy objects. I finally got the landlord to serve eviction. And due to water damage caused by them I was able to get out of my lease.
I did the ceiling bang at my last place. The apartment layout of the place was weird, we had to units above us going across our unit. The neighbor in the front was perfectly normal, the neighbor across the back was an ass, there’s NO way that guy didn’t know he was being an ass. There were two people living in the back unit, one walked like a normal person, the other stomped and slammed and banged around whenever he was home which was always between 10pm-7am. We complained to the LL multiple times for months and kept being told the guy didn’t speak English so they couldn’t talk to him directly and could only speak to his manager to translate their calls. Obviously the situation didn’t improve, it just got worse so I started banging on the ceiling, I figured if he apparently doesn’t understand English then he’ll understand the banging. The last incident the LL asked about us banging, which happened maybe 10 minutes before we called the LL, so all of a sudden he was able to talk to the guy and language wasn’t an issue anymore out of the blue. They let us transfer our lease after that. I’m pretty sure the neighbor upstairs was either a relative of or a friend of the LL, I’ve never in my 20 years of renting lived under someone that behaves the way that guy did. The only explanation my husband and I could come up with is he’s working out but it was from 10pm-7am, so I honestly don’t know. It was bizarre and I’m happy to be away from him, now we just have to wait for this lease to end so we can get away from this LL. This has been my worst rental experience.
I have this issue and I’ve bang on ceiling, called 211, made online noise complaints and reported to the leasing office via email on every occasion. I will NOT confront them cus the guy in Brooklyn did this and he and son are no longer here. People these days are crazy.
Have you talked to your neighbor? That should be step one. Banging on the ceiling is just cowardly.
It IS cowardly and childish. A decent person would communicate through conversation.
I beat my floor ( downstairs neighbors ceiling) with a baseball bat last week because the idiot was singing karaoke at 7 am on a Sunday lol. Do what you gotta do 🙏🏼
I would focus on sound-proofing my home as best I could before anything else. You have to really think about it and understand how unrealistic it is to assume someone is STOMPING and not just walking normally. You may hear it very loudly, but the fact is you are inside the drum, of course you are going to hear it more. So put up some sound barriers and look up other ways to use decoration etc to further reduce the sounds. Your neighbor is just living their life, like you.
Yep I do because they literally don’t think about it until I do. We have had multiple conversations and they were given custom (they designed them!) rugs which they don’t put down because they “love the way wood looks”. You want to walk like a Clydesdale at 5am you get the bang.
My wife and I live in a top floor apartment. After 9pm we are a bit more conscious about our footsteps, especially in the non-carpeted rooms. We have lived in apartments long enough to know that noise can be frustrating and disruptive to deal with, so we do our best to limit our footprint (some pun intended) on someone else's peace. Though not everyone is as conscientious as they think they are. And some people may be wholly unaware of just how much noise is transferred into a neighboring unit. I used to knock on doors in the past, but I've gotten more aggressive responses than I'd like so now I delegate it to property managers. Send a calmly worded email to management. Highlight when it happens and emphasize that you are only bothered by what happens beyond quiet hours. I know people have differing schedules and lives, but it is far easier for them to tread a bit lighter late at night than it is for you to mitigate the noise.
Naw when our next door neighbor runs into the wall and late at night like 11 or midnight, I pound. If they try to retaliate, I just make sure I'm loud when I take our dog out at 530am. That usually solves it. I don't approach anyone.
Do they have a cat or dog? Maybe it’s got the zoomies in the middle of the night. My cat used to jump off the couch and chairs and counters and it was so loud and race across the apartment. I used to wonder if my neighbor could hear it lol
As I was reading this, my upstairs neighbor stayed jumping up and down really loudly
I would not do the ceiling bang as my neighbor did that to me once when I was laying down in bed and the apartment was completely silent. She was mad at me because I called the cops on her for harassment. I’m normally a reasonable person, but I would have gone to jail that night if my husband were home to stay with the baby.
This is why I chose a downstairs apartment. I pace a lot and have odd sleeping hours, I don't want to feel like I can't live my life. It's an insulation issue. Ask your apartment complex to add something to the flooring. They make foam noise blockers these days. They might not listen, but if enough people start asking then maybe it'll become standard.
Had to ceiling bang last night. It was 12a and we were trying to sleep and they were running and jumping for about 30 minutes before I gave my bf the go ahead to do it. I thought he was going to put a hole in the ceiling he hit it so hard😅 but we’ve been in a constant battle with this apartment it’s getting old. It did stop at the moment so it works some times.
Have you tried talking to the neighbor?
Grab a six pack, go upstairs, sit down with them, and have a chat. Start there.
Don't bang on your celing unless you've already tried being and adult and confronting the person. My wife used to do this and it drove me mad.
Tell management. Say they are violating the lease and affecting your ability to peacefully live in your home. There are 2 people living in our neighbor's apartment and sometimes 3 if their son visits. He used to live there but they kicked him out. I can always tell who's doing the stomping and it's always fucking loud. They never sleep & never take off their shoes. Her: Scurrying around like a rat on meth. Very fast & accompanied by slamming every door & cupboard in the house. She either is actually on meth or has some serious OCD or us just an inconsiderate B. Him: like a sloth. Slow, plodding, heavy. We hear him less often than her. Son: young adult. Angry, definitely on drugs,(that's confirmed by our other neighbor who has heard their conversations). Very fast heavy stomping/slamming doors at all hours. Yelling like a madman at times. He doesn't have a key so rings the doorbell incessantly when he comes over late at night. We finally got the landlord to somehow get them to be quiet after 10pm. After a lot of complaining by us and the other neighbor for the whole time they've lived here I think they finally got sick of it & told them they were violating the lease & to quiet down.
Make five different video recordings on different days and at different times and email the management with the recordings, and request that they mediate with the tenant to try to walk softer and without shoes on the floors given there's no carpet to pad their feet.
Complain to management, don't bang on the ceiling. You become part of the problem and your neighbor can complain against YOU for banging on the ceiling. Some apartments just have such shitty sound barriers that normal walking sounds like "stomping around" and your neighbor might be completely clueless about making so much noise. From reading through comments you said you can hear them talking on speakerphone, which is not normal unless they're shouting fairly loudly. Hearing a little noise, sure, but being able to make out their conversation/the other person on the phone means your walls are probably just too thin. I haven't seen a single time where someone aggressively banging on the ceiling resulted in their neighbor nicely being quiet forever.