#78801On Wednesday, April 30, 2008Guest (not verified) said,
Bad Rap- Long story but please read- I need advice!
My situation is a bit different...I live in an upper duplex and the folks below me are a mother, probably mid 50's and her late 30's son. They have lived in this duplex for about 8 years. I moved in last October so I have been there about 7 months. They have complained about me 3 times to our landlord. The first time was 2 weeks after I moved in saying they were concerned because I didn't close the garage door in a timley manner and that I didn't always lock the side entrance door behind me. I was very cool about it when my landlord called and said that though I'm sure I am closing the garage door, I will be conscious of these things. Then in December they called my LL again to complain that they can hear me when I come home late on the weekends, as in they can hear my high heeled shoes on the stairs as I go upstairs and then I MUST be walking around my apartment in high heeled shoes even after I'm inside (because people do that all the time of course). Mind you these people don't work on the weekends so it's not like they have to get up early on a Sat or Sun morning. They also complained that I'm on the phone all the time at 3am (I'm not) and they can hear my conversations. My LL was trying to be the middle man in this so I'm not mad at him, but he suggested that I take my shoes off once I'm in the side entrance so they don't hear me and also that I try not to have phone conversations in my bedroom as it's right above one of their bedrooms. Unbelieveable. He tells me that during the week they have to have to leave a 5am to be at work and I told him that I'm very aware of that because their yipitee dog barks constantly as soon as they leave. He asked why I didn't call him to tell him this and my reply was that I wouldn't do that because I live in an apartment setting and there are certain things one has to deal with when living in an apartment. He really was trying to make both parties happy and said that he would remind them to keep the dog quiet and that they too need to be aware of their noise level. I told him that I am a good tennant. I'm a 30 year old professional, I don't have parties, I don't play my muisc loud, etc. So fast forward to a bad snowstorm here in WI and the mother that lives downstairs gets her car stuck in the driveway. So I see this and decide to be the nice person and go down there to help her, spraining my thumb in the process. I thought we were on better terms then because while having my sister visit out of town, she had a rental car and they (the mother and son) were nice enough to move their cars around so that my sis wouldn't have to park on the street. We treated them to a box of chocolates for their trouble. Things seemed to be okay. Dog still barking all the time but again, I choose to not make a big deal of it. NOW- I just got a call from my LL again! This time they are saying I slam doors (I don't slam doors, my apartment door needs to be pulled hard to get the deadbolt in place) and whats the kicker is they do it to!! They also complained because I make too much 'noise' after 10pm. I was pretty blunt with my LL this time and told him I was speechless about all this complaining and that if these people want complete silence, they should rent the upstaris themselves or buy a house.
I know many peoples advice would be just to move but I still have 5 months on my lease and I don't want to move again, I like my apartment and the neighborhood. I am so angry because these people are making me look bad and I'm afraid they could possibly get me evicted. And for some reason, they won't come talk to me about their concerns, they go right to my LL. My LL seems to be trying to stay neutral but I can't believe he doesn't find their complaints unreasonable. I feel like a prisoner in my own apartment. I don't even have a few friends over because I'm afraid they will complain to him. I have lived in several apartments and have NEVER had anyone complain about me.
Do I have any power here at all? I welcome any advice.
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Bad Rap- Long story but
Bad Rap- Long story but please read- I need advice!
My situation is a bit different...I live in an upper duplex and the folks below me are a mother, probably mid 50's and her late 30's son. They have lived in this duplex for about 8 years. I moved in last October so I have been there about 7 months. They have complained about me 3 times to our landlord. The first time was 2 weeks after I moved in saying they were concerned because I didn't close the garage door in a timley manner and that I didn't always lock the side entrance door behind me. I was very cool about it when my landlord called and said that though I'm sure I am closing the garage door, I will be conscious of these things. Then in December they called my LL again to complain that they can hear me when I come home late on the weekends, as in they can hear my high heeled shoes on the stairs as I go upstairs and then I MUST be walking around my apartment in high heeled shoes even after I'm inside (because people do that all the time of course). Mind you these people don't work on the weekends so it's not like they have to get up early on a Sat or Sun morning. They also complained that I'm on the phone all the time at 3am (I'm not) and they can hear my conversations. My LL was trying to be the middle man in this so I'm not mad at him, but he suggested that I take my shoes off once I'm in the side entrance so they don't hear me and also that I try not to have phone conversations in my bedroom as it's right above one of their bedrooms. Unbelieveable. He tells me that during the week they have to have to leave a 5am to be at work and I told him that I'm very aware of that because their yipitee dog barks constantly as soon as they leave. He asked why I didn't call him to tell him this and my reply was that I wouldn't do that because I live in an apartment setting and there are certain things one has to deal with when living in an apartment. He really was trying to make both parties happy and said that he would remind them to keep the dog quiet and that they too need to be aware of their noise level. I told him that I am a good tennant. I'm a 30 year old professional, I don't have parties, I don't play my muisc loud, etc. So fast forward to a bad snowstorm here in WI and the mother that lives downstairs gets her car stuck in the driveway. So I see this and decide to be the nice person and go down there to help her, spraining my thumb in the process. I thought we were on better terms then because while having my sister visit out of town, she had a rental car and they (the mother and son) were nice enough to move their cars around so that my sis wouldn't have to park on the street. We treated them to a box of chocolates for their trouble. Things seemed to be okay. Dog still barking all the time but again, I choose to not make a big deal of it. NOW- I just got a call from my LL again! This time they are saying I slam doors (I don't slam doors, my apartment door needs to be pulled hard to get the deadbolt in place) and whats the kicker is they do it to!! They also complained because I make too much 'noise' after 10pm. I was pretty blunt with my LL this time and told him I was speechless about all this complaining and that if these people want complete silence, they should rent the upstaris themselves or buy a house.
I know many peoples advice would be just to move but I still have 5 months on my lease and I don't want to move again, I like my apartment and the neighborhood. I am so angry because these people are making me look bad and I'm afraid they could possibly get me evicted. And for some reason, they won't come talk to me about their concerns, they go right to my LL. My LL seems to be trying to stay neutral but I can't believe he doesn't find their complaints unreasonable. I feel like a prisoner in my own apartment. I don't even have a few friends over because I'm afraid they will complain to him. I have lived in several apartments and have NEVER had anyone complain about me.
Do I have any power here at all? I welcome any advice.
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