How To Deal With Problematic Neighbors: [11 Clever Strategies]

In this new article you’ll learn how to deal with problematic neighbors.

It is midnight and you have to be up in five hours to go to work and the hifi chain of your neighbors has vibrated the walls for two hours, like every night for a few weeks.

Or, you’re trying to focus on an important project and the neighbor’s dog keeps barking.

What can you do?

You need calm and tranquility, without having to declare war to get it! It’s entirely possible…

How To Deal With Problematic Neighbors

1. Try to get to know your neighbors and their situation.

Before you decide to confront your neighbors about their decibels, you should try to understand their situation, especially if it is not long ago that they are noisy.

Looking for answers to the following questions, you will be able to better know how to talk to them.

Do they have a newborn?

If so, they certainly realize that their baby is crying and trying to calm him down when he cries out.

Indeed, they are undoubtedly much more stressed than you by the crises of their child.

You can wait a little while for the family and the newborn to take their marks and calm down before talking to them.

Do they work at night?

Unfortunately, they can hardly avoid making noise when they are preparing to go to work (taking a shower, climbing up and down the stairs, starting the car, etc.) or when they return from work.

Of course, if they make too much noise (putting music to the bottom during their shower for example), you can talk to them.

But if their volume is normal for someone who is preparing, you will not easily win.

Do they have a new pet that is not yet adapted to his new home?

If so, your neighbors and their new pet are certainly in a period of adjustment.

You can wait a moment before and see if they can properly train their pet and reduce the noise it produces.

Choose the right time to talk to your neighbors.

You are aiming for the best result at the end of this conversation and your neighbor must be receptive and understand what you are complaining about.

Therefore, choosing an appropriate time as well as the right place to expose the situation to him is very important.

Ideally, try to talk with your neighbors when they do not make noise and when they are quiet.

Especially if it is a night problem, which is not the best time for everyone and you are annoyed when they make noise.

Try to choose a time when you are rested and calm and also when you can think that your neighbor is in a similar situation and that he will not feel trapped.

Of course, if the noise is unbearable, it can be difficult for you to wait for it to calm down.

In this case, you can refer to the next sections in which we will discuss this scenario.

2. Avoid taking your neighbor in the trap.

In order not to push your neighbor to adopt a defensive attitude, you should try not to surprise him in the wrong place and at the wrong time.

It is best to avoid confrontation when your neighbor is clearly not ready to discuss.

If you can warn them that you need to talk about something important and agreeing together a niche to do it, it’s even better.

For example, it is not a good idea to go see your neighbors when they come home from work or in the stress of the morning when they have to go to work and take the children to school.

Rather than requiring your neighbors to give you their full attention here and now, you can wait until they have finished what they are doing and start the conversation as follows:

“Hello Cathy, I see That you’re busy now, but would you have a moment to talk later in the afternoon? I would like to talk about a noise problem and find a solution together. ”

3. Be polite, respectful and friendly, if possible.

There may be a time when you have to impose yourself if your neighbor does nothing to reduce the noise he produces, but at the first confrontation you should not be hostile.

Your neighbors will be more receptive if you approach them calmly and politely.

Instead of knocking violently at their door and yelling at them as they open “I cannot sleep because of your children!

Try to moderate your remarks and start the conversation by asking them how they are going in recent times.

Be kind to neighbors.

For example, you can go see your neighbors about the noise that their dog makes and that disturbs you.

In this case, as long as you are not allergic to dogs and the animal is not aggressive, you can go see your neighbors and caress their dogs and compliment them by telling them they have a very beautiful animal.

And then you can engage the conversation about your problem:

“Spot is a gorgeous dog and he is already attached to his masters! That’s why I come to see you, when you’re not at home, Spot barks and cries all day. Maybe you miss him and he does not like being alone. I thought we could think of a way to solve this problem.

SEE ALSO: Here’s How To Deal With Difficult Neighbors: The Ultimate Guide

4. Explain to your neighbor that he is disturbing you.

Your neighbors will take your complaint more seriously and will try to reduce their noise emissions if you find a way to make you look sympathetic to them.

Once you have explained to your neighbors what activities or behaviors are troubling you, explain to them how this negatively affects your life (1).

Show them well that it is not them the problem, but that it is the noise and how it disturbs you.

For example, if their music prevents you from sleeping at night, you can try the following approach:

“Hello Chris, you really have good musical tastes and I wish you would spend your playlist last night. Unfortunately, the walls between our two apartments are very thin and I really struggled to sleep because of the music. I have to get up early to go to work, so it’s pretty problematic. ”

Suggest a strategy.

Instead of simply asking your neighbor to close it and not make any noise, it is better to arrive with a prepared plan.

You have to make your neighbor understand how you would like the situation to improve.

Propose a reasonable plan that respects the freedom of your neighbors to live well in their home.

For example, if your problem is that your neighbor’s dog does not stop barking when they are not at home, you may suggest that they lock up the dog at certain times of the day or change it of place when they are not at home.

You may also suggest that they close the shutters and curtains or that they leave the television or radio on when they are not at home.

This can occupy the dog and, with a little luck, prevent it from barking.

If your neighbor’s music prevents you from sleeping, rather than asking him to stop putting it on, you can suggest the following:

“Since I go to bed at 10 pm, can you Stop putting music or use headphones after this time?”

5. Be proactive and try to avoid noise problems.

Everyone has neighbors who make noise from time to time and we can usually do without much trouble.

Nevertheless, you may be in a period of change and a job interview is approaching or you are changing work schedules and you are afraid that the noise of your neighbors will become a problem for you.

If this is the case, it is better to be proactive and let your neighbors know that you will need calm in the coming period.

For example, a few days before this important event or your change of schedules, you can go to the door of your neighbors and bring home-made biscuits and touch them two words:

“Hi Sam, I have my partiels who arrive next week and I need calm to revise. Could you cancel your rehearsal with your group or change places of rehearsal for once? That would help me a lot. ”

6. Write them a note.

Even if speaking directly to your neighbors is the most mature solution to solve your problem and also the most effective if you get to understand and make friendly ties with them, you may feel more at ease with your neighbors, written to expose your situation.

If you do not know your neighbors and your respective schedules do not allow you to meet in common areas of your building or outside your home, leave them a polite word in their mailbox or on their Door can be effective in alerting them to the problem.

Be sure to explain the problem in your word: explain why you hear the sound of their television at 11 pm when you are trying to sleep and say that the sound is so loud that you can hear the conversations between the characters Of the film they are watching.

Be sure to suggest a solution in your word: for example, suggest lowering the volume by a third or ask them to place their television across the room, away from the adjoining wall.

Keep a dated copy of your word, in case you do not see any improvement to the situation.

7. Evaluate the noise your neighbors make.

Keep in mind that if you hear your neighbors, it does not necessarily mean they are too noisy and it would be fair to ask them to make less noise.

Remember that people have the right to make noise at home.

This is a matter of judgment of course, what is annoying for someone can be unbearable for someone else, these are subjective terms.

In your thoughts on the need to go see your neighbors to talk to them, ask yourself if the noise they make really prevents you from sleeping, working and watching your programs on TV or listening to your own music.

If so, then a conversation becomes necessary.

If, conversely, your problem is that you hear your neighbor’s children playing outside in the afternoon while you are trying to read a novel, asking your neighbors to prevent their children from making noise can be taken as a Desire to harm your neighbors.

Maybe you can just change rooms or put earplugs when you read.

SEE ALSO: How To Deal With Jealousy: The Ultimate Guide For Jealous People

8. Find out more about the legislation in force.

If talking to your neighbors has not improved or you want to avoid having a face-to-face conversation, you can prepare to call on an authority, the police, your landlord or the building managers.

Before contacting them, be sure that your neighbors exceed the limits in terms of noise.

Most cities and departments have legislated on the acceptable volume at different times of the day and also indicate the “quiet” times during which noise should be avoided.

The regulations vary by location, so you should look for the law that applies to your home.

You can consult the Laws on the website of your city or by consulting the texts of the Laws in town hall or in a library.

If you live in a condominium or residential complex, your lease or lease certainly contains a clause about the noise you can make within buildings or not.

Check these documents to make sure your neighbor is not in his right before notifying the authorities.

Some municipalities or municipalities may have special regulations for pets.

If your problem is caused by the barking of your neighbor’s dog, ask about the legislation in force.

9. Remind your neighbors of the legislation in force in relation to noise.

Before contacting the police or condominium, it would be ideal to try to solve the problem between neighbors, even if this is not always possible.

If you have the opportunity, send your neighbors a copy of the current noise or rental agreement that they also signed before moving in.

You can do it in person or by mail in his mailbox. This will remind them of the rules and serve as a warning.

Tell them that if the noise does not decrease, the next step will be to complain to the authorities.

10. Contact the authorities.

If your neighbor does not respond and you do not see any improvement in the problem or even if it is the first time you have noise problems but it is really unbearable and uncontrollable, you should contact the police or Owners of the condominium.

Call the police as a last resort in the event of a noisy or extreme situation.

Choose this solution if it is a long-standing problem and your neighbors have not been cooperative and you cannot call on your landlord or co-ownership.

Call the police whenever you feel a potential hazard or think the noise is due to domestic violence or illegal activities.

Under no circumstances should you put yourself in danger and it is also important to help those you think are at risk.

If you call the police, call when you hear noise.

There will then be more probability that your neighbor is caught “on the facts”, arrested and fined if necessary.

Contact your landlord, the trustee of your building or the condominium for the problems of noise nuisance less important.

If the problem is with your neighbor’s dog (2), call a competent animal authority if you have not been able to resolve the problem upstream with your neighbor.

11. Make a complaint.

As a last resort, you can file a complaint against your neighbors.

You have to think about it, because a war between neighbors can become difficult to manage, even if this may be the best argument for enforcing your rights.

You can opt for a lawsuit where your neighbor will have to pay a fine.

You can also opt for a cumbersome procedure, which will take place over the long term and implies that you have to be defended by a lawyer.

Advices

When talking to your neighbors about your problem, try to do it in neutral ground, such as the sidewalk or your landing.

It may also be a good idea to go face-to-face with your neighbor with your spouse, family member or friend, especially if you think you may be put at risk by the conversation.

If you are afraid of not being safe, do not confront your neighbors face to face. Prefer the option to send a letter, appeal to an authority or complain to your landlord.

If you are minors, do not confront your neighbors directly, but ask your parents or guardian to do so.

I want to thank you for taking the time to read my article about how to deal with problematic neighbors. I sincerely hope its contents have been a good help to you.

Przemkas Mosky started Perfect 24 Hours in 2017. He is a Personal Productivity Specialist, blogger and entrepreneur. He also works as a coach assisting people to increase their motivation, social skills or leadership abilities. Read more here