Worst neighbour ever.

[Curtis Rielley]

Yup I know that problem with my band at my house. Cops were called 3 times total in 2 weeks, twice in one practice haha. We only practiced 2 hours, 2pm-4pm in the middle of the day, once a week and still had complaints. The cops didn't even know the sound ordinance when they arrived so we were off the hook each time haha We were loud but not crazy loud and we were being considerate and turned down considerably after they told us turn down and they still called the police

 

[FlyingFlannel]

I had a crazy old lady in my last apartment. She lived on the top floor but swore everything rose to the top. So much to the point she would say things like "smelled like you cooked a spicy dinner last night."

Anyway, once she got some of my mail and when she came to give it to me she saw my guitar in the living room. Thats when the noise complaints started. Once the cops came over because I being to loud at 6 PM.

After several unwarrented complaints I just started being loud, rocking the bass. I figure it was a Boy Who Cried Wolf sort of thing because while she ended up really not liking me the complaints stopped.

 

[devnulljp]

We're foreigners living in Taiwan. I'm not sure how much pull we'll have with the police. Some old lady sees two white guys going in and out with guitars and it's pretty obvious where the complaints are going to be directed. And what the guard doesn't seem to get is when we bring those guitars home at one or two in the morning, it's because we've been playing them loudly somewhere else and I want to go to bed too.

OK, you're screwed. You have to move. I lived in Japan for a decade and same kind of thing. Racism is racism.
Bonus is that now you know what those black kids in your neighbourhood felt like.

 

[Whippet]

Obviously you need to get rid of the neighbors. Two ideas come to mind. A) Murder them or B) Move.

Personally, I would go with option B. But that's just me.

Or option C. Play loud enough and they will move. Guys below me complained I walked "too loud" and no, I don't weigh 240 lbs. They threatened me, I just ignored them. They reported me to the management, and the management didn't do anything to me.

The building was old and the floors/ceilings had very little insulation. We all knew this. Eventually the two guys moved.

Just play loud or normal volume. They'll either get sick of you and move or decide to join your band. Either way you win.

 

[BASSKADET]

Same here except then my wife tells me to put on the headphones because I drown out her TV.

I think she's misguided. she's the one that should have the head phones on. LOL

 

[spoonfulofshred]

Ha! Get this. We talked to our landlord tonight and he said this crazy neighbour is the whole reason he moved out in the first place. He lived in our apartment a few years ago but same thing, she would complain about every little noise and it drove him nuts. The security guard that woke me up on Saturday was fairly new and didn't realize our neighbour was a nut. I apologized to him because of course, I was a tad grumpy about being woken up to be told I was too loud. I also had a hilarious conversation with one of the guards who has been here longer. He knows about this woman. We joked about whether or not I could read a book after 10pm to which he replied, "probably not." We had a good laugh.

I'd like to thank those of you on TalkBass who showed support in my hour of need. And even thanks to those who criticized my life choices without knowing anything about me. I live in a major Asian city on a small, tropical island where the closest residence that isn't an apartment building is in the middle of the ocean. Sorry, I get seasick. My favourite was the line about "shoulda listened to your mother." Because she did say, when she retires next year, I better have a guest room. I'm working on it, Mom! Just keep it down!

 

[INTP]

Kudos to you for talking it out like an adult. Glad you've made progress on the issue.

Maybe you can do something for the neighbor as a good faith gesture to see if it reduces the tension even more.

 

[two fingers]

Edit: Never mind. I went back and read more. Carry on.

 

[Matty Koff]

Ha! Get this. We talked to our landlord tonight and he said this crazy neighbour is the whole reason he moved out in the first place. He lived in our apartment a few years ago but same thing, she would complain about every little noise and it drove him nuts. The security guard that woke me up on Saturday was fairly new and didn't realize our neighbour was a nut. I apologized to him because of course, I was a tad grumpy about being woken up to be told I was too loud. I also had a hilarious conversation with one of the guards who has been here longer. He knows about this woman. We joked about whether or not I could read a book after 10pm to which he replied, "probably not." We had a good laugh.

I'd like to thank those of you on TalkBass who showed support in my hour of need. And even thanks to those who criticized my life choices without knowing anything about me. I live in a major Asian city on a small, tropical island where the closest residence that isn't an apartment building is in the middle of the ocean. Sorry, I get seasick. My favourite was the line about "shoulda listened to your mother." Because she did say, when she retires next year, I better have a guest room. I'm working on it, Mom! Just keep it down!

Glad your landlord is cool and this lady is just nuts and needs to move to a city where she can find a nice house in a quiet neighborhood.

I just want to say I really was making no judgements about you, but having had a hell of a time as an apartment tenant myself in the past.. I can't help but remind people to keep in mind their noise levels when living in that close proximity of their neighbors, headphones for musicians in apt complex's really are a nice thing to have, and people that use them will always be able to say "No, officer, it couldn't have been me." For some reason it was hardwired into me when I moved into my apt to be mindful of how I step, as my heels can be thunderous.. and remember that my practice sessions might have made people want to pull their hair out if not for my lovely headphones.

. I'm curious if she wasn't the lady who woke me up for every night for months months banging on my yelling "you go to herrr!" after deciding americans weren't her cup of tea or something.

 

[BazzTard]

get really friendly with the guards, now that you know they know the lady and her wrongful complaints. Then play loud all the time, no one will listen to her. Invite all the other tenants to all-in jams hehe

 

[friendlybass]

As a security guard I can tell you usually you're the middle man between Grouchy McGrouchpants tenant and either well meaning musician not practicing or obnoxious "artist creating audible art (this is a direct quote from a sober man beating the poopie out of a poor poor djembe at 2 am) and those people complaining need to be grateful to experience my art!" Types. You have to go talk to whatever unit is being reported just because it's your job. And when the repeat non offender is snarky about a situation you're already exasperated with it can be particularly frustrating.

This being said! Telling you every day when you get home is ridiculous. that's going above and beyond the call of fake duty. Try practicing when you live with your parents! Oh lord I try to tweak my fuzz for two seconds and someone is banging on the door telling me to turn down.

 

[mellowinman]

As a security guard I can tell you usually you're the middle man between Grouchy McGrouchpants tenant and either well meaning musician not practicing or obnoxious "artist creating audible art (this is a direct quote from a sober man beating the **** out of a poor poor djembe at 2 am) and those people complaining need to be grateful to experience my art!" Types. You have to go talk to whatever unit is being reported just because it's your job. And when the repeat non offender is snarky about a situation you're already exasperated with it can be particularly frustrating.

This being said! Telling you every day when you get home is ridiculous. that's going above and beyond the call of fake duty. Try practicing when you live with your parents! Oh lord I try to tweak my fuzz for two seconds and someone is banging on the door telling me to turn down.

You'll go blind doing that.