When you live in a condo, you’re essentially part of a small community living together, which means having to compromise on a few disturbances you may have to face while living in your unit. However, if noise disturbances get persistent and excessive, you can take specific measures to deal with noisy neighbors in a condo. These nuisances can include a hazardous disturbance, an offensive violation of federal/local law, or disruption of one’s peace. Essentially, you can opt for the legal or non-legal way to resolve such issues. The legal method entails taking the matter to court and filing a case against them. If your case is strong enough, you can eliminate the noise disturbance and be reimbursed for the expense incurred. The non-legal method includes ensuring better soundproofing and taking measures like submitting a written complaint to the condo board.
The Inexpensive and Non-Legal Way
Most buildings require residents to soundproof their apartments at least 80 percent, covering floors with rugs or carpets, ensuring better soundproofing. However, sometimes noise may still penetrate walls. It is always better to check for small holes because even if you may have additional soundproofing applied to your apartment, one small hole will render the effort futile. Ensure your neighbors have soundproofing as well. Many of the condos can be pretty specific or vague with what they term as noise nuisances in condos, so it is time you find out what your condo rules are regarding noise. You can talk to your neighbor regarding the noise they are creating or file a complaint to the condo board against them. Some condos place a fine or send out formal warnings to residents who violate the rules.
Legal Action
To sue your neighbor after your complaints to them are being continually ignored, you have to ensure the former two actions have failed before you proceed. The case is stronger when more neighbors come together to file against the noise-maker, so talk to your neighbors and condo board to see if they face the same issue and if they are willing to help file a case against them, sharing legal expenses. Many noisy residents may even ignore your or the condo’s warnings, this will signal that legal action should be considered against them. You will need to record the schedule when your neighbor makes the most noise and conduct a sound test performed by professionals to measure sound levels, which can be presented as evidence in court, or the experts can testify for your case.
The Best Way Forward
While a strong case may help you resolve the issue effectively, it may be very expensive to hire a lawyer, ask an expert to measure sound levels, and then testify in court. However, if you do win the case and prove the noise is a nuisance, your neighbor will have to reimburse you for the cost of testing and measuring the noise for evidence. Moreover, if neighbors and your condo board refuse to join in on filing the case, the expense may be overbearing, and your case weak. Cases filed against noisy neighbors have increased in the city, ensuring noise-makers are fined for their violations, while condo boards have created better management rules to easily resolve the issue. You are entitled to hospitable and peaceful living conditions, and you have the right to ensure that.