For months I have been living a situation that has become unsustainable. I have notified security regularly and they have always intervened to complain to the neighbor, but with no result: that same night, the noises return. The agency that manages my home and theirs is the same person, so I have sent videos daily and I know they have tried to mediate; still, nothing has improved.
It is not the volume, it is the unpredictability
The noises are not constant: silence usually reigns and, suddenly, a dry slam (an interior door of their condominium, perhaps the bathroom) or bangs of objects against the walls and floor. These are very brief incidents, barely a few seconds, that happen at any time, day and night, and then silence returns. The difficult part is not the noise itself, but its unpredictability: between one and another ten minutes or three hours may pass, but every night they repeat between five and ten times. That is why earplugs barely help: they are useless against a dry, unexpected bang.
About the origin of the noise
I understand there is a small child in the apartment across, and I am not looking for blame: a child makes noise, that is normal. I just want to help understand why this affects me so much, because explaining the origin is not the same as solving it. I present it to you honestly:
| What is usually said | What I experience |
|---|---|
| “There is a small child” | I understand; but the slams and the dragging require the strength of an adult, and they happen every night. And I don't know if it is a door, or a punch to the wall, it is a dry bang. |
| “Children make noise” | A child does not play on the floor from 1 to 6 in the early morning without an adult allowing it. |
| “It can't be avoided” | Small changes, such as rugs or supervision, would greatly reduce the impact. |
| “It's just a child” | If I, across and separated by a hallway, hear the bangs on their walls, the noise is objectively loud. |
Sleep has become anxiety
You fall asleep and, suddenly, the bangs wake you up. How long will it last this time? Ten seconds and I'll be able to go back to sleep? A minute? Is it worth getting up to record it or call security, or will it have stopped by the time I go down? I pay rent to go to bed every night with a knot in my stomach, not knowing at what time the neighbor —who, I remind you, lives across, separated by a whole hallway, not attached to me— will decide that I have rested enough.
It is not bad intent, it is a lack of habit
And I am not talking about bad intent. I have never perceived that they seek to bother on purpose; I am talking about a lack of consideration or habit. There is no reason to play with a child in the hallway at three in the early morning, nor to drag furniture with that sharp sound that pierces the night. If for any reason they are awake only at night, they must take the appropriate measures to minimize the impact on others' rest.
The problem of documenting it
The problem is that it is impossible to record every incident. The slams last as long as the bang: you hear it and there is nothing left to film. But it is not an isolated thing, it is daily and constant; after one come ten more throughout the hours. Could you live without knowing when the next noise will arrive?
I tried to leave
For my part, I have even tried to talk to the agency to recover the deposit and move out myself. As expected, it has also been impossible.
What I ask of you
I am not asking you to solve the impossible, just one step beyond the mediation of these months, which I truly appreciate:
- An official written notification to the owner of the apartment across, reminding them of the coexistence rules. Once it has not been possible to find a solution with the tenants.
- Any measure or advice that from the administration you find useful.
I know it is not easy, and my intention is to solve it together, not to confront each other. I just need to be able to rest.