Woman Can’t Bear The Extreme Noise Her Neighbor’s Toddler Makes, Asks Online If She Should File Yet Another Complaint That Might Lead To Eviction
YOU (F33) A long-term tenant who works from home and who lives in an apartment where noise levels have a massive effect on your day-to-day life. We had a very noisy toddler move in across the hall a couple of months ago, and his loud, frequent screaming has made it very difficult for you to get any good writing done or relax in your home. You and other neighbors have complained about the noise, but nothing has worked and the family is now teetering on being evicted if another violation is reported.
You do not want to deny a family their home, especially if that family has young kids as being a parent is already extraordinarily difficult and the last thing you want to do is take away the roof over their tops. But now that months have passed—largely compounded by your remote work requirements, chronic pain, and migraines—that vexation has begun to bubble up so high that you can no longer repress the lesson. Now, you ask whether submitting another complaint would make you the villain.
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Understanding Noise Complaints and Tenant Rights
The challenges you face illustrate a common tension between tenants with different lifestyle needs. From a legal and ethical perspective, your concerns are valid, and you are within your rights to file a noise complaint if the situation is disrupting your quality of life.
- Tenant Rights and Reasonable Quiet: Most residential leases include a “quiet enjoyment” clause, which guarantees tenants the right to live in their homes without unreasonable disturbances. Chronic noise that affects work or sleep could be grounds for action, particularly if other neighbors are also affected.
- Legal Precedents: Persistent noise issues are often grounds for formal intervention by property managers or landlords. For instance, under housing laws, landlords are obligated to address noise complaints and ensure compliance with community noise standards. In extreme cases, unresolved noise complaints could even constitute a breach of your lease agreement, entitling you to remedies such as lease termination without penalty.
- Parental Challenges vs. Accountability: Parenting toddlers is undeniably challenging, especially in shared living spaces. However, parents are still responsible for mitigating disruptions caused by their children. This may involve soundproofing their unit, ensuring appropriate supervision, or finding solutions like behavioral interventions if the child has underlying conditions contributing to the noise.
- Alternative Solutions: Before escalating the issue further, you might explore indirect measures:
- Management-initiated mediation: Request your property manager to mediate a discussion or propose alternative measures, such as installing carpets or soundproofing.
- Wellness check: If you’re concerned about the child’s well-being, contacting social services for a wellness check could clarify whether the family needs external support.
- Ethical Considerations of Filing a Complaint: While eviction is a severe consequence, the responsibility for avoiding it ultimately lies with the family and their adherence to the property rules. If prior warnings and fines haven’t resulted in meaningful change, your complaint would likely highlight an ongoing problem rather than single-handedly trigger their eviction.
She claims that the kid frequently screams “bloody murder,” which interferes with both her professional and private life
Fellow community members shared their thoughts and opinions on the matter
If it is so disruptive to your quality of life and your ability to work that another complaint is required, you are not the bad guy, you just want to be able to live somewhere. But, it is all about balance — and advocating for your own needs is part of being a real human. Try to make each complaint come across as urging the continued pursuit of a solution, rather than punishment. This not only lets you be fair but also protects your quality of life.
