Noisy Neighbors Again
Dear Dean,
Well, I’ve promised myself that I will never live in an apartment again in order to avoid noisy neighbors. Hopefully I’ll remain as healthy as I have been for a long time, and can build a big enough nest egg to guarantee never having to live in a close-quarters apartment again.
As the drunks ruined your condo experience in Florida, so too, my noisy neighbors ruined my experience here. An otherwise beautiful apartment (this one) cannot be appreciated due to their racket. I’ve written them letters, talked to them, and had the landlord chat with them twice. However, nothing helped.
When I’m out and about, and I’m walking into the parking lot for this apartment, and I look up and see that the lights are on in the apartment above me, I’m filled with a sense of dread. It’s like, “Oh God, what noise am I going to have to deal with tonight?” That is certainly no way to live.
In all fairness however, I have to say that it’s not ENTIRELY their fault even though these noisy neighbors bear most of it. This building wasn’t constructed very well and the walls and ceiling, though made of concrete, aren’t soundproof at all. I can hear every word they say up there, when I’m in my bedroom, even when they’re obviously talking rather quietly. I must run a fan in there at night, to block the extraneous noise so I can sleep. Thus, I believe that the landlord bears some responsibility here.
That’s probably why they decided not to fight me when I told them I wanted out of my lease. They’ve no doubt profited immensely over the past 20 years from this cheaply constructed building, unfortunately, at the expense of the tenants who have lived here. But I didn’t have to use that argument. They were quite gracious and, apparently, understanding of my situation.
Needless to say, I cannot wait to get out of here and away from these noisy neighbors, although I do regret having to leave Philly for a second time. I love it here in the big city. But I just haven’t had much luck with the apartments I’ve chosen. They were either too expensive, or too noisy.
Later.