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Living in apartment usually means sharing a wall or flooring with someone else. Sometimes you may never hear your neighbors but other times you may be keenly aware of when they are home. In our modern world where many people no longer work the 9-5 you may hear things at certain times of the day that surprise you. As a leasing consultant one of my jobs and one of the toughest tasks is to help mediate noise disturbances. Noise is a funny thing because what bothers me may not bother you. Also noise does not always travel up and down and sometimes it can be distorted making it difficult to pinpoint the cause. There are some common complaints that neighbors will bring to the leasing office: -My neighbor sounds like an elephant when they walk -My neighbor sounds like they are on a constant search of something, banging cabinets, slamming doors etc. -My neighbor sounds like they are bowling -My neighbor blasts their TV and surround sound so the whole building can hear it -My neighbor sounds like they are playing in a jungle gym -My neighbor is doing things like cleaning or vacuuming at odd hours -My neighbor is a party animal -My neighbors dog barks non-stop The list could go on but those are some common types of complaints that I have encountered while working in the multifamily housing industry. Tips on how to deal with a noise disturbance: - Let Management mediate: Allow your apartment management team to mediate the situation for you. Sometimes residents try to resolve the issue amongst themselves. Doing so can cause the situation to escalate depending on who your neighbor is and how the matter is approached. -Do not retaliate against your neighbor: Many times I have had residents tell me how their neighbors will hit their ceiling with the broom because they thought they were too loud. This usually will only cause tension between you and your neighbor. Retaliation also makes it hard for management to prevent the noise when someone feels they are being retaliated against. -Document: Document the noise and where it is coming from, when you are experiencing it and how long it lasts. Be detailed so that it allows management to have plenty of information to try to resolve the issue. -Courtesy Patrol: Check to see if your community has courtesy patrol. Courtesy patrol is a great resource that is usually available during the hours when management in not on the property. If you make a call into courtesy patrol, let your community management know the following day so they can follow-up. -Report noise right away: Don’t wait until you are fed up to report noise disturbances. When you first experience the noise let your community management know so they can try to resolve it right away. -Check transfer policies: This would be a last resort option but sometimes it can be the only way that each resident is happy. If the noise is not excessive but unbearable for you, check to see if your community has a transfer policy where you may find a location that better suits you. Be Realistic: Figure out how sensitive you are to noise (doing so prior to moving in can help). I am personally  extremely sensitive to sounds and I have found that living on a top floor is the best option for me because it reduces the most noise. I have also invested in ear plugs because I realize my sensitivity to noise is not normal and I can’t always expect peace and quiet while living in an apartment. It may not be solvable: One thing I stress to residents is that excessive noise is the noise that I can help with. If someone is blasting their TV I can help resolve it. If someone is just heavy footed, that is a difficult situation where I can’t tell them how to walk within their apartment. If someone is running  that would be considered excessive noise and I could help resolve it. As an employee of Camden, our goal is to always provide living excellence to all residents. If you have noise disturbances feel free to reach out to your Camden team member as it is our pleasure to help you and your neighbor have the best living experience possible. Cheers, Ashlee