A tattle tailing neighbor that secretly tattle tales.
By cream97
@cream97 (29085)
United States
December 16, 2009 7:10pm CST
I spoke with my manager today about an Inspection that we were supposed to be having. And she happened to mention to me about the noise in our apartment. And I asked her if someone has complained again, about the noise level, and she told me yes. The lady that lives downstairs from us keeps telling the manager about the noise that is disturbing her. And this noise is coming from my kids. The manager tells her to give us time because we just moved into our new apartment. But, still this woman continues to go to her office and tell her that my kids are making a lot of noise. I have fussed at my kids. I have told them that they have to be quiet as possible. But as any parent with kids knows, it can be difficult in trying to get them to always stay quiet. The manager says that the lady told her that the noise is only loud in the nighttime and not the daytime. I believe that this woman works in the daytime, so of course, she can't hear a lot of noise then because she is gone.
I will explain to you all, why some of the noise is causing her to complain. We don't have any carpet in our apartment at all. The apartments out here have carpet in them. Management is taking the carpet out of any apartment, out, when a tenant moves out of it. Many people that reside out here have carpet in their apartments. We just don't, because we just moved in. This apartment has had carpet at one point in time, but they stripped it all out. The manager has suggested that we get some carpet to spread on the floors so that it can mask some of the noise down. She told me that it was not our fault that we don't have carpet. She said if it was up to her she would have put carpet in this apartment. Her boss is over this decision which she has no control over.
I don't want to disturb anyone and I am doing the best that I can to keep my kids quiet. The manager has mentioned to this woman that we don't have any carpet in our apartment. And my husband has told her the same thing too. This woman has kids too. But my thing is this, why tell on us when they are not so quiet either. There have been many days that she has been loud. People knock very hard on her door to come into her apartment. The guys smoke cigarettes. I am sure that she knows these people. And I can hear her at times yelling at her kids too. I know that she is getting tired of the noise and I am getting tired of her complaining when she already knows the situation. If she have had to been really listening to all of the loud noise, she would have heard me fussing at my kids every time that they get loud. I wonder why she hasn't heard that?
I will explain to you all, why some of the noise is causing her to complain. We don't have any carpet in our apartment at all. The apartments out here have carpet in them. Management is taking the carpet out of any apartment, out, when a tenant moves out of it. Many people that reside out here have carpet in their apartments. We just don't, because we just moved in. This apartment has had carpet at one point in time, but they stripped it all out. The manager has suggested that we get some carpet to spread on the floors so that it can mask some of the noise down. She told me that it was not our fault that we don't have carpet. She said if it was up to her she would have put carpet in this apartment. Her boss is over this decision which she has no control over.
I don't want to disturb anyone and I am doing the best that I can to keep my kids quiet. The manager has mentioned to this woman that we don't have any carpet in our apartment. And my husband has told her the same thing too. This woman has kids too. But my thing is this, why tell on us when they are not so quiet either. There have been many days that she has been loud. People knock very hard on her door to come into her apartment. The guys smoke cigarettes. I am sure that she knows these people. And I can hear her at times yelling at her kids too. I know that she is getting tired of the noise and I am getting tired of her complaining when she already knows the situation. If she have had to been really listening to all of the loud noise, she would have heard me fussing at my kids every time that they get loud. I wonder why she hasn't heard that?6 people like this
13 responses
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
17 Dec 09
oh cream I have b een there and done that. dont people who live downstairs in these apartment complexes know that a lot of places have no insu lation or anything to sound proof so you can just barely walk across the floor and the nasty downstairs lady is
banging on your ceiling. we went through that with my sons desk chair and the downstairs neighbor from hell. nothing that we did did one bit of good, he bought a new chair and put a ton of padding under it, she still complained every day hour after hour that the noise was awful. so finally the manager who was also the manager from hell gave us an eviction notice. we found out later that the manager after her hubby divorced her got together with this neighbor from hell and told her to complain constantly so she could get us out and get some close friends of hers into our apartment. Your neighbor having children of her own has to know that no matter what children will make some noise and she should expect that. can you get the manager to let you move into a first floor apartment when it becomes available so you can get this nasty neighbor off your backs? you dont need this after being able to get into an apartment.good luck and God bless hugs from Hatley
2 people like this
@cream97 (29085)
• United States
17 Dec 09
Hi, Hatley. Me and my husband was just discussing this this morning. And he said that if anyone should be moving it should be her. There is an vacant apartment that is right across from hers. It is a downstairs apartment. She should consider moving to this apartment. That way we won't have to move. The people that live in front of us has no little kids. So, this may work out better for her. Hopefully, they won't make a lot of noise either. It will have to be her call on this. She can't expect to have the apartment all to herself. This apartment was vacant for some months before we moved into it. I guess she is so used to living where it was very quiet on her end. This hubby was dirty for doing that to you all. We have some slide managers that are no good. Working against tenant to tenant is never a game to play!
I don't know what is wrong with some of these neighbors, they think that they are in a house when they are living in an apartment. This ain't Mickey D's, have it your way! If she wants less noise then she should consider putting her money down on a house, not an apartment! I just moved here and it has been nothing but complaints with this women! She is just a trouble maker always looking to stir up trouble!
It will have to be her call on this. She can't expect to have the apartment all to herself. This apartment was vacant for some months before we moved into it. I guess she is so used to living where it was very quiet on her end. This hubby was dirty for doing that to you all. We have some slide managers that are no good. Working against tenant to tenant is never a game to play! I don't know what is wrong with some of these neighbors, they think that they are in a house when they are living in an apartment. This ain't Mickey D's, have it your way! If she wants less noise then she should consider putting her money down on a house, not an apartment! I just moved here and it has been nothing but complaints with this women! She is just a trouble maker always looking to stir up trouble!@cream97 (29085)
• United States
17 Dec 09
Hi, zed4. I will have to agree with you. What they did to Hatley and her family was very mean!
Neighbors know of the condition that the apartment is in when they first moved into it. When the walls are not sound proof then anyone can hear down below. Our floors creak in certain spots badly and I know that the lady downstairs can hear it, since she can hear everything else so well.
I am glad that Hately is not in this situation anymore!
Neighbors know of the condition that the apartment is in when they first moved into it. When the walls are not sound proof then anyone can hear down below. Our floors creak in certain spots badly and I know that the lady downstairs can hear it, since she can hear everything else so well. I am glad that Hately is not in this situation anymore!
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
17 Dec 09
Sounds like she is just wanting something to complain about. We lived in an upstairs apartment when my girls were in upper elementary school. The woman that lived below us worked nights and slept during the day. In my kitchen, there was a board that squeaked when you walked on it. She griped to the manager all the time that my kids ran through the house all the time.
One day, she came to my door and began to scream at me about keeping my kids quiet and how she couldn't sleep because they were making so much noise and running through the house and screaming. I immediately called the manager and asked her to come over, because my kids weren't even home! I never had her complain again, and it wasn't long before she moved away! (Thank God)
Perhaps, you should complain every time you hear her kids, and let her see how it feels. She might stop.
2 people like this
@cream97 (29085)
• United States
17 Dec 09
I may have to do this carpenter5. She has to know that her apartment is not as quiet as she may think that it is. I have heard many noises that I can complain about to management. But I am not going to stoop to her level. I think that she is just mad because we don't socialize with her on a regular basis. I stay in my apartment and she stays in hers. She has done nothing but complain since we have moved here. I don't think that this is a good idea when we just moved in. I have felt nothing but unwelcomed here.
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
17 Dec 09
Hi Cream
I think actually the Manager needs to sort her out
Children will be Children and no matter what you do they have to be Children
It makes it worse of course that you have no Carpets
I know how it feels I used to have a Neighbour like that but she would complain about the slightest Noise and she was told that it is the down thing living in a Flat underneath someone
This was many Years ago but she never complained again after that
Also anyone with Children knows the more you tell them to be quiet the more Noise they will make or even worse they try to be quiet and make more noise by trying
I really hope this gets sorted out as it must be getting you down
@cream97 (29085)
• United States
19 Dec 09
Hi, gabs. The manager is going to have to be frank with her. When the manager talks to me, she is frank with me. So, she should do the same with her too. Just because this woman pats rent does not mean that the manager has to kiss her behind. The manager should work out an solution with her that will allow her to stay off of our backs.
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30953)
• United States
17 Dec 09
part of living in an apartment is putting up with the neighbors. You are paying rent and should not have to be so worried about your kids making "normal" noise. of course, in living downstairs from you even the smallest of noises will sound loud. Have you tried talking to this neighbor? It isn't fair to your kids to have you feel that you have to constantly be getting after them for just being kids. I think that during reasonable hours that your neighbor needs to learn a little tolerance. I mean even if she succeeds and drives you out of there...whoever moves in is going to be making noise.
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30953)
• United States
17 Dec 09
Usually people that have kids themselves are a bit more understanding. I live in an apartment and music and kid noises seriously are good noises. It is fighting and all that really bothers me. Even then....run to the landlord? If the fighting were at a point where it was violent I'd call someone who could put an end to it. It's just not being a good neighbor to run to the landlord with every little thing.
1 person likes this
@cream97 (29085)
• United States
19 Dec 09
Exactly! You hit a nerve here! If I was fighting and throwing dishes all over my apartment, then I would not expect to not be told on. But just for my kids making noise.... That is just crazy. My kids don't make noise all of the time. It is many hours that my apartment is as quiet as a mouse.. I would also think that if she has kids that she would understand, but it is sad to say she does not. She must be a very miserable woman to have to be telling everything on us. This is not the first time that she has complained before. One time, she was BS(ing) about water that was leaking from her ceiling... The maintenance man had to constantly come and check my commode and water.. Everytime I turned around, she had contacted the manager about the leak.. It was very annoying because we did not cause anything to leak from her ceiling. I can't stand living from the upper level of her apartment.
I can't stand living from the upper level of her apartment.@cream97 (29085)
• United States
17 Dec 09
Hi, sid556. Yes, you are right. These floors are already creaking loud enough as it is. And the next people that may live here may drive her up the wall. I wonder how she is going to deal with that??? My kids can play. I can't make them stay silent as a mouse all day long. That lady knows that. She has kids herself too.
1 person likes this
@zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
17 Dec 09
I find some people love to complain and they make it as their hobby to keep complaining day in and out. And there are also those genuine complainers whom only do it when necessary. I find it annoying to listen to someone keep on harping complaints after complaints, but they themselves ain't perfect. I just shrug and walk off, if I come across these types of people. Ignore is the best, but sometimes they try to step on our heads too. Aaaargh. I'm sorry you have to go through with that. Why does she keep on complaining; is there a hidden agenda or something. You should find out since she's complaining about you. To be frank with her, might be good too, since she's already going round behind your back to complain anyway, might as well. Do tell us what happens next yeah.
1 person likes this
@zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
18 Dec 09
If that's the case, it's best to just avoid contact with this type of person and the best is to ignore. I'm sorry that you have to go through this with a person like her, and no matter what her reasons could be, she should not complain at your back. That's unethical in my opinion. If she has something like not happy about what you have done or etc2x.. she could have been honest and straightforward instead of complaining.
1 person likes this
@cream97 (29085)
• United States
19 Dec 09
I agree with you. When she constantly runs and tells the manager on us she just reminds me of a childish child. I could never continue to tattle tale on someone over and over. She need to be an adult and just accept the fact that things is not just going to go her way as she would like or expect. Complaining has not solved the problem at all. I don't see where it has. If anything, her constant complaining has made matters far worse.
Complaining has not solved the problem at all. I don't see where it has. If anything, her constant complaining has made matters far worse.1 person likes this
@cream97 (29085)
• United States
17 Dec 09
She she is Mrs. Complainee of the town! I have ignored her and I do a very good job of it. She just needs to give us a break. The manager has told her this when we first moved in. And this has still not registered through her head.. She is just a bugger that is very annoying. I will never make friends with her being the way that she is. I wonder if she has something against us for her to keep complaining. I don't bother her so I don't know why she is making it so hard for us. She knows that we have just moved in and it will be a lot of noise that is taken place. Something is seriously wrong with this woman.
1 person likes this
@rosepedal64 (4188)
• United States
17 Dec 09
Hi cream
Im sorry that you are having so much problems with the neigbor lady. Have you tried to talk with her yourself? I think I would go tell her or have the manager to tell her that when she thinks that the kids are too loud to come and tell you. I know what you are saying about the kids. It is hard to keep kids quite or tell them to walk softly. That would like telling a horse not to run...LOL
Keep smiling.
@cream97 (29085)
• United States
17 Dec 09
Hi, rosepedal64. No, I have not talked to my neighbor at all about this issue. I think that it is best for her to go to the manager herself. That way, she can't twist my words around. I have popped my kids and fussed at them, but it is so hard to keep them quiet. It is just impossible... I have tried to tell them that the people downstairs can hear them when they make a lot of noise. I am glad that you can understand the concept that kids will be kids no matter how hard you try to get through to them.
@rosepedal64 (4188)
• United States
17 Dec 09
When my husband was working out of town he had gotten an apartment. He had the middle apartment. When I took our grandson down for a visit we kept telling him not to jump like that, no running, and don't have to talk so loud..Honey I do understand. I wish you the best and hope that things will work out.
Have a nice evening.
Keep smiling.
1 person likes this
@cream97 (29085)
• United States
17 Dec 09
Yes, my kids jump and stomp. Which I have constantly told them never and not to do. I get on them. I never just sit there and let them misbehave and make all of that noise. I wished that this woman could understand that. Have a great evening as well. And thank you so very much for your kind words. I will continue to keep on smiling, and you do the same as well.
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
20 Dec 09
if she's like any of my apartment neighbors were-their kids are angels..everyone else's are "savages".sounds like she's just a busybody.
i would get carpet myself-and maybe double the underlayment.if only to have a reciept proving you tried to squelch it.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
17 Dec 09
She probably complained about your fussing at the kids too. :-)
Nice thing about having a house, you're usually not so close to your neighbors that you have people complaining all the time. Last time we were in an apartment (temporarily between houses) it was "don't put your plants on the landing, they have to be on the balcony".... Silly....
1 person likes this
@cream97 (29085)
• United States
19 Dec 09
Yes, there are many disadvantages when it comes to having to live in an apartment. I have always wanted an house. But, I had to settle with an apartment for the meantime. I don't think that she has told the manager that I was fussing at my kids, because is she did then there would be no complaints. I think that she is just trying to make us look bad by telling on us. She will leave the part about me fussing at my kids out just so that it can look like my kids are just being loud. If the manager was as smart as I would think she is, she would not fall for everything that she says, especially by not hearing our version of the story.
@shobhan51 (376)
• Malaysia
17 Dec 09
This is a situation that needs understanding. If children are the problem, then it is a difficult situation to control because children are known to be hyper. Children who are quiet tend to be suffering from psychological problems and noisy children are normal. We can only advise our children to reduce the noise level, but it is inhuman to threaten or abuse children so as to frighten them to keep quiet.
1 person likes this
@cream97 (29085)
• United States
17 Dec 09
Hi, shobhan51. I wished this woman could understand this concept. She has kids just like I have. I have gotten to the point where I will just make my kids take a time out for being bad and loud.. I want my kids to be able to roam around. They were not able to do this in an year. We had to stay in a one room all of the time. Now being here, they have more space and freedom. I don't want to deprive them of this, just because some woman does not know how to be patient.
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
17 Dec 09
Hey cream! The point here is that this woman has nothing better
to do but complain! The fact that she has her own kids that make
noise proves the point! And also, the fact that the Management
knows that you have just moved in and don't have carpet yet
means that they are on your side so don't worry about it! Kids
will be kids and there isn't that much you can do about it! They
aren't doing it on purpose! You do need to get some kind of
carpet, even if it is just some cheap throw carpet off the roll
so that some of the noise will be muffled! I would keep speaking
to the Management to see if they can help, if not I would go
to a carpet reminants store and get some big piece of carpet!
I know about this because we have the same problem in the apartment
complex where I live and I don't have kids or any upstairs from
me, but it still is noisy!
1 person likes this
@cream97 (29085)
• United States
17 Dec 09
Hi, Opal26. We are planning on getting carpet very soon. And I can't wait either. A tenant overheard the manager having a talk with me about the noise. And he said that he lived downstairs and the people upstairs made a lot of noise and these people were grown folks. He was trying to explain to the manager that children are not the only people that can make a bunch of noise. Besides, I informed the manager up front that my kids can be loud at times. And she tells me, that the woman has kids too... But now, her choice of words does not live up to her expectations.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
17 Dec 09
I hate that you are having to walk on eggshells. That's no way to have to live especially if she makes noise too. I used to live in an apartment and it was the same way. Surely they realize that young children play and sometimes there is a certain amount of noise related to that. If they wanted it to be perfectly quiet, they really should consider just renting to adults. It's not fair to put unreal noise limits on a family with children.
1 person likes this
@maygodblessu44 (7336)
• India
5 Jan 10
Hello my friend cream97 Ji,
So myself and my hubby discard Appartment living. We may have to compromise with many such problems, not only with children, with many others as well. ome body will knock my door by mistake in drunk mood. So we live in our own house. Making noise by children is not that grave. Children have to make such noise, else their child-hood will at risk. Let them make noise within limits. The best way is to live seperately in single home.
Wishing you a very happy New Year-2010.
May God bless You and have a great time.
1 person likes this
@cream97 (29085)
• United States
9 Jan 10
Hi, I would love to live in a home. We may just live in a sound proof apartment until things gets better for us. If we had the money like that, we would move into a house. It is better this way. Especially if you have younger kids. I can't keep them quiet all of the time, it is impossible! I wished that these neighbors would understand this!
1 person likes this
@maygodblessu44 (7336)
• India
10 Jan 10
Hello my friend cream97 Ji,
Well, we take children as pass time for usand we play with them, but when they cry and make noise, it is very much disturbing us. We curse ourselves. We live in our own house, which is just at ground floor. We just keep one small family to take care of our property, when we are away from this house. Letme show you my house.
May God bless You and have a great time.
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
17 Dec 09
Hi Cream, I'd keep a log of each time noise from her apartment disturbs you and then enter it all together as one complaint against her. It also wouldn't hurt to speak to her about it.
If that doesn't work I'd start hoovering the floorboards each time her noise disturbs you or very early in the morning. Your children don't sound as if they are doing it to deliberately annoy them and shouldn't have to always sit quietly in their own home.
1 person likes this
