Hello,

Eventually I arrived to the complaints corner.

One of my neighbors, flat right above, came knocking at 1h00 in the morning to complain I was being too loud. The issue is that my wife was asleep in the bedroom and I was talking with my brother on the phone. I understand the silent hours from 22h00 to 6h00, but a phone call with all my windows shut?

I'm getting tired. It's not the first time the neighbor complains about something. We don't smoke but one day one of my guests was smoking on my balcony and guess who came down knocking.

The call with my brother was a bit tense. I think I let all the frustration out with the idiot who came down knocking at 1h00 and might scared him. I told the guy that If was being too loud we should call the police. He didn't want to. So, I called the police and he ran into his flat. But, is there a more civil way to avoid these unwarranted visits?

Maybe practice some self-assessment here... Do you really think he walks down at 1 am for fun?

Yeh. Don‘t make phone calls at 1 in the morning...

I suspect the fact you called his bluff and phoned the police may have done the trick. If he was that upset about it he'd have made a formal complaint when they turned up.

Maybe I need few min to process this. But, modern building with perfect noise insulation, all widows shut? I understand the tumble dryer is noisy, but talking? Is it rude to talk in your own apartment no matter the hour? If this is the case, I'm seriously surprised.

The police did not want to show up. I called them. I told my neighbor thinks I'm rocking the building, the police asked to talk to him, and he shut his door. The police told me that there was no noise complain from the building.....go back to sleep sir.

No, of course it is not rude.
Just sometimes we speak louder than we realize

However your neighbour seems somewhat over sensitive.

It must not be as perfect as you think. If you can be heard, at 1 a.m., I would consider it rude. Sucks for you and it's another reason why I could never live in an apartment in this country.

It really sucks. I'll consider a single home for the next time we move.

If one was phoning Brazil, for example, and one wanted to reach someone there early evening when they got back from work, it would be 19.00 which would be a reasonable time to receive a call.

With the world as it is, and with families and friends spread around it, it's always going to be 1.00 am somewhere.

If the OP made a regular occurrence of it then that's one thing but a one off, or a friend who once smoked on the balcony once? It seems that the neighbour is perhaps the inconsiderate one.

There's a difference between being heard and being too loud.

Overnight is supposed to be quiet time, not silent time - maybe the neighbour couldn't sleep and the quiet drone of a voice annoyed them, but that's their problem.

Sounds like they are a perennial complainer anyway.

Another important detail. Our building is 8-10 meters away from the Suhre. A lovely river but also a white noise generator. When I go to sleep I listen to the river, not my neighbors whatever they're doing. Sometimes I listen to the TV from other flat, or children jumping on the bed, but the river drowns them.

I guess that everyone is going a bit crazy with our soft lockdown. All the times my neighbor has complained is when restaurants and bars are closed.
I'll take it this way, we're behaving weird because of boredom, things will improve this week with shops opening once again.

It is complicated how and when noise travels around flats/apartments. Some noise is heard by one and not another.


During these Covid times the stress levels can be more intense.


The mother of family under us has an unfortunate Loud laugh and often hear her voice on the phone.



Last summer once week, the family had at least one of those on-line Games quiz shows they participated, very loud and noisy. My o/h always had sleep disturbed from it. Once or twice out the window I intimated to keep the noise down.


With difficulty on occasions we have tried to be understanding of neighbours in these Covid times, but if it happens again this summer, be assured I will react.


OP, however you are having phone or on line chat with someone; some suggests

1. use headset so the person you are talking are not heard
2. keep your voice low, when people are sleeping
3. Maybe use a room in your home that is not near your neighbours when they sleep

Separately I was flabbergasted that you called the Police out at 1am for a neighbours complaint against you.

I don't think the neighbor should have knocked at the door at that hour unless it was an emergency. That complaint could have waited until the morning and it probably would have been better received (and the complainer might have calmed down a bit).

As for the loud conversation at 1 am, I could understand how for a light sleeper this could be a major annoyance. Maybe your voice sounds even louder through the vents? I used to share an office with a loud talker and it is not fun having to hear that. It seems like those type phone calls go on forever.

By the way, not related to this story per se, a friend was once on a train and a guy was talking loud on the phone. There was an older lady trying to read a book. She became so annoyed that she started reading out loud at the same volume as the guy on the phone. He got the message and got off the phone.

You could have answered the door all bleary eyed, denied using the phone and asked him what he thought he was doing disturbing you at that time in the morning. That'd've confused him - especially if he was sleep deprived.

It can be fairly annoying if you work shifts or have to get up at 4 am to catch a flight?



Not defending the neighbour here, just generally speaking.

Lost my cool, so I wasn't thinking in any strategy beyond WTF is your problem?

And naked!

Tom

Well obviously you don't, it you woke him up at 1:00am

Really, you got to get up at 5:30 and you are woken up by some inconsiderate person rambling on at 01:00 am....