Update On The Apartment Drama

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First off I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read and write comments – I have been reading each one.

To find out all about our apartment drama please go HERE

Since I posted about the problem yesterday I realized that I forgot to mention a couple of things.

   – The units are only 6 years old.

This apartment complex received very good reviews and is considered to be higher end.

– My dad is actually an attorney but is in trademark infringement – so cannot really help in this situation.

The whole apartment is carpet.

– If they do transfer us it will most likely not be on the top floor but between two floors.

——-

Mr. Savvy and I decided we needed a little break from the apartment and we took Watson to my parents house. Side Note – Watson loves to travel and he is having a hard time with the noise as well ( he cannot seem to be able to relax) so this is why we took him with us – I did not want y’all to think we travel everywhere with him.

As a family we read all the comments and came up with a game plan.

This morning at 8:30 am a door slammed ( I think it might of been the front door which would be the opposite side of the apartment from me) and the glass of water on my desk shook  – so there is still a noise problem. Though I am not certain it was the people right under us.

My dad came over today with little pads to put on the cupboard since the complaint against us was because Watson was messing with the cupboard door causing noise.

Well guess what

All the cupboard doors already have pads on them. So even with pads a 13 pound cat was able to make enough noise that our neighbors under us were disturbed enough to complain about it *cough cough* Not because they were upset that we complained about them talking on the phone outside at 11 pm at night and being able to hear their conversations through the floors. ( sorry I just had to throw that in there) .

We decided to add even MORE pads to all the doors – it does not really seem to make much of a difference about the noise though.

Watson is watching what we are doing.

While we were placing pads on the bathroom cabinets we heard a soft cabinet door open and close. We went to check it out – this is what we found… He would not even look at us in the eyes.

Now we are going to be writing and sending a email to the management office. My husband and I are concerned about the noise level and why this information was not told to us when we asked. We do have email records of us asking about the noise level and how important it was to us when we were still back in Phoenix, AZ but they never responded to it. Another concern we will raise is why were either party told what the other one said – it should of been completely anonymous.

We are also going to be buying some baby proof locks for the cabinets 😉

It took us about 4 months to save the money to make this move and get into this apartment so it is not in our budget to pay the penalty to break the lease.

Again I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions please leave them in the comment section.

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Comments

  • Shelly

    Didn’t have time to catch up with everything. Just curious why did you make the move from AZ to Portland??Also I have been wanting to tell you this for months now. I am not a cat person but Watson has to be the most unique ,funny cat I have ever seen! LOL I hope everything works out for you.. When I have a moment maybe I could read all whats going on and give you some wisdom! Take care girl!

  • Anna

    Apartments rentals are horrible. Find out the management corporate office and also send complaints to them as well as the leasing office. When we had many problems with our apartment leasing office, the only saving grace we had was we kept writing her up to corporate. Good luck!

  • lisa hedrick

    I would call an attorney that specializies in real estate and see if any thing can be done. You leased it under false pretenses.

  • Angie

    If Watson messing with the cabinets really is an issue, then child proof them. He won’t be able to open them. (I know your neighbors are just being difficult.)

  • MrsHomemakerlady

    Such is life in Ptown.. Its not a horrible place to live, but also not one you want to be an ‘outsider’ .. Oregonians are a snotty bunch sometimes, even the ones in the smaller towns turn their noses up at new comers. Good luck. I might suggest Corvallis, Eugene, Salem.. A friendlier bunch in those cities.

    • Amy

      I agree MrsHoemakerlady…I am originally from Coquille/Coos Bay, Oregon and i moved to colorado when i was 9….when i go back it rarely feels like home 🙂

  • Steph Somers

    The next time you hear a phone conversation or some sort of verbal exchange going on, I would suggest recording a video, being certain to document the date and time both verbally and by holding a cell phone in front of the camera or clock. I would do this for at least a week while you are commuting via email with the mgmt team. I would be sure to let them know that I have documented proof of the noise level in addition to any other proof you have to them saying there was not a problem with noise.
    I completely understand not having the money to break the lease and what’s more important is that you shouldn’t have to. Clearly you are not in the wrong here.
    I hope this gets resolved for you. I know it must be horrible. Best of luck.

  • mellissa fregoso

    I am so sorry to hear you are going through this. My husband and I want to move to Portland and will be sure to be VERY careful which apartments we move to…that stuff you are going through is horrible. I am NOT an attorney and can NOT give you legal advice, but as a paralegal I have read plenty of contracts. This is my personal opinion… Read your lease in detail. If you have found any evidence that your lovely new neighbors or the leasing company have violated the lease, bring it to their attention. I’m positive there is a law library in Portland since it is such a big city. Look up the real estate/rental laws and see if you have grounds to break the lease without financial penalty. It is a pain I know. You have your job to do and your life to live, you shouldn’t need to do this…but know your stuff or any big company (like a property management company) will bend you over a barrel. I have gone rounds with our management here, and it stinks BUT it does work. Best of luck to you, Mr. Savvy and of course Watson “the amazingly louder than human beings all the way through ceilings/floors thirteen pound cat”.

  • Michelle

    Apartment living sucks, I know! We’ve had issues with neighbors/noise whether we’ve lived in more “humble” places and even in the better neighborhoods. I think it’s just an unfortunate fact of apartment living. We once had neighbors above us, 2 young kids with a baby, who were CONSTANTLY partying and making noise and the same thing seemed to happen, we complained to the office and they must have told them it was us or they just figured it out b/c it seemed after that they made even more noise just to tick us off! I also had the same experience as you, heard a guy talking on his phone OUTSIDE, after midnight, and I could hear the entire conversation, him telling someone how he wants custody of his kids and cussing up and down about his ex. I felt like yelling out the window, “you know the whole neighborhood can hear your business, right?!” But then you’re afraid to say anything for fear of retaliation! Unfortunately, I don’t really have any advice to offer, just wanted you to know I feel your pain! Good luck!

  • Alexis

    Living with loud neighbors is something I’ve become accustomed to, since my husband serving in the military doesn’t leave room for purchasing a home anywhere we are. And in all honesty, there isn’t a whole lot you can do. I’ve done the complaining, the moving, the police calling, etc. If you aren’t in imminent danger, there’s almost nothing your complex managers can do, except for say “Hey you, shh!” And even then, they don’t have to really listen. Most neighborhoods have “curfews” for when you need to be quiet. Our complex is from 10PM to 6AM.

    If you’re honestly that concerned, you should look into a house, as opposed to an apartment. Most mortgage payments are cheaper than an apartment. And you also make the rules.

    Also, have you tried being the bigger person and drawing attention to the situation on your own with your neighbor? Sometimes a little face-to-face contact is enough.

    The only way I’ve successfully gotten a neighbor to quiet down is to go to a payphone and make an anonymous tip. In my situation, my neighbor is a stay-at-home-wife, with two children who attend school. Her husband serves in the Marines. During the day, they run rampant and scream bloody murder. And at night, it sounds like they are crying, and a lot of furniture is being moves, doors are being slammed, etc. So, I called the police – from a payphone – and left an anonymous tip that the children upstairs were crying, and it sounded like they were being seriously hurt.

    Haven’t heard any screaming, slamming doors, or constant furniture moving since.

  • samantha

    Honey that is horrible that you hadn’t to deal with that. Word of advice however, check your states noise violations and what time at night it kicks in. then when they do this again with the phone convo’s I would call the police, keep documentation to show the apartment complex that since they would not take care of the problem you took matters into your own hands. Second I would record mr. Watson opening and playing with the cabinets for evidence of how loud or soft it is if they really can hear him. Third if slamming a door at the opposite end of the apartment below you can make you’re drink shake then there has to be something wrong with the structure then I would bring in the board of health for safety inspections. Just a few ideas for ya.

  • becky

    Is there a noise curfew in your city? Here past 10 pm if you are loud you can get in trouble by the police. If need be try that. That may get the point through. Also, instead of contacting whom is running the apartments contact the owners of them. That may help you a great deal. Often going over heads to get to where you need be is the best option. Also, try talking to your neighbor or downstairs neighbor? Explain that you have added padding to the cupboards and are trying to address their problem. Maybe if you let them know KINDLY that you are trying, they will also. It’s difficult to go straight to the problem, but when doing so with a positive attitude no matter what they say or do you must keep positive while doing so also (negativity NEVER helps).

    • Mwise

      I use white noise machines in both my room and my daughters at night, and don’t hear a sound 🙂 try it. It makes life bearable. Earphones and listening to music or tv works too

  • dyana elkins

    I am just curious…… why would the leasing mgr tell you there had been complaints about your neighbors before, but then tell you they cannot give you any info due to privacy issues? I definitely would seek out the corporate office and let them know what is going on, as you can bet this mgr is not telling them anything.

  • kate coleman

    have you looked up your renters rights in Oregon? That is where I would start. I know California is different but it sounds like its unlivable because of the neighbors. poor watson! omg he looks traumatized in the cupboard. We had neighbors that made a boatload of noise and i had to call the cops three times because they would fight all night long starting up at 1am til hubs went to work at 7am and seriously it would sound like a wwf match was going to come hurling through the floor. I would call and call the police between 10pm and 8am because the apartment complex did nothing but say please keep it down. and that is here in california. my friend had her neighbor call the security because she was washing clothes at 10pm it was the washer bothering her neighbors below her and shes a single mom with a baby so she works in the daytime. it was lame. i would find out what your rights are from the hud offices where you live.

  • natasha brodsky

    I have no real advice for you but I wanted to let you know that I am dealing with difficult apartment management too. We moved out recently and left them with an almost immaculate apartment and now we are being charged all kinds of bogus charges. They are out to make money and most of them arent completely honest because they wont have to see us again in a year, most likely. Theres no longevity and, therefore, no respect. Just covering up flaws. /sigh Sorry you are going through that. It can make your life very hard when you feel stuck.
    Hang in there!!

  • Tisha

    I agree, all comments should have been completely confidential. I would worry about retribution on a larger scale if this continues. There is just no way a cutie pie like Watson could be making too much noise. Seriously! 🙂

  • Brenda Melahn

    I agree that the apartment management needs to address the issues — both yours and the neighbors. I also agree with the person who suggested you write the corporate headquarters or owners of the apartment complex and explain the whole situation. I would be willing to bet they don’t approve of “not responding to your emails or resolving the issue without trying to get into telling the other people what who said what. Good luck!! Poor Watson — he is adorable.

  • Melissa v

    We had to put baby locks on our cabinets too because the cats would get in just like Watson, but they would start eating food..I would think if u have only been there a few days you could argue your way out of lease without paying especially since you asked first.

  • Joan Adolf

    I think I’d have “Mom and Dad” keep the cat for a couple of days and see if complaints still come in about his noise. Sounds like your neighbors are just “bitching to bitch”. They do make baby locks that mount on the inside of cabinets so he can’t open them at all. But what a shame to have to take away some of his fun. I think you should set up a video camera, not just a tape recorder, and log the neighbors noise. Do it for about a week and see what happens that week. Then erase and do the next week. Protect your self by documenting everything. If the videos are not needed then no one will see them. But if needed you will have them.

  • Emily Kephart

    I am so sorry for you all, I know how hard a long distance move is to begin with. I moved from CA to WA and traveled with 2 cats, I know it takes a toll on the animals also. But it sounds like you a very considerate people having to deal with some real inconsiderate ones, thus adding frustration to the situation. You seem to have put all of your heads together and come up with some good solutions to start with. My heart aches for you and what this is like in a new state and all. I wish you the very best and hope you can find peace and comfort living in that building. I truly understand the financial situation. Know that I will pray for you and please don’t posting pictures of Watson. I have told everyone about him and miss piggy. Good luck to you.

  • Kristina

    I’ve read both posts. I have two mischievous cats who love cabinets, so I can relate. If you want to go the route of preventing Watson from getting into the cabinets, you could put in the safety clasps that are normally for children. Not that I think you should have to…but it’s an option. (and something you could point out you’ve done to prevent the “noise” issue)
    BUT …in my opinion, the leasing agent should keep you informed of information about the location you are renting. If you asked about noise they should have informed you about the complaints.
    Then, when you made a complaint they should have addressed it properly. I don’t feel it’s appropriate to start name dropping about issues, those would have been better left anonymous.
    Now on to dear Watson…I’ve lived in an apartment before…and cabinets should NOT be that noisy, especially if it’s a cat just opening it. But alas, you were definitely slamming them to be mean…I’m sure of it (Note the sarcasm that is dripping from that comment).
    I think the tenants who have had multiple complaints against them be asked to either address the noise issue themselves (not have the tenants “hash” it out) or you should be allowed to change apartments to be away from the noise. And I say this with the expectation that you should not be punished for the leasing agent’s poor ability or the tenants loud habits.
    I would also recommend recording all the loud habits of your neighbors…have some proof to back up your complaint. If needed, run some tests. Have the property manager over during the times of loud noises so s/he can experience it and understand your concern. It’s a sign if noise carries that much around an apartment, means the walls/windows are thin and could cost you in electric during the months where air/heat are needed the most (just a side note there).
    I also will say this, if you feel that your concerns are not being addressed properly…go above the agent’s head. Go to the next person up…if you reach the “end of the line” get other tenants with the same concerns involved…or let the property management know you will make your issue known publicly, which will tarnish their reputation. They don’t want that… (especially considering your notability in social media).
    I’m not saying make threats or what-have-you…but I’m saying they need to be made aware of the situation and your concerns…and if they don’t handle it someone else would be happy to..
    Ok…my rant is over…I don’t think you’re being treated fairly in this situation and I look forward to seeing a proper resolution.

  • becca

    i would move, tell them you want your deposit back bc they breached their contract to you by placing you in an apparment that knowingly had disruptive tennants around it when you specifically asked for a quiet appartmemt….take in your email records and tell them you will get a lawyer and take them to court if they do not fix the situation. You have proof you needed a quiet space and they knowingly placed you in an appartment that had neighbors with complaints….and they also breeched your personal privacy by telling the neighbors you were the ones who complaiged. What would they have done had those neighbors came after you? they had no riht telling the neighnors you complaigned…

  • Joyce

    I don’t know if anyone else mentioned this but…I used to work for my apartment complex. It is in the property management’s best interest to get rid of the tenant causing the problem rather than to lose the unhappy surrounding tenants. Somehow you will need to prove that the other tenant is the noisy one. Perhaps invite the landlord over for a listen 🙂 Where I live, no noise travels through the walls, but you can hear easily through the floors.

  • Carrie Duncan

    If you don’t want them to know that you are contacting corporate headquaters, I would bcc them in on all emails. That way if they reply or not corporate will get a copy of what they are telling you.

  • wichita witch

    since watson wants in his (safety net)cabinets(to hide safely from the outside racket)just leave the doors open and he can go in and out whenever he wants…he may stop hiding once he gets used to his new surroundings anyway…i’d want to do the same thing if i were in his paws

  • Tiffany

    In MA it is common to stop paying rent. You must still put your monthly rent into a separate bank account on time. Then you can file with small
    claims court/BBB. The account is important! You need to be able to how that you intend on paying. Problems quickly get solved that way around here. Weather it be the ability to break your lease without penalty or them finding you a suitable apartment in the complex. But that is my experience in MA which is very pro- tenant.

  • Shanna

    I just read both blogs about all this mess, and first I would like to say I’m so sorry, a move like yours should be happy and drama-free! And also, I don’t know how you left our beautiful AZ (I’m in Peoria) for rain land lol! Have you checked to see what the city noise ordinance is? And maybe consider calling the police rather than the complex? In the future when renting you can do what I had to years ago, when viewing apartments I would knock on my potential neighbors doors and talk with them, I have 3 sons now aged 17,16 and 12) but as young boys… They were anything but quiet. I would speak with neighbors to be sure that they were going to be ok with noise and to verify that they were night sleepers (as I had an upstairs neighbor when my youngest was an infant that partied all night long). It seemed to help a lot, I got a feel for who I’d be next to before I signed a lease, and avoided some seriously creepiness and a couple drug users as neighbors along the way 🙂

  • Bethany

    I’d say scrape together what money you can and leave. Aside from the anger you feel from being misled about the apartment’s noise issue (which seems to be one of the biggest topics of you rants)–what outcome do you expect? I mean, what is the management going to do? Spend thousands of dollars in renovation on your newer apartment complex so you can have some peace and quiet OR the neighbors will re-learn all of their habits to be courteous? It seems like they’re on the defensive, so you could try to get them ‘evicted’, but that’s a bit harsh (especially since they have kids) and it looks like they could match complaints with you (even fake ones); it is personal to the renter, it is business to the owner so they’ll probably say suck it up or pay the penalty and leave. And unfortunately-er plan A seems entirely unrealistic. Obviously if they tell you to “work it out together” your problems aren’t on the top of their list—although let me put out there that you are technically ‘neighbors’ so it’s not a ridiculous option.
    I rent an apartment, I manage a hotel. These things are my daily life.
    Apartments, while they are in the sales industry, aren’t top dog in the industry, and while they might do ‘their best’ to help, that’s going to be it (despite what they say). No place likes complainers, not saying you don’t have every right to complain, but it’s the truth; you can cause a huge fuss, give them bad publicity and ‘get back’ at them, but the odds are all it will get you is them wanting you out. And the truth is, they’re not out to get you (again, it’s always personal to the renters). Let’s face it while it’s always good to keep record of complaints and such, you’re not being harassed (are you?). If the apartments are as nice as they seem, the building owner probably has 10x the amount of financial and legal resources as the average person, so I’d save the blood pressure pump on that one, don’t let frustration and outrage control your decisions.
    Honest to God, I know you’re attached to the place, I know you’re excited and starting to establish yourself, but if you’re having THIS much trouble already, you should cut your losses; save what seems to be causing you a lot of grief and stress, and find somewhere else. The longer you stay, the harder it will be to leave….. Perhaps they’ll try to make a deal with you if you say you’re leaving, but again, apartments aren’t top dogs when it comes to sales, and there is only so much they can do (aka: why should I do all this for this person, when I might not have to for the next person who will pay the same amount of rent?) So take a deep breath, consider the outcomes you have imagined to your situation and think to yourself: is it worth it?
    “I would rather have a life of ‘oh well’s than a life of ‘what if’s”

  • Donna Jenkins

    Unfortunately, newly built apartments are some of the worst for noise unless you go into a mid to high rise.

    You can try insulating your doors and windows and little more. It will help a little.

  • Lisa

    Hey there.. I have to say I’ve used the cabinet locks before with my cat and they make it worse. My cat will pick and pick at the door and it is a more rapid bang. There are bumpers you can get in the child section of stores. Maybe that will work. Or get those clips.to hold the door slightly open. Sorry you are having such trouble. My cat does the same thing and because we have the locks on there, he is more determined to get it open.

  • Steph

    As I sit here cuddling with my sweet cat, I can’t imagine how frustrating that must me. Poor Watson just wants to explore and I doubt he is that distracting. My cat gets into things too and it can be loud, but I hardly think it would have been a problem had they not found out you complained about their noise. Which shouldn’t have happened anyway. That should be confidential. Plus the rental company seems very shady that they didn’t tell you about the noise problem when you specifically asked. That is their fault for not disclosing the truth. They should have to fix that problem because it was their own doing. I know you said your dad doesn’t handle this type of law, but maybe if you tell the rental people you can’t afford to pay the fee for cancelling the lease and you have an attorney, that might scare them. Oftentimes the mention of a lawyer makes people change their attitudes. I went to school to be a paralegal so I have a decent background on law, however not in your state. Your dad probably has the resources to look up specific laws and statutes that may be able to help you out. I know in school we used westlaw and lexisnexis, if he has any similar programs. It’s not fair that you have to change the way you live and can’t even get work done because they’re so distracting. And now you have to worry about them complaining about you. That’s just not right.

  • Tanya

    My husband talks really loud on the phone…maybe this guy doesn’t realize how loud he talks? Record one of his conversations sometime and leave it anonymously at their door. Once he realizes how much you can hear maybe he’ll be more quiet? I still think you should try to talk to the neighbors. I still think the woman in the office seems like the kind that just goes between people and makes more trouble.

  • Nan J.

    A couple people have said this already, but I too have experience with child-proof locks for cabinet doors–previous owners of my house had a 3 year old. the cat can still open the cabinet door about 2″; it doesn’t bang shut, but does make some noise, especially if he keeps trying to open it. By now, he no longer does this. he can’t get IN the cabinet, though. The little pads should keep it from making noise.
    If there’s that much transfer of noisse from apt. to apt., there is no insulation or noise abatement. Sometimes the sound inside your apt./ is worse than where it is coming from, especially if a TV/radio/etc. is close to a shared wall. I’m not a sound engineer, but sometimes bass levels transfer inside to a loud pounding!
    Many cities/counties have a tenant’s organization, which can give you advise about local ordinances, and more. See if you can find one. then document, document, document–even if it’s just your own records with date & time. Do this for mgmt contacts as well as neighbor noise. These will stand up in small claims court.
    Good luck.

  • Ajones

    My husband and I lived in apartment communities for 7 years before buying our first home. I worked from home for 3 of those years. It’s correct that the leasing office can not give out info on complaints or even crime rates in the area. We used to call the local police in order to get that info and they were always willing to give the info in the cities we lived (providence, boston, chicago, dallas). Every leasing office told us to confront the neighbors first before going to the office. More often than not people are willing to hear you out – many don’t realize how they are affecting others, especially if your unit has been empty a while. I would suggest solving your issue with the baby locks on the cabinets and if the neighbors continue talking on the balcony, kindly speak with them directly as the incident is happening. Confrontation after the fact leads to a defensive nature and you’re just looking for a resolution! I am positive it will get better! 🙂

  • Breanna

    I think sending an email/letter is great idea. You could of lived somewhere else if you knew that the noise was going to be a problem. I seriously doubt that your cabinets are the problem. I think your neighbors are mad and they are just complaining to get back at you. I live in a apartment and I live on the first floor and I hear cabinets upstairs all the time….but that comes with living in an apartment. Its not going to be completely quiet….but you get use to it. I think that the apartment office violated your rights when they told your neighbors it was you that complained. When you write your email…you need to add that in, so the owner knows that the apartment office workers are doing this. Also let them know that you emailed them before and asked them about the noise level and never got a response and you also asked the leasing agent and he/she told you it wouldn’t be noisey. Sounds to me like they didn’t know what they were talking about or they don’t live there themselves.

    Keep us updated! Hope everything works out! 😉

  • Kathryn

    I’ve been in that situation before, and it never got any better. I ended up having to move it was so bad. I hope you get this figure it out without it costing you anything.

    I did have to laugh about Watson though, my cats seemed to figure out the cabinet doors too, favorite hiding place for them….

  • christy

    It seem to me that Watson was looking for a place to hide. As for moving, i would not. I would do just the same thing your getting ready to do. I wish you luck in your endeavour and hope things work out for the best. The manager
    sounds llike a Jerk!!

  • Bethany

    I have to say I feel strongly that you should not have to move out of your home because of inconsiderate neighbors. I would speak with managment and ask why they chose not to keep all information private and confidential. Not only could that have cause more problems for you, but what about it being a safety issue??

  • Jan Walker

    This is so darned frustrating. We lived in a townhouse ONCE and we could hear the neighbors in the downstairs bathroom. I couldn’t wait to get out of there. How about if the rental agent takes up the carpet and puts down padding and wood flooring? Not advisable,,,,however, friends of ours moved into a retirement area and the neighbors complained she walked too heavy. Her husband and my son-in-law put a wood floor down over the carpet. Helped both of them..
    When they know the noise is a big factor in causing arguments, why not soundproof these new buildings. I know it is all about the money, but it makes life miserable for those living in the apartments.
    I would stay on the top floor. Otherwise you will hear stomping and moving furniture all of the time.
    Will say a prayer that this problem will work out for you. Good luck.

  • kay landers

    With the economy the way it is, houses repossed all over , I would suggest to buy a house. Rates are very low, all kinds of loans are available and you would be able to find one near your family, with terms you want. Check with a Real Estate Office. Then you would be out of that situation gracefully, Watson can do his thing, the noise and that apt will be past learning experience you don’t want to repeat. I personally know two familys whose houses closed in two months. They want to get the repo houses off the market as quick as possible, so paperwork is handled quickly as possible.

  • Kristen

    I just found your site a few days ago via pinterest- recipe on spinach artichoke dip which I loved! Anyways I have read your blogs about your crazy neighbors and it sounds pretty out of control, being that the managers are violated rules and not doing anything about it. It sounds like others have some good solutions of seeking out corporate. In some of the comments i saw you moved to Portland, thats where I am from. I’m sorry you haven’t been very welcomed due to the neighbors, but i’m sure you will grow to love it here, welcome! I have had problems with apartments as well and am definitely ready to move into a duplex or home where you aren’t forced to deal with so many of these issues. Best of luck, I hope you can get out soon or the neighbors are kicked out!

  • Amber

    If you hear so much from them that you are able to make out their conversations I would keep a log. Write down all the little things you hear; 11am, neighbors phone rings, hour long conversation about the weather. Etc. Then turn it into the office with the statement that they were told multiple times that noise was a deal breaker for you and that this breaks the requirement for reasonably comfortable living and you expect them to do something about the problem asap.
    There is no reason you should be hearing conversations downstairs. If they are outside and windows are open then okay, you’re going to hear a little but if they are downstairs and that loud then the apt were built ridiculously cheap.

    • Juleah

      I agree; document, document, document! It sounds like you are doing everything right on your end, but documenting the noise will give you something physical to make the complex accountable on their end. I also second the house idea even if you’re just renting. We just moved from condo to rental house and what a relief! I can sing at the top of my lungs, my kids can run around and play without worrying about disturbing anyone, it’s just so much better. While I’m sad you’re no longer here in Phoenix, Portland is a beautiful place and not everyone are jerks there. Hope you and Mr. Savvy and the magnificent Watson have better days soon!

  • Sandy

    Just to be on the safe side since my niece just went through a big mess with her rental agency. Any complaints you have please put them in writing and mail them where they have to sign to receive. Keep a copy for yourself in a folder along with any replies you get. Her refrigerator quit and all her food spoiled and it took them over a week to provide a replacement. Their reasoning was she didn’t contact them. Well, she did, by phone the morning it quit and at least 2 to 3 times daily after that, but they said they had no record of that. It wasn’t until I told her to put it in writing and mail it certified that they even bothered to respond. So keep records, phone calls apparently wont hold up if you end up breaking a lease.