Tips for Dealing with Annoying Neighbors

What to Know About Annoying Neighbors

1. Be patient and evaluate the situation: Although some of their activities may be disruptive, not everything is worth pursuing. First, assess what is happening. You must determine if your neighbor is merely annoying or if they have done something that moves beyond that. For instance, if they occasionally play loud music, you may slip on headphones, rather than make a deal of it.

• • Nuisance: The guidelines about typical instances of nuisances, like loud noises or pungent garbage are generally referred to in provisions in your lease and may be fairly straight forward and easy to handle.
  • Harassment: As a tenant, you can be a victim of harassment from your landlord, but that's not always the source. Civil harassment is generally defined as threats of abuse, stalking, assault, by someone that you have not dated and do not have a close family relationship with, such as your neighbor.

2. Communicate with your neighbor: You may not want to communicate with your neighbor in person, especially in the middle of a pandemic. Consider a handwritten note or email. This represents an opportunity to address the problem early before tensions run high. A nuisance issue might be easier to communicate rather than harassment.
3. Get your landlord involved: If you have communicated with your neighbor and they aren't adjusting their behavior, then it might be time to contact your landlord. Make sure when you file a complaint with management or your landlord, that you put it in writing, so that it is on record.
4. Last resort options: Give your landlord adequate time to try to resolve the issue but know there are other options.
5. Involve police or other authorities: Depending on the type of issue, you may want to call the police or other authorities. If your neighbor has crossed the line from annoying into harassing, then you should be cautious. If they are a threat to, or bothered you beyond just being irritating, you can look into getting a civil harassment restraining order.
6. Mediate or litigate: You might want to reach out to a neutral third party who can help resolve your dispute. And in some instances litigation may be your recourse.

 Dealing with an Annoying Neighbor? Get Immediate Legal Help

Your home should be a peaceful place. If you are at your breaking point with a neighbor and need legal assistance, the skilled attorneys at Wolford Wayne can help you get through it. We will evaluate your situation and find options for you. Contact us immediately.