What Can I Do About Noisy Neighbors on Halloween?: 5-Step Guide
For those asking, “What can I do about noisy neighbors?,” we’ve got answers. Even better, we have them in time for one of the most bustling holidays of the year: Halloween. So, read below to find out how you can deal with neighbor noisiness on the spookiest day of the year.
Main Takeaways: What Can I Do About Noisy Neighbors on Halloween in Northern Virginia?
- First, you should start by documenting the nature of the behavior and its timeframe.
- Secondly, try to discuss the issue with your neighbor as calmly and cordially as possible. If possible, try to do this in-person
- If that still doesn’t work, try to notify your landlord or property manager. They may be able to intervene.
- Finally, if the loud noises still continue consistently, even after Halloween, you could take the issue to a small claims court or civil court.
Table of Contents
What You Can Do About Noisy Neighbors on Halloween
If your neighbors are bothersome on Halloween, there are steps you can take. For example, you could report the issue to your property management company in Northern Virginia. Let’s get into the general rules for dealing with noisy neighbors below:
1. Document Excessive Noise
First and foremost, you must record which noise disruptions happen and when. You could need this as proof if you escalate the issue with a noise complaint later.
2. Discuss the Issue with Your Neighbor
Next, you might want to have a cordial chat with your neighbor.
Cordial is very much the keyword in this conversation. After all, you live right near this person. You don’t want things to be awkward when you pass them by around the block. Someday, you may need their help in the case of a mishap or emergency.
So, start by calmly and factually stating which noises or behaviors are disruptive. Do this as neutrally as you can. After all, the neighbor might be unaware that they’ve been making noise. It could be a genuine mistake. This way, you give the person grace and room to improve their behavior. Finally, you can ask them to be a bit quieter. They will hopefully agree, and your ordeal will be done.
As an example, you could say something like, “I don’t know if you know this, but your [insert activity or action here] is a little loud. Would it be possible to make it a bit lower?” This message keeps it short and sweet.
3. Notify Your Landlord or Property Manager
Before moving forward, we need to clarify an important point: a landlord or property manager can only control what happens to their tenants. So, if you live in a single-family home and/or your neighbor doesn’t share your property representative, skip to the next step.
However, if you live in a multi-family building, read on. You can report your neighbor to your landlord or property manager.
Legally, you have the right to enjoy your rental quietly, undisturbed. In legalese, this is called the “covenant of quiet enjoyment.” As such, you should argue to your landlord that this covenant has been broken. If at all possible, do this through a written form like text so you have a paper trail.
In your argument, you should thoroughly explain what has happened, how it impacts your life, and how it violates your quiet enjoyment of the premises.
After this, your landlord must work to resolve the issue with you and your neighbor to solve the problem. If they refuse, that would be one reason renters could sue their landlords.
4. Make a Noise Complaint
If your neighbor still refuses to stop, you might need to escalate the issue with a formal noise complaint. Meaning, you could complain to your local authorities.
First, look to see if your neighbor is violating your local noise ordinances. If they are, you could reach out to government bodies, like the city attorney’s office, that oversee these ordinances. Or, you could file a complaint with the police’s non-emergency line. Either way, be sure to emphasize that you’ve tried resolving it in other ways first.
In response, the authority may demand your neighbor stop their behavior, fine them, or criminally charge them with disturbing the peace. As you can see, some of these outcomes can be serious, so think carefully before you make your move.
5. File a Claim in Court
If the noisiness still persists after Halloween, you could take the issue to court.
More specifically, you could file a nuisance claim in a small claims court. To do this, you would present evidence of the neighbor’s repeated behavior. You’d argue how it negatively affected you. In the end, you hopefully could be recompensed with a few thousand dollars.
Additionally, you could take the issue to your local civil court. Via this route, the judge could order an injunction against your neighbor.
Again, bringing this to court is a big deal, so you should show that you have tried other solutions before trying this one.
FAQs
Here, we’ll answer some common questions about making a noise complaint, calling authorities, and more.
When Can You Call for a Noise Complaint?
Every neighborhood or apartment building will have some noise. It’s inevitable. However, there’s a difference between regular noise and unreasonable noise. So, here are some times when your area’s Halloween noise may constitute a noise complaint:
- Extremely loud TV or music
- Large gatherings, such as parties
- Dogs barking loudly
- People chatting loudly
- Construction noises
- People yelling or shouting
- Loud stomping
Each noise ordinance has different permitted noise decibels. If your neighbor goes beyond these, that might be grounds for a noise complaint. This holds especially true during your location’s quiet hours, if applicable. So, check your location’s noise ordinance to find their policies.
Can You Call the Cops on Noisy Neighbors?
Yes, you can. However, you should think long and carefully before doing so. The police may simply fine your neighbor or ask them to desist. However, they could criminally charge your neighbor with the disruption of peace. All this could deeply impact your neighbor’s life—and worsen their relationship with you. They may even lash out at you for going too far, which could risk your safety. And there are enough safety risks to avoid on Halloween as it is.
Why Your Landlord Won’t Do Anything About Noisy Neighbors (Hint: They Sometimes Can’t)
People often complain that their landlord won’t do anything about noisy neighbors. Sometimes, this is justified. Other times, your landlord can’t do very much about them, no matter how much they’d love to.
In states like Virginia, landlords (and property managers) can’t address quiet enjoyment complaints under two circumstances. One occurs when the complaints involve a source they can’t control. The second happens when the complaint resolution isn’t part of a landlord’s overall role and responsibilities.
As such, landlords cannot address a quiet enjoyment noise complaint if the issue’s source—your neighbor—isn’t directly on their property. After all, they can’t control properties owned by other people. Furthermore, since the issue is unrelated to their property, it’s not part of their landlord duties. It’s simply not within their power to do.
When Can Property Owners Do Something About This Problem?
Your landlord or property manager can address your neighbor’s noisiness under certain contexts. When the landlord owns your neighbor’s home or your property manager manages it, they have a say. This is something to keep in mind.
Protect Your Right to Quiet Enjoyment with BMG Northern Virginia
Noisy neighbors can make life exhausting. And this issue can intensify on party-filled days like Halloween. Luckily, there are steps you can take to remedy this annoyance. First, you can try to talk it out with your neighbor. Next, you can ask a landlord or property manager for help and, if necessary, escalate it to a noise complaint or court hearing.
If you want a property manager who will take these concerns seriously, BMG can help. Our property managers know it’s critical to protect your right to quiet enjoyment. We work tirelessly with tenants to resolve problems like this. This way, tenants are satisfied, and busy landlords have less on their plate. Contact us today to learn more about our property management services (and rental listings!)
