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Posted by TenantNet on August 02, 1998 at 14:13:44:

In Reply to: Neighbor Problems in Manhattan posted by S. Douglass on July 29, 1998 at 17:10:16:

: I'd appreciate input on possible solutions to this problem: I live in a rent-stablized NYC apartment (it's huge, it's cheap, I love it, I don't want to move!). My downstairs neighbor is an elderly lady who is showing signs of dementia. Over the past two years, her sensitivity to noise has reached the point that I am almost unable to move around the apartment (which is in compliance with the lease in terms of rugs and carpets -- I even got special acoustic padding for my bedroom). She bangs on her ceiling, sometimes for about a half-hour, sometimes most of the night. lately, she's taken to standing on something in her apartment and screaming at the ceiling, using language that I wouldn't have thought she'd know!

: I don't want to persecute a sick old woman, but it's getting so I can't sleep, don't dare have guests, and generally feel held hostage to her paranoias. Other neighbors are having problems as well, but I'm her principal target. I have letters she's written, to me and the landlord, that are clearly deranged.

: I've read about a "nuisance action" that I can request the landlord take to Housing Court. Can anyone provide more information on what this is and what it means in terms of solving this problem?

Normally the noisemakers are the problem, and we are sympathetic to
those on the receiving end. But it can be as you describe. If you are
clearly not making excessive noise and have taken steps to solve the
problem (real or perceived), then you should contact the owner. Document
the issue. Try to work it out with the tenant as there may be something
that you're doing that may not be obvious to you. But yes, you can
ask the owner to take steps.

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Comments:
: : I'd appreciate input on possible solutions to this problem:  I live in a rent-stablized NYC apartment (it's huge, it's cheap, I love it, I don't want to move!).  My downstairs neighbor is an elderly lady who is showing signs of dementia.  Over the past two years, her sensitivity to noise has reached the point that I am almost unable to move around the apartment (which is in compliance with the lease in terms of  rugs and carpets -- I even got special acoustic padding for my bedroom).  She bangs on her ceiling, sometimes for about a half-hour, sometimes most of the night.  lately, she's taken to standing on something in her apartment and screaming at the ceiling, using language that I wouldn't have thought she'd know!

: : I don't want to persecute a sick old woman, but it's getting so I can't sleep, don't dare have guests, and generally feel held hostage to her paranoias.  Other neighbors are having problems as well, but I'm her principal target.  I have letters she's written, to me and the landlord, that are clearly deranged.

: : I've read about a "nuisance action" that I can request the landlord take to Housing Court. Can anyone provide more information on what this is and what it means in terms of solving this problem?

: Normally the noisemakers are the problem, and we are sympathetic to
: those on the receiving end. But it can be as you describe. If you are
: clearly not making excessive noise and have taken steps to solve the
: problem (real or perceived), then you should contact the owner. Document
: the issue. Try to work it out with the tenant as there may be something
: that you're doing that may not be obvious to you. But yes, you can
: ask the owner to take steps.



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