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Noise problem with a neighbor- floor coverage!?

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Noise problem with a neighbor- floor coverage!?

Postby miabruch » Thu Oct 17, 2002 2:03 pm

Dear felow tenants,

My downstairs neighbor is making what I beleive to be unreasonable complaints that my footsteps across her ceiling/my floor are unacceptably loud, despite the fact that I don't even wear shoes in my apartment and weigh 120 lbs. She told me that there is a NY law (she didn't specify state or city) that apartment dwellers have to have a certain percentage of their floors covered. To the unedicated ear this sounds pretty ridiculous- is she right? Does anyone have any idea what she is talking about?

Many thanks for any and all help.

-Mia
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Re: Noise problem with a neighbor- floor coverage!?

Postby Phil Cohen » Thu Oct 17, 2002 3:35 pm

There's no such law. But you might want to look at your lease, to see if you are required to have floor coverings. If not, you are in the clear. Where are you supposed to walk, on the ceiling?
Keep in mind that I am a tenant. Not a lawyer!!!!!
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Re: Noise problem with a neighbor- floor coverage!?

Postby Cranky Tenant » Thu Oct 17, 2002 3:38 pm

Some leases state that 80 percent of the apartment must be carpeted, but there's no law that your apartment must be carpeted. Check you lease,
I'm a cranky tenant NOT a cranky lawyer.
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Re: Noise problem with a neighbor- floor coverage!?

Postby lynne » Sun Nov 10, 2002 2:10 am

miabruch, i'm sorry to say, but this does happen, and i guess it may be more of a construction problem, or maybe although you only weigh 120 lbs, you may walk very heavy.
i have the same problem with my neighbors above, so i'd really like to hear what comes of your situation, please keep us updated. i'm currently working on our situation.
our lease requires 80% of the apt to be carpeted.
interesting that the tenant below you confronted you directly. we went straight to the landlord, as we feel it is their resposibility that all tenants abide by the rules and regulations of the lease agreement that everyone should have signed.
if you can believe it, it's 1:07am on Saturday night and we can still hear the tenants above us walking around their apartment!!! annoying as #^$#&&$!!!!!
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Re: Noise problem with a neighbor- floor coverage!?

Postby Cranky Tenant » Sun Nov 10, 2002 2:49 am

It's not so much a question of whether the 80% carpeting rule is in the complaining tenant's lease, but whether or not it's in the "noisey" tenant's lease. Leases can vary from one apartment to another, particularly according to when a tenant moved in. If the upstairs tenant doesn't have this 80% rule in their lease, they're under no obligation to get carpets.

You could also look at this as a general noise complaint but then you have to determine what's reasonable and what isn't.

I personally don't think it's unreasonable to walk around your apartment, barefoot, at 1 am on a Saturday night. In my neighborhood the stores are still open, there are crowds of people on the street, and when they all go home they'll have to walk into their apartments somehow.
I'm a cranky tenant NOT a cranky lawyer.
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Re: Noise problem with a neighbor- floor coverage!?

Postby lynne » Sun Nov 10, 2002 8:51 am

Cranky Tenant, don't be ridiculous, you think i don't think it's every person's right to walk around their apt any time they want?
what's unreasonable is not that they're walking, it's that we can hear their every step. why do you think there are 80% carpeting regulations in lease agreements????
there's a difference here.
Cranky Tenant, do you hear the tenants walking above you? Do most people? I think not. These people above us are obviously 'special' people.
i understand it was late last night when you posted the message, but please...
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Re: Noise problem with a neighbor- floor coverage!?

Postby Cranky Tenant » Sun Nov 10, 2002 11:38 am

Not only do I hear the tenants above me, I hear the guy next door, the woman below, and somebody's answering machines. Unfortunately a certain amount of noise is one of the downsides to living in an apartment building with hardwood floors and thin walls.

You can always ask the tenant above you to get a carpet, but unless it's included in their lease, they're not required to automatically carpet 80% of the apartment.
I'm a cranky tenant NOT a cranky lawyer.
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