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Annoyingly Loud Neighbors
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Scifience
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Sep 5, 2006, 10:27 AM
 
I live in a quiet, residential neighborhood in a town of about 15,000. My neighbors sold their house.

The problem? This is a college town, and we are three blocks from the college. The house was purchased by a company (123 My Street LLC - not listing the real address, but the LLC name is in this format). That agent listed on that LLC happens to be a big downtown law firm.

There are three or four (not entirely sure) college girls living in the house. Every weekend since they moved in, they have kept us awake partying with friends until 3AM. We have tried walking next door and politely asking them to keep the volume down. They apologized, and then promptly started up again just as loud as ever.

The next night, we called the police. They came over, gave them a good talking to, and left. Within fifteen minutes, they were just as loud as ever again.

I called the city, and they said that there is basically nothing that can be done.

Does anyone else have suggestions on any legal ways of dealing with a problem like this? Thanks!
     
nonhuman
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Sep 5, 2006, 10:28 AM
 
Go party with them?
     
Scifience  (op)
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Sep 5, 2006, 10:31 AM
 
Originally Posted by nonhuman
Go party with them?
I should have figured this wasn't the best place to ask.

But on a serious note, some of us actually have to get up for work in the morning and/or actually care about doing well in college and not just partying. Hence my complaint about the neighbors.
     
Dakar
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Sep 5, 2006, 10:35 AM
 
I bet they'd move if someone got raped nearby.

Edit: Or go for evening strolls more often.
     
C.A.T.S. CEO
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Sep 5, 2006, 10:37 AM
 
Act insane. run outside naked and try to scare them off. If that doesn't work get a rabid pitbull and a gun, let the pitbull loose and fire the gun in the air like a mad man.

Works every time.
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mitchell_pgh
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Sep 5, 2006, 10:40 AM
 
Be consistent. Keep track of every incident and call the owner of the property. I would also continue calling the police and look into the local government regarding noise violations. I think you will find many people are in the same boat.

I would stress that you should continue being as nice as possible, but keep tracks of every issue you have with them. Also, I wouldn't feel bad reporting them multiple times to the police. Are they hanging out on a porch or something?
     
Scifience  (op)
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Sep 5, 2006, 10:40 AM
 
Originally Posted by Dakar
I bet they'd move if someone got raped nearby.
Perhaps. But it wouldn't stop the owner of the place from just bringing in another four noisy tenants.
     
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Sep 5, 2006, 10:42 AM
 
If your city told you they can't do anything, they're idiots -- or your city is.

There should be a list of city codes and ordinances available, and unless you live in some bassackwards town, there will be stipulations for noise and disturbance.

Check here: Municode.com |Online Library and see if your town is listed.
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mitchell_pgh
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Sep 5, 2006, 10:42 AM
 
Originally Posted by Scifience
I called the city, and they said that there is basically nothing that can be done.
I wouldn't accept that as an answer. The question is, are they outside making noise or inside. Either way, I would attempt to bring this to the girls attention at first, but continue down the legal path.
     
Dakar
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Sep 5, 2006, 10:43 AM
 
Originally Posted by Scifience
Perhaps. But it wouldn't stop the owner of the place from just bringing in another four noisy tenants.
You're right. High profile murder it is, then.
     
bstone
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Sep 5, 2006, 10:43 AM
 
Keep calling the cops. Call the management company, also. Get a court order. Look into local noise ordinance laws. Call the fire dept and see if their parties are violating fire code.
Emergency Medicine & Urgent Care.
     
mitchell_pgh
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Sep 5, 2006, 10:44 AM
 
Originally Posted by Scifience
Perhaps. But it wouldn't stop the owner of the place from just bringing in another four noisy tenants.
I doubt that the owner knew that they were loud before renting to them. I would go talk to the owner of the building. They don't want trouble (fines, etc.) so they may be able to control the girls a bit more than a police officer.
     
turtle777
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Sep 5, 2006, 11:00 AM
 
Just keep calling th police.
I'm sure they are violating some code, so they could be fined in the end.

-t
     
Landos Mustache
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Sep 5, 2006, 11:05 AM
 
Keep calling the cops and make lots of noise (like mowing the lawn or stereo with shitty music) early in the morning when they are sleeping and hung over.

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andi*pandi
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Sep 5, 2006, 11:08 AM
 
Originally Posted by Landos Mustache
Keep calling the cops and make lots of noise (like mowing the lawn or stereo with shitty music) early in the morning when they are sleeping and hung over.
even better, get a leafblower. Or perhaps you have a chain saw?
     
Dakar
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Sep 5, 2006, 11:09 AM
 
I might add revenge is doing loud things at 7 and 8 in the morning. Country music blasting at 9 am would kill me like a stake through a vamp's heart.
     
bstone
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Sep 5, 2006, 11:13 AM
 
yes, leaf blower at 6am and again at 8am. they will hate you forever. then enter into negotiations with them about quiet times.
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Scifience  (op)
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Sep 5, 2006, 11:14 AM
 
Originally Posted by mitchell_pgh
Be consistent. Keep track of every incident and call the owner of the property. I would also continue calling the police and look into the local government regarding noise violations. I think you will find many people are in the same boat.

I would stress that you should continue being as nice as possible, but keep tracks of every issue you have with them. Also, I wouldn't feel bad reporting them multiple times to the police. Are they hanging out on a porch or something?
Unfortunately, part of the problem is that I can't find out just who the owner of the property is. According to the city and one of those websites that keeps track of home sales, the house is owned by an LLC. When I look up the info for that LLC on my state's corporation registry page, all I can find is that the registered agent is a law firm downtown. Is there some way to find out who really owns the property so that I could contact them?

I have been being nice and will continue to do so, since I am well aware that it will not work to my advantage if I am the one who gets in trouble with the law rather than them.

As far as where they are, they are on a deck behind the house, which they have lit with flood lights all night. Sometimes they also have people on the front porch.

Thanks for the advice!
     
nonhuman
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Sep 5, 2006, 11:19 AM
 
Originally Posted by Scifience
Unfortunately, part of the problem is that I can't find out just who the owner of the property is. According to the city and one of those websites that keeps track of home sales, the house is owned by an LLC. When I look up the info for that LLC on my state's corporation registry page, all I can find is that the registered agent is a law firm downtown. Is there some way to find out who really owns the property so that I could contact them?

I have been being nice and will continue to do so, since I am well aware that it will not work to my advantage if I am the one who gets in trouble with the law rather than them.

As far as where they are, they are on a deck behind the house, which they have lit with flood lights all night. Sometimes they also have people on the front porch.

Thanks for the advice!
If the law firm is listed, then I imagine the best way to get in contact with the attorney is through their lawyer. In fact, if you were to get in touch with them in any other way they'd probably just tell you to talk to their lawyer so you'd be saving a step.
     
mitchell_pgh
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Sep 5, 2006, 11:21 AM
 
Originally Posted by Scifience
Unfortunately, part of the problem is that I can't find out just who the owner of the property is. According to the city and one of those websites that keeps track of home sales, the house is owned by an LLC. When I look up the info for that LLC on my state's corporation registry page, all I can find is that the registered agent is a law firm downtown. Is there some way to find out who really owns the property so that I could contact them?

I have been being nice and will continue to do so, since I am well aware that it will not work to my advantage if I am the one who gets in trouble with the law rather than them.

As far as where they are, they are on a deck behind the house, which they have lit with flood lights all night. Sometimes they also have people on the front porch.

Thanks for the advice!
Hmmm... It's much more tricky with an LLC. I'm guessing that you won't get a single owner for the property, but rather a number of people all on the LLC.

Do you have an address or is it a PO Box for the LLCs address?
     
Scifience  (op)
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Sep 5, 2006, 11:29 AM
 
Originally Posted by mitchell_pgh
Hmmm... It's much more tricky with an LLC. I'm guessing that you won't get a single owner for the property, but rather a number of people all on the LLC.

Do you have an address or is it a PO Box for the LLCs address?
U-B Corporation Skylight Office Tower 1660 W. 2nd St., Ste 1100 Cleveland Ohio 441131448 23-JAN-06 Active


That is how the agent info for the LLC is listed on my state (Ohio) corporation registry site.

The LLC itself seems to be a one-time-use thing, since it is named after the address of the house in question.
     
mitchell_pgh
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Sep 5, 2006, 11:51 AM
 
Are other neighbors upset? I would go around and see if there are others.

Strength in numbers.
     
bstone
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Sep 5, 2006, 11:58 AM
 
Send a letter to the law firm. They are the "reigstered agent" for the owner and forward all legal documents and such to the real owners. Don't write it to the law firm but simply addressed to them, like
Owner of 123 Main St
C/O Big Lawfirm
anytown, ca
00666
Emergency Medicine & Urgent Care.
     
Goldfinger
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Sep 5, 2006, 12:05 PM
 
Are you sure there aren't any laws against this ? Over here you have to be quiet after 10 PM. If you call the cops a few times they will issue a ticket or more.

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mitchell_pgh
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Sep 5, 2006, 12:12 PM
 
Originally Posted by Goldfinger
Are you sure there aren't any laws against this ? Over here you have to be quiet after 10 PM. If you call the cops a few times they will issue a ticket or more.
Usually that's how it is here, but every town has their own rules about it.
     
sek929
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Sep 5, 2006, 12:40 PM
 
Stopping college kids from partying? Good luck!

I'd say the only thing that'll stop them is by getting evicted, and even then you'd probably just have another group of drunken students (maybe guys this time, they're worse) move in.

My suggestion, move away from college towns unless you want to hear partying on the weekends.
     
CMYKid
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Sep 5, 2006, 02:28 PM
 
why has no-one asked whether or not they're hot?
     
goMac
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Sep 5, 2006, 02:35 PM
 
Originally Posted by CMYKid
why has no-one asked whether or not they're hot?
Are they hot?
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Monique
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Sep 5, 2006, 02:56 PM
 
As someone else suggested, list every instance then go to your local police station, lodge an official complaint and every time they start call the police over and over again (when you go to the police station bring the petition with you); they start 15 minutes later, call the police again. Then bring the girls to court because they are the one that are doing harm. And there are laws everywhere against noise pollution.

Have the neighbours sign a petition, and bring a copy to the girls, to the owners, to the parents of these girls.

You certainly have a right to peace and quiet.

This is how I did it in Montreal when a welding company was keeping the door open and all we heard 24 hours a day, 5 days a weeks was the terrible noise of someone hitting on metal with a hammer. It took some time but the company was fined and they moved to an industrial part of the city when there was no residential dwellings.
     
Y3a
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Sep 5, 2006, 04:27 PM
 
A loud car horn about 4:20 am right at their front windows will get the point. hook up one with a motorcycle battery and a pushbutton switch. EVERY TIME they have a party, blast 'em the next morning early. Blast it for 20 seconds or so.
     
Ganesha
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Sep 5, 2006, 05:07 PM
 
Place some object out on your lawn that are easily identifiable, easily stolen and has a good party use (say lawn chairs with your name and address on them). Then call the police when your property ends up on their side of the property line and insist on pressing thief charges.
     
rickey939
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Sep 5, 2006, 05:09 PM
 
Have a baby and let it cry them out...
     
C.A.T.S. CEO
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Sep 5, 2006, 05:16 PM
 
Originally Posted by rickey939
Have a baby and let it cry them out...
Having problems?
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rickey939
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Sep 5, 2006, 05:17 PM
 
Originally Posted by C.A.T.S. CEO
Having problems?
Only from 1:00 AM to 3:00 AM...

     
G Barnett
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Sep 5, 2006, 05:30 PM
 
And then of course there's the ultimate recourse, straight from the mouth of one Cpl Hicks:

"I say we take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
     
Dr Reducto
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Sep 5, 2006, 06:27 PM
 
Originally Posted by Ganesha
Place some object out on your lawn that are easily identifiable, easily stolen and has a good party use (say lawn chairs with your name and address on them). Then call the police when your property ends up on their side of the property line and insist on pressing thief charges.
That's actually a pretty good idea.

You also could talk to the University. If they aren't tolerant of student behavior (like my university), they can threaten to kick them out of school for the disruptions.

The public, state school I go to is very intolerant of drinking (to maintain its image), and when too many underage people started going there and staggering back to the dorms, the school threatened the kid with expulsion/probation if he didn't cut it out.
     
mac128k-1984
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Sep 5, 2006, 06:49 PM
 
Originally Posted by rickey939
Only from 1:00 AM to 3:00 AM...

I feel your pain, I have twins and they were on a feeding schedule of every 3 hours. That was rough man.

how old is yours? My twins started sleeping through the night when they were about 6 months old.
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iREZ
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Sep 5, 2006, 07:09 PM
 
i have thee worst neighbors on the face of this planet. they shout till the tops of their lungs till about 3:30 and leave their stupid 5 o'clock work alarm on (which is bullhorn loud it seems) till it shuts off on its own (bout 30 min after it starts). they cut their backyard grass with a edge trimmer at 9pm (wtf?) and feed their dog something illegal which causes it to bark at leaves falling from the 3 unkept trees in their backyards.

i could go on but my blood is beginning to boil.
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turtle777
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Sep 5, 2006, 07:19 PM
 
Originally Posted by rickey939
Have a baby and let it cry them out...
Can he rent, uhm, I mean babysit Dylan ?
How much are YOU going to pay ?

-t
     
hickey
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Sep 5, 2006, 07:45 PM
 
act cool and go over to their parties on a regular basis, but spike the drinks with either ipecac, or something gross that will induce vomiting/sickness/death/re-incarnation.

Or go with Ganesha's lawn chair idea.
     
C.A.T.S. CEO
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Sep 5, 2006, 07:47 PM
 
Originally Posted by hickey
act cool and go over to their parties on a regular basis, but spike the drinks with either ipecac, or something gross that will induce vomiting/sickness/death/re-incarnation.

Or go with Ganesha's lawn chair idea.
reincarnation?
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Dr Reducto
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Sep 5, 2006, 07:47 PM
 
Originally Posted by hickey
act cool and go over to their parties on a regular basis, but spike the drinks with either ipecac, or something gross that will induce vomiting/sickness/death/re-incarnation.

....or roofies
     
Y3a
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Sep 5, 2006, 09:47 PM
 
fling dog doo onto their lawn all the time. Perhaps 10-20 bgs of malorganite fertilizer on the lawn too.
     
rickey939
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Sep 5, 2006, 09:47 PM
 
Originally Posted by mac128k-1984
I feel your pain, I have twins and they were on a feeding schedule of every 3 hours. That was rough man.

how old is yours? My twins started sleeping through the night when they were about 6 months old.
Dylan is 7 weeks old today. I have a ways to go...

     
natnabour
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Sep 5, 2006, 11:42 PM
 
depending on the area you live in, there *should* be rules against noise violations. however, we live in a somewhat low/middle class area. Everytime our neighbors have a party (with loud music & vibrating exhausts) and their guests end up throwing up in our front lawn - we call the cops. Sad part is....the cops don't come. They're afraid our neighbors may be gang affiliated. This has happened multiple times. So...we took matters in our own hands.

Our neighborhood signed a petition and gave it to the kid's PARENTS. (they seem to hold parties when they're out of town). Either control your kids - or we're going to city hall. The parents seemed to lay down the law and made them clean up any litter/vomit from our street.

so working in numbers seriously helps. going to city hall meetings also helps. putting together some sort of ''neighborhood watch'' program might also help. loud parties = drunk horny guys = a fight or two/ drunk driving. therefore loud parties = harm to the neighborhood's safety.

if everyone on your street agrees to some sort of neighborhood watch program blahblah - you can put some sort of statement that all noise levels should be at a minimum come midnight.

i always feel that if you go to people with a sense of ''concern,'' they would be willing to compromise.

just my 2 cents.
     
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Sep 6, 2006, 04:36 AM
 
aren't you a freshman?

just take it on the chin man, it'll be over soon enough, if nothing else just use it as a rallying point to work towards a future where you don't have asshole neighbors.

or you could just get over it and get some ear plugs ya pansy.
     
iREZ
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Sep 6, 2006, 12:21 PM
 
ear plugs are tEh suXor5
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porieux
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Sep 6, 2006, 05:13 PM
 
...
( Last edited by porieux; Oct 2, 2006 at 05:25 AM. )
     
bstone
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Sep 6, 2006, 05:20 PM
 
Originally Posted by porieux
Just because your life is miserable doesn't mean you have the right to inflict that misery on others. Chill out.
Maybe if you were a little more relaxed you'd actually get invited to the parties.
Seems to me like you one of his neighbors from hell.
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Scifience  (op)
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Sep 6, 2006, 05:20 PM
 
Originally Posted by d4nth3m4n
aren't you a freshman?
Nope. Not in college.

In any case, the girls came over yesterday and apologized for the noise and brought a plate of chocolate chip cookies. The police cited them for not having a building permit and for having beer cans on the lawn.

They said that they would "keep better control of their friends" in the future. We shall see...
     
 
 
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