Dealing With Noise Complaints in a Multi-Family

[Andrew Sonntag]

Hi Everyone,

I've recently purchased my first multi-family property, a 4-Unit building.  The building has two units on the right (1 up, 1 down) and two units on the left (1 up, 1 down).

I've received a number of noise complaints from one of my lower tenants.  Her complaint is a running and jumping sound coming from the unit directly above her.  

There is only one unit directly above her, with two occupants, a mother and her 7-8 year old daughter.  I've spoke with the Mom twice, once after each complaint.  The first time, the Mom was surprised and said her daughter does not run or jump, but she would talk to her.  The second time I spoke with the Mom (20 minutes after the second noise complaint), she said that her daughter was not home and she was the only one home, watching TV alone in her bed.

I've asked the tenant who keeps complaining if the noise could possibly be traveling from another area?  She insists the noise is coming from directly above her.

How should I go about handing the complaints moving forward when the upper unit tenant is flat denying any possible noise?