Tenant Noise Issues

[Tyler Huffman]

Hello,

Any advice on the below situation!?

I currently have a duplex situation involving one family on one side and another family on the other side. Tenant A has notified me about knocking noises occurring after 10pm and going throughout the night on occasion coming from Tenant B. On the first occasion I was notified, I called Tenant B and asked them to please be respectful to the neighbors and keep the noise to a minimum after 10pm. The situation was fine for about a month. I received another complaint from Tenant A the following month with the same issue. I went in person to Tenant B and explained the rental policies stating the premise should have quiet enjoyment by all neighbors. Tenant A believed it to be Tenant B’s kids. Tenant B said it’s not my kids and we aren’t making any noise. Regardless, I said we have to be respectful of the neighbors. At first when the situation occurred the two tenants were texting each other and being respectful. It has now come to the point where they cannot have respectful dialogue and are looking to me for a resolution. This past week, I received another message from Tenant A stating the noise issue at night has been occurring for 3 nights straight and they sent recordings of the noise. How would you guys handle this ongoing situation where it tends to happen in cycles and Tenant B seems to keep ignoring it after a while. There is some he said she said involved too and I’m not sure how best to remedy the situation because talking to Tenant B doesn’t seem to correct the issue. I guess I could tell Tenant B that the current living situation doesn’t seem to be working out and ask them to start looking for another place? Thanks in advance for the help!

[Colleen F.]

Noise complaints, my favorite. I try  not to get involved in these.   First make sure there is nothing like heating ect. that are making these noises (e.g. radiators need to be bleed).  Next tell them they have to work it out like two adults.  If they  reached the level of noise where it where it would be a neighborhood problem  (e.g. were throwing parties every weekend) I would tell the complaining tenant to call the cops 
and would try to get the partying tenant out on a lease violation.  In this case it is much more subtle/specific to the individuals. I  had to offer the happy clause (you are not happy here move out no penalty) to one tenant where he kept complaining to me the other tenant was walking too loud and he would leave nasty notes in her mailbox.  You can of course look into more soundproofing but it sounds like this one is only going to be resolved by an adult to adult agreement.  If it is not only you can judge about who should get the happy clause but I would make it clear they need to work it out. In my case I asked the PIA complaining to move out but he was a jerk on other fronts too.