An increase in apartment living means that close quarters with neighbours and the noises they produce are part of the arrangement. However, when one tenant recently found a note from an irate neighbour complaining about noise, opinions were sharply divided over what is and is not reasonable.
The Incident
A renter took to Reddit to share a picture of a 'super passive aggressive' note taped to their front door. The note read: 'I asked to please stop your stomping, and it seems the message did not come across to you. So I ask again to respect your neighbours and be conscious of your actions.' The tenant explained that the note arrived just hours after receiving a formal complaint from their landlord that same morning.
'My roommate was home for only an hour and said he may have made some noise when taking off his boots,' the tenant wrote. 'In less than an hour we got this stuck to our door. It's the second noise complaint note we've received in the middle of the day.' The tenant noted that they live in an older apartment block where noise travels easily between units.
Despite being conscious of noise, the renter and their roommate were not doing anything excessive—just walking, sleeping, using devices, and cooking. 'Now it feels like I can't even walk around my apartment anymore,' the tenant added. 'I totally get noise can be annoying—but in the middle of the day?' Frustrated, the tenant has resorted to tiptoeing and laying rugs, but feels there is little more they can do.
Online Reactions
The topic quickly garnered hundreds of replies, with many feeling the renter had already gone above and beyond. 'Nobody has to relearn how to walk in order to live in an apartment,' one response read. 'Rugs, soft shoes and not throwing your boots around are reasonable adjustments.' Another said: 'Walk normally around your apartment. They can't expect silence, especially in the middle of the day.'
Several replies pointed out that some noise is part and parcel of apartment life. 'The amount of people who seem to move into apartment buildings expecting complete silence 24/7 is mind-boggling,' one person wrote. Another agreed: 'I'm convinced that the majority of noise complaints in apartments are from people who expect to never hear others. That's not a realistic expectation.'
Many renters shared anecdotes of hearing neighbours but accepted it as normal. 'I hear my upstairs neighbours walk all the time. Sometimes it sounds ridiculous, but I would never complain unless it disturbed our sleep,' one shared. Another said: 'My upstairs neighbour would drop her boots, and it was crazy loud. But I didn't write unhinged notes.'
Advice for the Tenant
While most felt the renter was within their rights, some suggested practical steps like using rugs and soft slippers. One person emphasised the importance of being a considerate neighbour: 'I don't owe my neighbours total silence, but I do owe them civility.' The majority advised against confronting the neighbour directly, instead recommending that the renter escalate the issue to the building manager or real estate agent to create a formal paper trail. 'I'd send in a formal complaint of my own against my neighbour being hostile and preventing me from enjoying my home,' one person suggested.
