Real Estate

Sounding off

I live in a rental building, and the owner of the property has a home office directly above me. Unfortunately, he has no rug to absorb the loud sounds of his chair rolling around my ceiling. I wrote him a nice note requesting that he put something down to absorb the noise, but he never responded. What can I do? — Name withheld

Sounds like your landlord is really on a roll. If he were a tenant, his lease would likely have required him to install at least a small amount of floor covering. Since he’s the building’s owner and not beholden by a lease, he can push that rule on you, but you can’t do the same to him. And though there are city agencies that can field your complaint, I doubt they’d do much for you. I suggest addressing your landlord face-to-face. It would be too easy for him to ignore another note, and you’d be left wondering (and ultimately fuming) about his noncompliance. If he continues to ignore your requests, I regret to say it’s probably best that you find a new pad — ideally one with padding on the floor above you.

My downstairs neighbor has a door that creaks like something out of a scary movie, and my upstairs neighbor slams her door so hard it shakes the entire building. Don’t these people realize how disturbing all of this racket can be? —Paul L., Washington Heights

Before you get unhinged, take a deep breath. If this has been happening for a while, the perpetrators might scarcely be aware of the noise. At this stage, what has become nails on a chalkboard to you is probably white noise to them. I’d approach each neighbor individually, perhaps starting with the door-creaker. A bit of oil will help lubricate that situation immensely. As for the door-slammer, I’m presuming that it’s not a petulant teenager above you, but rather someone whose door just closes a bit too quickly. With your neighbor’s permission, have your superintendent tweak the speedy door’s closing mechanism so it stops slamming with such gale force. Now that’s what I call an open and shut case.

My neighbor’s smoke alarm goes off constantly, and it’s getting downright annoying. I do realize better safe than sorry, but the incessant pinging is driving me up a wall. — Charlene S., Turtle Bay

Typically, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. In this case, however, unless your neighbor’s a horrific cook or taking lots of steamy showers, the continual alerts are probably a sign that the detector needs some attention and possibly replacement. Dust buildup, desiccated insects or a dying battery can all contribute to false alarms. Pay a visit to your neighbor and share this info. It could save a life — not to mention your hearing.

Next up: Is something on your neighbor’s balcony creating a building bother? E-mail me your question at testingthemarketnyc@gmail.com or tweet me @MisterManners.