I need some 'evil' advice.

"404 Name Not Found" (404namenotfound) 01/10/2014 at 16:56 • Filed to: None

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I live in an apartment that is off-campus. The apartment is fairly old but not too bad. The problem is that the floorboards above creak like crazy. Now I have complained to the landlord and he does not do anything about it. There are about 4-5 Indian people that live above in a 2 bed apartment and there is constant walking around at night. And yes they pay extra to have the extra people. They walk around the.whole.fucking.night.

I have to be up at 4am to get ready and go to the ER and the hospital every day. I can't break my lease and I need something done otherwise I know that I will go crazy. I have tried earplugs but they don't work and they're really uncomfortable.

Now I need something against the landlord, because as mentioned earlier. I will go crazy, no doubt. I have to get my sleep. What should I do?

davedave1111 > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 16:58

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Are you sure that it's not the kind of nuisance which would constitute grounds to break your lease?

RacecaR > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 16:59

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Are you neighborly with the upstairs tenants? If so, see if you can go up and fix the floor for them since the dumbass landlord won't do it.

Just take a small piece of wood (4" x 4" or something similar), put it where the floor squeaks the most, and hit the wood with a hammer. What is happening is the nails have worked their way out, and when someone walks on top of them, they are squeaking against the wood, along with the loose wood moving. Watched my dad to this to the house I grew up right before we sold the house. Worked like a charm.

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 17:01

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I wear these to fall asleep when my roommate's girlfriend sleeps over- same issue with the creaking. They work well and are comfortable, I've even learned to take them off in my sleep without waking up. They're good for airplanes too. Don't know what to tell you about your land lord.

404 Name Not Found > davedave1111 01/10/2014 at 17:03

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Are there various things in the lease that allow me to break the lease due to nuisance? I did not know that. Maybe the city has some laws? I'll check it out.

ttyymmnn > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 17:04

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Some sort of machine to generate white noise while you sleep? I used to have a neighbor with a recording studio in his house, and he liked to mix his tracks between 1:00 and 4:00 am. Constant and repetitive thumping that woke me and kept me up. Numerous calls to the sheriff's office finally got it resolved, but until then, I ran a large air purifying blower in my room that created a constant whirring noise that effectively drowned out the thumping enough so I could sleep. Not evil or retaliatory, but you might be able to sleep at night. And there will be less dust in your room.

404 Name Not Found > RacecaR 01/10/2014 at 17:04

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I already tried that. In fact my dad gave me this thing where I could screw into the stud and break off the screw. It didn't work either.

404 Name Not Found > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 01/10/2014 at 17:04

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Borrowed some Bose qc15's. Can't do it, I'm a side sleeper.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 17:04

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White noise source (aka your PC) turned up loud enough to muffle it? That would take getting used to, but you'd sleep at least. And annoy your landlord: win-win.

404 Name Not Found > ttyymmnn 01/10/2014 at 17:06

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The heater runs pretty much all night and it doesn't make a difference. There are certain areas in the floorboard where the creaks are really really sharp and that is what kills.

CAR_IS_MI > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 17:06

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1. fixing a creaky floorboard is not an easy fix. That being said, if there is a reasonable safety concern (warping on the floor) he must fix it (mind you, this would take lots of evidence and some legal time to prove).

2. If it is TRULY that loud. Take video recording and copious notes on the instances (Friday 1/2/14 2:04 AM woken from sleep from loud squeaking in upstairs floorboard). From there you have two options. Bring your reports to the landlord (this may just annoy him, make him want to kick you out). Option 2 is call the cops for a noise complaint (this may piss off your upstairs neighbors). If you have a log in which you can prove you have taken all the proper, legal steps, and your landlord refuses to do anything about it, you have a case against him (albeit barely a case).

Mind you, pretty much ALL of this will end with your landlord not wanting you as a tenant and attempting to not renew your lease.

ttyymmnn > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 17:07

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You'd be surprised how loud this thing can get when set on high. I used to set it right next to my bed.

CAR_IS_MI > RacecaR 01/10/2014 at 17:08

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If it is loud enough to creep through the floor in through the ceiling and be clearly audible, it it likely internally structural.

davedave1111 > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 17:10

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I'm not a lawyer, and I haven't seen your lease. But the first thing I'd be doing is reading every word of it and checking the local laws.

Another thing to consider is whether you'll face any comeback if you just walk out on the lease and don't leave a forwarding address. I don't know how it works where you are, but over here it's pretty unusual for landlords to chase tenants, especially if they don't leave owing money. They might tut a bit, but it's easier and cheaper to find a new tenant. Depends if they have an easy way to track you down, though - your post implies you're in (med?) school, which might make it easier.

Roberto G. > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 17:11

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Record the noise, make your landlord hear it and threaten him to go to the Judge with that. Not sure if 4 or 5 people can use a two bed room as well. The Judge may have an opinion on that, at least for what concernes the safety, fire and sanitary regulations.

AM3R > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 17:13

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1)Tell your landlord to do something about it or else you'll take legal action. If he doesn't do anything about it you honestly have a shot taking him to court. Not saying you'll win big bucks, but I'm willing to bet he won't want to spend a lot of time in court.
2) this is a little random but switch apartments with them? It's a long shot haha

davedave1111 > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 17:14

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If it's only certain areas, have you considered sucking up your pride and just fixing them for the landlord, with your neighbours' agreement and/or help?

JACU - I've got bonifides. > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 17:18

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"Indian people".

404 Name Not Found > JACU - I've got bonifides. 01/10/2014 at 17:19

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I'm Pakistani for the record.

JACU - I've got bonifides. > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 17:19

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Well that explains it then!

404 Name Not Found > AM3R 01/10/2014 at 17:21

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I don't have the time to make a case. And hiring a lawyer is doable, but if there's no money involved then I don't know.

Our apartment is the best in the whole building and we pay the most rent too. I want to keep my washer and dryer lol.

404 Name Not Found > davedave1111 01/10/2014 at 17:22

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My parents co-signed the lease which will be a problem. But I'm gonna get to work reading the lease asap. And I'll check my local laws as well.

Squid > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 17:23

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Find your land lords window and release a bag of feeder crickets into his room every night. . .

Textured Soy Protein > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 17:31

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My gf uses these to protect from my snoring.

404 Name Not Found > JACU - I've got bonifides. 01/10/2014 at 17:33

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Hahaha...I would never.

Leadbull > JACU - I've got bonifides. 01/10/2014 at 17:40

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America: where complex international relations invade your local apartment building.

Leadbull > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 17:42

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Earbuds.

With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 18:04

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Have you considered playing this loud all night long, then?

404 Name Not Found > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username 01/10/2014 at 18:32

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Hahaha. You win a lot for bringing in that reference.

davedave1111 > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 18:47

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Yeah, that's more of a problem then. It's not normally worth pursuing renters because they don't have much money anyway, and ones who up and leave are hard to track down. Your parents presumably don't fall into either category.

Are you at university? Does it offer free legal help for students with these sorts of problems?

404 Name Not Found > davedave1111 01/10/2014 at 18:48

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Actually I just called the Student Legal Services and made an appointment. Hopefully it'll get fixed.

XJDano > 404 Name Not Found 01/10/2014 at 19:04

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Space heaters cause fires, its cold out.