I have been living in this apartment with my pregnant wife since May. In June about seven 18 year old Spanish speakers moved in below us. The first two nights they were here they had parties until 3:00 AM. Radio blasting, yelling an screaming outside. On the third night I decided we'd had enough and called the cops. They settled down a little, but would play their stereo at full volume all day and until late at night. I went down to explain to them that my wife works night shift and can't sleep with all the noise three times. They would turn it down that day and the next day be playing it again. I finally put in the first of what became three written complaints to my housing manager. The manager sent them warnings three times. The third time is supposed to be the last straw before eviction. My manager then informed me that it was my problem and I would have to be the one to take them to court to have them evicted. I would have to pay for a lawyer and everything. This seemed terribly unfair. So no support there. The smoke from their cigarettes fill my apartment, and my wife is not only pregnant, and the babies birth weight could be affected, but she is allergic to smoke. She has had a number of respiratory illnesses as of late. The manager told us there was nothing she could do after our written complaint. They continue to blast their stereo for a minimum of five hours a day. I have resorted to putting the speakers of my stereo on the floor and turning it up so they get blasted to drown out the sound. This is unfair to my upstairs neighbors as it bothers them. The police said they can't do anything until 10:00 PM. My neighbors now this and stop at ten. Occasionally they blast the speakers for one song or so after that just long enough that if we call the cops by the time the cops get there, everything is quiet. We have a baby on the way in six weeks. I know this will become even more of a nightmare when my kid can't sleep, and has to breathe smoke all day. We are fed up and don't know what to do. Anyone have some advice besides shoot shovel and shut up? I think that would be logistically difficult since there are so many of them.

At my wits end. 2IDdoc

Call the cops. tell them you weant them arrested for Disturbing the peace and that you will sign an order of arrest and cooperate with their prosecution.

I didn't know that was an option. So the next time their stereo is loud I can have them arrested? I predict my tires getting slashed in the near future.

Urge your apartment manager to relocate the noisy neighbors to another unit in the complex.

I'd check into the local statutes regarding eviction, or have a lawyer do it. It sounds like the manager is just too chicken to boot the jerks.

Also, start wearing a dark blue windbreaker with "ICE" in big yellow letters on the back.

I'm calling my managers manager today. They usually get things done. I just don't think I should have to hire a lawyer to take care of a situation the manager is supposed to take care of. We can't move until my wife delivers and I have my back surgery. Too much stuff in the air. When we do finally move, Virginia here we come! Thank God.
What does "ICE" stand for?

Call INS on their asses!

[url=http://www.ice.gov/graphics/index.htm]Immigration and Customs Enforcement[/url]. Good luck.

Call the FBI and tell them you overheard something about "assasination". Wouldn't work in CA, but might in MD.

CW

BTW, I guess .50 BMG is out of the question.

It's just an apartment, let the landlords know that you will be breaking your lease if any because of this and move on to the next apartment where you can be the bad neighbor.

the landlord isn't upholding the lease.

inform the landlord you will be suing him for breech of contract.

Since you know how hard it is to evict someone, use that to your advantage.

Tell landlord that you will not pay your rent as long as they continue to live next to you and disturb you. What's landlord gonna do? Evict you or the trouble?

Either way, you'll get rid of your noisy neighbors.

I had the same problem in Tulsa in the 80's. same song day and night blasting from above my apartment. Same deal with manager, too scared to evict. By the time the little buggers left they had all but destroyed the apartment. You probably can't use the same tactic we used and stay out of jail, Tulsa was a different time and place. Any possibility of getting your wife out of the environment till the problem is settled? Sounds like it's only going to get worse.

Up till 3 AM partying? I wouldn't be surprised if there were drugs involved. Call the DEA and tell them you [i]suspect[//i] there are drugs involved from the behavior of the [s]inmates[/s] occupants. Tell them you suspect they are being sold on the premises from the constant in- and outflow of people there.

Then stand back and watch your tax dollars at at work [rolleyes].....

Edited to add: Man, am I glad I own my own home....many of my neighbors may be stuck-up liberal sphincter-clowns, but at least they are quiet about it. Lot to be said for that, I suppose.

 




Retaliation is a felony..  get your video camera rolling...

I have the same problem.. with white trash living next to me.. and Mesikins moving in all over the neighborhood.. they have no respect for the neighborhood. I call the constible's.. They are voted in.. so they will kick ass with citations..  record the noise/music.  My local Sherrif dept said there was nothing I could do..Cocksuckers!  

If You have constables in your area. Call them..  Their existance depends on your being able to live in peace.  

File with your Justice of the peace.. civil court will fight for you too.

What county are you in.  I know that Baltimore County has a 24 hour noise ordinace, check into it.  Just because the cops say that they can't do anything before 10:00 doesn't mean that they are correct.  Besides that if there are 7 people there that's way too many.  There should be alimit to 2 people per bedroom other than that they could be in violation of their lease agreement and your housing manager could have them thrown out for that.  Good luck!  Any chance of moving?

Document everything...

In most leases there is usually a statement regarding the "quiet and peaceful enjoyment" of the dwelling. A threat of a lawsuit because the manager is not enforcing the terms of the lease and is in effect denying you the right to enjoy your dwelling might spur him to action.

Obvious answer - MOVE

I guess a .50 BMG is out of the question?

Now that's a shit situation to be in.. Sorry you have to deal with it.  In my non-lawyer opinion, I'd say your best bet would be to sit down with a copy of your lease, and a copy of the local, state, and federal laws pertaining to the situation. They should give you some idea of who is responsable for taking care of the situation, you or the landlord.  If it's the landlord, I'd look into the ramifications of your stopping rent payments until the situation is resolved.  If that's not an option (could it end up on your credit report?), and your only recourse is to sue the neighbors, I'd talk to that lawyer you're paying for and see if a suit against the landlord would be advisable as well, for any lease violations, legal costs, "pain and suffering", and back-rent you can get out of them.  I'm not normally an advocate for the shotgun-pattern lawsuit or hitting people in the wallet in general, but if what you're describing is accurate, theres no reason someone should have to live like that.

I have also suffered this annoyance. After pleading with the neighbor in question (True definition of the word "jackass") and complaining to the rental agency, I discovered that the power boxes were located in a place convient for me. I shut off their power, and ran a cheap brass padlock through the lockout.  Every time they'd tune up, I'd lock em out.

After a while they were evicted, but they must have wondered why their power kept being shut off whenever they fired up their stereo.

Meplat-

I can’t see any way, shape, or form you can evict the occupants of an apartment you don’t own or rent.  Concentrate your efforts on bringing the manager to the plate.  Consider contacting the building owner and explaining the problem to him.  

Oh man you have the upper hand here so to speak,lots of pasta down the kitchen sink (no water)this will let the pasta set up!   Then its dishwasher,front and back tubs,and may I suggest a couple loads of clothes!

If yours is like most Apt Complexes the kitchen is at the first of the drainage leg and you will have no backup just both of your downstairs neighbors!

Since the downstairs neighbors next to noisy people are not there or don't care this will be the easy way to get rod of them,believe me they will get tired of being flooded!

Oh yes admit nothing,you are on the Atkins diet and never eat pasta!

Bob [:D]

As galling as it is, just live with it.  Move when you can.  Remember here in VA it is not uncommon for a landlord to check your prior landlord as a reference.  So don't do anything that may cause a bad reference.

If the landlord will not move them, tell the landlord you want to be moved into a different apartment.

See if that works.

Why would you sue a bunch of 18 illegals???

Sue the management company--

Use your camcorder to record whatever you can- with time stamps.