Hi folks,
First off, thanks for any advice that can be given.
My wife and I moved into this apartment when we relocated here about 5 months ago. This building is very new and thus the unit above us was empty for a while.
3 months ago, a new neighbor moved in and ever since then, we would hear loud foot steps sounds, and banging sounds in the late night at around 2am to 3am daily.
I’ve wrote in to both my guarantor company, as well as the management, as much as they were helpful in addressing my concerns, they did not do anything other than putting up notice to keep volumes down.
Last week, I even had a voice recording of the loud banging sounds at 3am in the evening. It was so bad that even my phone recorder could capture it.
What should I do? Back in my country, I would have confronted the neighbour long time ago. But I would like to respect the culture or norms here before I take any action. The management suggested that I call the police if it happens again, but my Japanese language proficiency is close to none.
It’s really affecting the sleep quality of both my wife and myself.
Would really love some advice.
Thank you!
6 comments
Buy earplugs.
Following cultural norms just because they’re the norm is moronic. Follow cultural norms when they make sense.
Japan’s culture of not confronting people who do bad things only serves to help the people who do those things.
When a person is not well behaved in Japan, they are extreme because nobody ever confronts them on their bullshit.
I try my best to pick my battles, but when I find someone like your neighbor who CLEARLY doesn’t care, culture be damned, I directly confront them.
You have your bag on the seat next to you on a busy train? I’m going to walk over to that seat, pick up your bag, and sit down. While the Japanese people stand around complaining to themselves.
You’re choosing to smoke right in front of my window on a hot summer night? Yes, culture be damned, I’m going to go out and tell you to fuck off.
You’re stomping around at 3am? I’m going to your door and slamming on it until you come to the door or figure it out.
And so on. I deal with it directly, and I recommend everyone who lives here does the same – as long as there is no clear danger.
There’s only 3 options available to you if the landlord/management company won’t help, and your Japanese isn’t proficient to talk to the neighbor directly.
1) Ask someone proficient in Japanese to help you write a letter, politely asking your neighbor to be mindful of noise in the early AM hours. Leave that letter at your neighbor’s door.
2) Escalate it by reporting it to the police. Bring the audio recording if you can. Hopefully it is time stamped to show when you are dealing with the noise. Sometimes better to do it after you write the polite letter, if they continue to make noise.
3) Ignore it and wear earplugs.
You should be aware that a lot of newer apartment units have been built with very thin materials, and sound can travel easily between floors. And even when neighbors are mindful of their late night activities, noise can still travel.
I once lived in an apartment and I could hear a knocking noise from below at around midnight most nights. It was at pretty consistent intervals and it drove me around the bend. It tuned out my neighbour had one of those dart board machines and the sound was him playing darts late at night.
I’m your top noisy neighbor. My under neighbor called police 2 times on me. But in my defense i just walked to my kitchen or bathroom. And that’s still makes load noises to neighbor, i dont know. And i blame japanese paper houses. So maybe next time, move to upper level.
I’d get your wife to write a nicely worded letter and put it in his /her mailbox.