I moved to Japan three months ago and I am having one great (hell) of a time. I recently moved into an apartment with the help of a realtor. Everything is nice about this apartment – decent space, nice lighting, close commute, etc. I asked the basic questions like: how much was the rent? how far is it from point B? is there key money?… I even asked what my neighbors were like – the response was slightly (3 second) delayed in conversation but I was told they were great. I proceeded to ask why the previous tenant moved (this was probably overkill but I just wanted to make sure there was nothing wrong). Of course, I didn’t get much of an answer.
Since everything checked out and there were no weird hidden fees, I signed the contract. Not even a month of being in my new apartment, my neighbors above me made a noise complaint. Besides me cooking, cleaning, walking around in my house (you know, regular human stuff), I could not understand why they made a noise complaint. I was then told by the realtor that the people above me are “weird” – they complained about the previous tenant before me because he was taking a shower…Mind you this is the same realtor that said that my neighbors were great.
Long story short – I am on my 3rd month of living here and the noise complaints along with the banging on the walls has not ceased. I have told management a couple of times and they say they will talk to them but (obviously) they don’t. I complained to the realtor and its radio silence. I even told the management company I was going to call the police and they advised me not too. I feel like I am being harassed at this point.
Has anyone ever experienced harassment from their neighbors? if so, what did you do? Is there a way to get a complete refund for this apartment? I would like to move somewhere else but I do not want to pay another contract fee (unless I get a refund).
Thank you in advanced for the advice!
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PS: I would also like to point out…I live on the 1st floor 🙂
4 comments
Pull an uno reverse card and just call the police with a noise complaint when your neighbor is banging on the walls again.
I’ve had complaints from neighbours in 3 different apartments. I make no noise at all. Have felt pads on the feet of my chairs. Wear earphones. Never have visitors. Don’t slam doors. I just ignore them now and they end up resolving over time. Sometimes they mistake the noise from another apartment as being you. Seems like you have a real crazy though. They manner themselves in public so much that going batshit crazy at home is their only outlet. Call the cops on them.
>You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to a court appointed attorney. You have the right to sing the blues. You have the right to cable TV… that’s very important. You have the right to sublet. You have the right to paint the walls… no loud colors.
Although I’d be careful about those last 2 and check your contract.
This happened to me when I moved here four years ago. I was moving into the second floor and we had an angry ojiisan before us that got mad for pretty much any noise. He would pound on the wall and swear. We did talk to our landlord and I’m guessing they helped because he stopped and eventually moved out a month or two later.
Apartments in Japan tend to have thin walls. For example, I can hear my neighbor sneezing and snoring sometimes. You really need to be conscious about what you’re doing and what time you’re doing it.
I definitely feel like this is something you’re realtor should have disclosed, so I would keep trying to get ahold of them. Other options are talking to your neighbor, calling your own noise complain on them, or moving out, but moving out doesn’t guarantee that you won’t have this issue at a new apartment.