Advise and Counsel Needed: Loud Neighbors

Self published | May 29, 2021 | FWDude

[fwdude]

I’m only airing this on this public forum because I’ve never encountered it to this degree before. Here’s the story: new neighbors moved in about three months ago in my semi rural, large lot residential neighborhood in the outskirts of my large city. I’ve lived here exactly 14 years now, and in that time I’ve experienced a level of quiet peace that most people would envy. The sounds of nature is about as loud as it gets, discounting the occasional Harley or ricer racing down the nearby thoroughfare.

The neighbors are a large family of, shall we say, south-of-the-border derivation, and have had several loud outdoor after-dark parties, complete with the amplified Hispanic loud-bass music in the maddeningly plodding rhythm that we’ve all heard. They also keep a couple of medium to large dogs outside who bark sporadically throughout the night (they are tethered, which is another issue.) They also brought with them at least one rooster, which begins crowing loudly at 4:30 AM each morning. The parties include a lot of loud drunken yelling in Mexican and very loud laughing and conversation. The bedroom wing of my house is adjacent to our shared property line, about 45 feet away. I hear it all.

Before I go on, I want to make it clear that I am one of the biggest live-and-let -live people on earth. I reached out to them when they moved in to introduce myself and let them know who I was. They were standoffish from the start, however.

The last party, about a month ago, went past midnight, and I finally called the police to lodge a complaint. I figured if they somehow were oblivious to the city ordinances against unreasonable noise, and oblivious to the fact that the noise was disturbing a neighbor, they would need to know about it and make a decision. But, here we go again.

I love farm life and animals and can live with the rooster crowing and occasional dog barks, but this is developing into a persistant pattern. Am I being a “Karen” by reporting them? One part of me wants to be tolerant to a fault. The other part of me says that they have absolutely ZERO consideration for the peaceful enjoyment of their neighbors, so screw them.

Anyone with a similar problem?

[fwdude]

I’m not experienced in this, but how would I find out if they are renters?

[peggybac]

Oh, Hell no to the party. I’d call the cops. If they don’t care about keeping their neighbors up all night, then who cares if the cops are called? Selfish, disrespectful neighbors.

[Az Joe]

If you suspect there are illegal aliens being harbored there you have every right, and a duty, to call ICE on them. I think there might be illegal aliens there myself.

Let your imagination run wild as to how you can make their stay uncomfortable without putting yourself in any kind of jeopardy. Just don’t get caught doing anything illegal.

[fwdude]

I would avail myself of the laws of the land, but wouldn’t trust ICE under Biden. It would more likely be me that got arrested for “hate bias.”

[deek69]

I found this one while searching,
Title Search

You can contact the City and Countie’s Office of the Assessor-Recorder in order to locate the name of the owner of the property you are interested in. If the owner’s address is different than the property address, it is possible that the home is occupied by a renter. Write a note to the owner asking the necessary questions.

[fwdude]

Thanks. I’ll research this.

[joe fonebone]

There are 3 types of action..
First, positive action, talk to them and try to work it out as adults. If that doesn’t work then...
Second, legal action, call the authorities, press charges, and sue if you need to. If that doesn’t work then...
Third, lever action on your trusty 30-30

[Az Joe]

Just do it anonymously. They could be using the place as a drop house, smuggling dozens of them into the US every week. Maybe drug runners too.

Maybe find a ICE deportation officer discussion board and ask for some tips there.

[Mogger]

I used to call the cops. No more.

I have a 3 chime set of real Leslie train horns, sometimes on my Land Rover, sometimes on one of my Unimogs.

The air compressors on all of the trucks, when idling, will keep up with the horns.

Twice I have had noise problems, yappy dogs and kids revving crotch rocket for hours at a time.

Each time, I parked near my property line, left them idling, opened the valve wide open and walked away for 15 minutes or so.

The ones with the yap dogs moved the next day. The bike kids got the message.

[MileHi]

Sounds like these are not good people. A civilized solution may not be on the menu. I doubt the sheriff will be much help, but they can inflame a grudge. This sucks.

[deek69]

Your welcome. One other thing came to mind, One is you and your neighbors can call the police each time they are doing this, After a few times the police will tire of them creating problems and tell them to quit or they will be sited. Im my city they have a party ordinance that if they have to tell you to keep it down more than once, every time they will be fined. I think the first fine is $250.00 and it increases each subsequent time.

[krogers58]

Talk with a lawyer, one with good “connections” with the local cops. I’m pretty sure you could bring a lawsuit for their “intrusion into your seclusion”. You’ll need meticulous documentation such as sensitive audio/video recording equipment which also logs the decibel level along with the time. Most places have noise ordinances. Find out the specifics of your local ordinance.

If you were to bring a case to court seeking monetary damages, a good lawyer will know how to seize assets so that you’ll be able to collect for the loss of your peaceful enjoyment of your property. I’d bet a nasty letter from an attorney would get their attention pretty quickly.

[the OlLine Rebel]

And that is great.

But, before getting authorities involved, I see it as best to approach the offender and try to resolve the problem. There is even a passage in the Bible about this. Don’t go to court before trying to work it out personally.

I know this. I lived in an apartment with very loud (Mexican) neighbors, albeit different reasons. I could tell the whole funny story including a newer white neighbor who knew when I was on the prowl to get justice. Actually same was true in the next apartment (same complex...but white partiers)...I moved because of the former loudmouths.

Ok, so it didn’t quite work...in the 1st location...but I tried. I was nice asking if they innocently didn’t realize how much noise, etc. I got increasingly forceful.

Point is try to avoid a) hostility due to anonymous legal proceedings and b) dragging their names through the mud due to same legalities.

At some point, though, I think court has to be used. Police can be called but really, I doubt it would stop it, unless they could actually arrest them.

[GOPJ]

Fences, hedges, trees... all muffle sound. Check with the police to see what laws are on the books Ask them for suggestions. In all my years I’ve only had one neighbor who drives me nuts... unfortunately he’s the person who lives next door to me now... He’s not noisy - he comes over into when people are working in my yard and gives them ‘suggestions’. Which they take sometimes. Now I have to warn people before they start working... it’s just nutty.

[hsmomx3]

They must be told there are people in the area they are disturbing BUT I always fear retaliation in this day and age. Are they renters or owners? I believe you can let the police know you do not want to be identified as to who called and filed a complaint.

You shouldn’t have to put up with this past a certain time.

Just my .02 worth.

[eastexsteve]

You don’t have a noise curfew time in your city/county?

I always thought it was a great idea to mow the lawn at daybreak with the biggest loudest mower I could find. Be sure and take the muffler off of it first. Put as bad spark plug in it so it backfires often. I got a 20 HP riding mower that sounds like a shotgun going off. Move slow and take plenty of breaks with the engine still running wide open. Also, you wouldn’t believe how loud a big boat motor is while it’s running out of the water with just a water hose hooked to it to keep it cool. It will wake the dead. It will literally make the neighborhood dogs (including theirs) start howling.

[TheWriterTX]

Follow these steps:

1. Take a video from your porch/stoop recording the moise. Make sure to record a clock to prove the time and state the time and date at the start of the video. You want independent evidence to show to a jury (more on that later).

2. Keep a journal logging the date, time, nature of complaint and how long the offense lasts. This creates a paper trail that you can quickly show police, a lawyer, or a judge.

3. Call the police every time there is a legitimate violation. Tell them you want them cited for violating the ordinance. Be extremely nice to the police, friendly, respectful, but press your case. Keep the issue focused on the volume, otherwise you can be portrayed as a crank / racist / unreasonable.

I had a former employee stalking and harassing residents in my building. I found a sympathetic officer who truly listened, tracked this guy down, gave him a talking to, and all the nonsense stopped. Don’t give up.

4. Install security cameras around your property that record, in case of any retaliation, which also includes your vehicles. Immediately investigate any issues that arise, document, and report it to police. Now, it has moved from a simple noise violation to vandalism and harassment.

5. If the LE route doesn’t bring the desired result, speak to an attorney (there are free legal holiness in most counties) and take them to court. Continued noise violations constitute harassment.

6. See if anyone else is also impacted by their behavior. Have them follow the same steps. The offenders will either settle down or move.

7. Be reasonable but relentless. If it is 10:05, don’t start reaching for the phone. Wait till 10:20 or 10:30. You want it to be a clear violation.

Good luck!

[rlmorel]

I have lived in my home on a quarter acre lot for 30+ years deep in a "ranch land".

I have a six foot high fence on all sides, and my neighborhood is almost deathly quiet.

My wife loves to garden, and the backyard is like the Garden of Eden to me. I have a structure built in one corner of the yard with a large hammock, and a nearly unobstructed view of the Northern sky.

I value it most among any earthly possession, that beautiful back yard. When I get home from work, if the weather is above 60, I grab a beer and my pipe, and go out there and have a smoke, looking at those stars, listening to the wind through the trees.

About two years ago, the old woman behind us who had been renting the house for years passed on, and a group of what looks like three sixty-or-seventry plus year old couples moved in. It is a small ranch, but...I guess it is okay for them. They also leave their lights on in the house all night, which now has light where there never was before, but what would I say? Can't say anything, and...I wouldn't. THAT isn't much of a big deal.

My only exposure to them had been when I was fogging my yard for mosquitoes, and I didn't realize they were having a cookout or something, and the guy stuck his head over the fence and yelled because he thought my yard was on fire. (there is a lot of thick white mist when I fog) I apologized and explained, and said I wouldn't do it again without checking first to see if they were out there, and I offered to fog their yard anytime if they wanted to have a party. But that was my only real encounter with them.

So if they left their interior lights and windows with no drapes on all night, I conceded it was not my business.

They don't make a lot of noise, but early last spring, they put couches in their back yard and put a fire pit in.

I think I would have been fine with that, but...they installed a series of about 10-20 party lights on a wire in a rectangle around their fire pits and couches. And they weren't Japanese lantern or Christmas types of lights...they were those spherical round bulbs that have a great big huge filament in them.

When they turned them on, the entire neighborhood lit up with bright white light for at least six quarter acre lots. And they left them on all the time. It was like having five cars parked facing the back of the house with their headlights on high beam. All the time.

Just 15 yards from my hammock.

It began to make me feel nearly crazy. I would grit my teeth just looking in the backyard, and would mumble and mutter. I began to think about taking out the lights with a BB gun or something, crazy stuff I would never do, but it began to pass my thoughts.

My wife suggested I just go talk to them. After about two months of it, I came to think that perhaps they actually really were oblivious. I couldn't see how that could be the case, but...I didn't have a lot of options.

Well, we have grapes that grow all around my hammock, and we had a bumper crop last year, so I picked out the finest and biggest ones, and went around the block to knock on their front door.

An older woman answered the door (this was the stupid "COVID Spring) and I introduced myself as the guy who lived behind them, and said I wanted to give them some grapes from my yard. And then I said:

"I actually came over for another reason. I saw you guys had put up some party lights in your backyard, and they are really, really bright. One of my joys in life is being able to lay in my hammock and look at the stars, but the lights drown out everything and light up everything, and...I don't think you do it intentionally, but you leave the lights on all the time. Before I continue, let me say: I know this is your yard, and if you want to keep the lights on all the time, there isn't anything I can say, because it is up to you, and I won't bother you with it. It is your choice. But if you could, would it be possible to keep the lights off unless you are actually doing things in the back yard? Like I said, I don't think you are doing it intentionally, but if you could keep them off unless you are using them, it would mean a great deal to me."

She said she understood, and since then, the lights are only on when they are out there, which isn't that often. And even if I am out there and the lights come on, I have no beef.

The point of my long tale is, you might be able to talk to them without having to call the police every time. If you can find some way, any way to make a connection with them, bring them a boatload of steaks for one of their parties, that kind of thing, you might find a way.

It has been my experience in life that having disagreeable neighbors is one of the most corrosive and annoying things there is. Try to connect, which I know won't be easy, but heck. I would give it a try, as hard as it is.

Good luck, fwdude.

[Species8472]

Befriend them! Invite them to your church, introduce them to your neighbors. Give them a sense of belonging to your community and a reason to get along.

[eastexsteve]

but beware the cartels...

I wouldn't worry about this. If they are up to no good, they won't want to bring any attention to themselves.