What would you do?

[Passacaglia]

I'll start from the beginning. Sometime a few weeks ago, our landlord came by, and said that the people who live in the basement apartment were complaining that they were hearing a loud noise around 6 am (when I usually get up), that might have been pipes or something. She had a look at our bathroom, ran hot water for a few minutes, then never mentioned it again.

Fast forward a while, we noticed that our water was just warm, not really hot, making showers uncomfortable. We called the landlord, who had our maintenance man look into it. He found out that our water heater had been adjusted, and that it was pretty obviously not an accident. So it was probably done by the guys in the basement -- understandable, since they had complained to the landlord about it and she didn't do anything, but still a dick move.

So now that the maintenance guy is on the case, he works on a solution last week. But last night, we get a message from him, saying the people who live in the basement called him and said the noise is still there, and he doesn't know what the problem is now. So he asked us if we could use our other bathroom across the apartment for "a while." So we're pretty pissed. We already had to use our other bathroom for a month while he figured out where some ants were coming from (a problem which really only went away once winter came), and now he wants us to do it again, for some jerks who felt it was okay to turn our heat down. I don't want to have to be incovenienced for them, but I also don't want to have them routinely turn my heat down, making me go to the basement every morning before I take a shower.

So what would you do?

[flere-imsaho]

This is one of the many reasons I was sooooooooo glad when we finally bought a house.

Yeah, I know that's not helpful.

I'd probably call the landlord and tell him what the dicks in the basement have done, then ask him what he can do about it (i.e. putting in insulation or some sort of sound barrier for them).

If he's disinclined to do anything, I'd just start calling him whenever the water is cold and he can have a running battle on his hands between you and the guys in the basement. The maintenance man (if he's on contract) should make a killing.

[gstelmack]

Buy a house.

[rkmsuf]

nuke the guys in the basement from space. it's the only way to be sure.

[molson]

Buy a house.

Hey, the government will bail them out if they can't afford the payments, so why not?

[flere-imsaho]

Does the landlord know the guys in the basement were adjusting your water heater (i.e. did you or the maintenance guy tell him)?

[flere-imsaho]

Superglue the water heater dial into place?

[Raiders Army]

I agree talking with the landlord is the right thing to do.

[rkmsuf]

take up the tuba and practice at 6am

[Passacaglia]

Buy a house.

We're working on this. The plan has been to buy one when our lease is up in the summer, but prices in Chicago are still damn expensive, and I'm starting to wonder if I should wait for prices to fall lower.

[Critch]

Make a point of always stomping around the apartment. Any home exercise equipment will work too.

[Passacaglia]

Does the landlord know the guys in the basement were adjusting your water heater (i.e. did you or the maintenance guy tell him)?

I'm not sure if the maintenance guy told her. I'll have to find out. Anyway, I called back the maintenance guy and left a message for him, saying that we have family coming over (okay, I didn't mention they're not coming until the 19th, but on the other hand, who knows how long he's going to want us to do this for), and that we really need both bathrooms. I told him he can come over whenever he wants to figure out what's wrong, though! I also e-mailed the landlord and said pretty much the same stuff.

[Passacaglia]

Make a point of always stomping around the apartment. Any home exercise equipment will work too.

The problem with this, and other noise-making exercises, is that we're on the 2nd floor, and this is bothering the people in the basement -- two floors below us.

[Passacaglia]

But the people who live on the 3rd floor are a BIG reason we're looking to buy either a townhouse, or a condo on the top floor of its building.

[hawk4669]

nuke the guys in the basement from space. it's the only way to be sure.

Can never go wrong with an "Aliens" reference....mostly. :D

Cheers!

[Hammer755]

Since you can't use a portion of the space that you're paying for, I would ask the landlord to reduce your rent for "a while" coinciding with the time you're inconvenienced.

[MikeVic]

Can never go wrong with an "Aliens" reference....mostly. :D

Cheers!

I just watched this again on Sunday! :D

[Dr. Sak]

I'd suggest to them to....I recommend you stop being such a faggot. You're in the basement.

[Toddzilla]

Fuck 'em. They can sleep somewhere else if your showers bother them. If they don't like it, tell them you'll get up an hour earlier and see how they like it.

Or, just stop showering. I did that a few years ago and it saves a ton of time in the morning.

[Drake]

Since you can't use a portion of the space that you're paying for, I would ask the landlord to reduce your rent for "a while" coinciding with the time you're inconvenienced.

I ditto this suggestion. I'd probably even map it out to the percentage of square footage you're losing plus a"reasonable" tack on for pain and suffering and have the rent cut by that amount.

[sabotai]

The problem with this, and other noise-making exercises, is that we're on the 2nd floor, and this is bothering the people in the basement -- two floors below us.

And no one on the 1st floor complained? (Is there anyone on the 1st floor?)

EDIT: As for the people in the basement, they are renting a place with a few other renters in it. If hearing a noise at 6am every day is their biggest problem, they should consider themselves very lucky...

[Drake]

Or, just stop showering. I did that a few years ago and it saves a ton of time in the morning.

I love Todd, but this is the #1 reason I'm glad I'm not his cubicle mate.

[finketr]

And no one on the 1st floor complained? (Is there anyone on the 1st floor?)

EDIT: As for the people in the basement, they are renting a place with a few other renters in it. If hearing a noise at 6am every day is their biggest problem, they should consider themselves very lucky...

i'd traded that for the idiots above me that used to stomp on their floor with or without the subwoofer enhanced shaking of the walls.

[Mustang]

Use the bathroom and complain about the water being cold all the time. It is your managers problem to figure out what is going on and for him to appease the dicks on the lower level. You aren't doing anything unusual so, if the water heater is extra loud, not your problem.

[RendeR]

I have idiots above me too but they're related to us so I can't really bitch.....much....

[RendeR]

Of course we own the house so its our own fault for renting the upper apartment to them in the first place ;)

[Maple Leafs]

Agree to his request. After a week, ask if the people in the basement have complained again. If they have, point out that clearly your use of the bathroom can't be the issue and that you plan on using it as normal again.

(I'll leave it up to you as to whether you actually stop using that bathroom for the week or not. The plan above works either way.)

[Barkeep49]

Have the maitenance guy fix the stupid water heater.

[saldana]

stupid question, but if the douchebags live in the basement, and you live on the second floor, how in the hell can they determine that your apartment is the source of the noise, and not the people in the first or third floor apts?

[RendeR]

Agree to his request. After a week, ask if the people in the basement have complained again. If they have, point out that clearly your use of the bathroom can't be the issue and that you plan on using it as normal again.

(I'll leave it up to you as to whether you actually stop using that bathroom for the week or not. The plan above works either way.)


You...YOU...You're good. Sneaky Good.

[Passacaglia]

stupid question, but if the douchebags live in the basement, and you live on the second floor, how in the hell can they determine that your apartment is the source of the noise, and not the people in the first or third floor apts?

We're the only ones with a bathroom in that part of the building. The first floor doesn't have one there because that's where the stairs and foyer are, and the third floor doesn't (I think?) because it's just part of the living room.

[Passacaglia]

Anyway, the landlord replied to my e-mail and said that we should go ahead and use the bathroom, so that's cool.

[sterlingice]

take up the tuba and practice at 6am

We have neighbors who love to play Salsa music sometimes. Through the floor, it sounds a lot like Polka. So, my wife and I have considered getting some Polka CDs and turning them up very loud.

I am not wearing lederhosen.

SI

[Cringer]

Tell the people in the basement to go to sleep earlier, then they can just consider it an alarm to wake up to.

[sooner333]

Tell the people in the basement to go to sleep earlier, then they can just consider it an alarm to wake up to.

Iss early in tha moanin', you pose' to be up cookin' breakfast or somebody.

[thesloppy]

It's just for decoration. WOOOOOO WOOOOOOO!