Sunday, December 29, 2013

Fostering A Positive Relationship With Fellow Renters

By Don Gleisner


Neighbors: some people love them. Some people love them less. If you've ever watched a sitcom, you're probably very much aware of the "wacky neighbor" character. But in real life, the characters you're more likely to encounter while living in an apartment complex are more likely to be more akin to "Guy On the Floor Above Who Stomps Like an Elephant", or maybe "Idiot Across the Hall Who Slams His Door at 4 AM". Living in close proximity to your neighbors can cause issues you might not face in other housing situations. What should you be aware of, and what can be done to mitigate that tension?

Living in an apartment will put you in far closer proximity to your neighbors than a neighborhood of houses. Because of this, noise complaints will be more common. In any normal building, you'll be sharing one or more walls with a neighbor. You may find yourself wanting to bang on the wall and shout "TURN IT DOWN!" on more than one occasion. However, it pays to be tactful and foster positive relationships with the neighbors. It's also best to do your part to be a courteous tenant, avoiding making noise during the late or early hours.

On the subject of courtesy, apartment life can be much more enjoyable for everyone in the building when you foster a solid relationship with the neighbors. If you have an issue, it's best to try and discuss with the offending party in a calm, reasonable manner. Not everyone is going to be receptive to this tactic, but at least you can't be faulted in that case.

If you throw a party in your apartment, you should be aware that you take responsibility for any of the partygoers' actions. As such is the case, you should make sure to keep the party under control, so as not give neighbors cause for complaint against you.

If you work the graveyard shift, you will probably face some additional issues when you move into an apartment complex. With a sleep schedule that's different from the majority of the building, catching some Zs while not reaching a point where you boil with rage at your neighbors can be an extra challenge.

Even if you explain your situation to the neighbors, it's not really reasonable to expect that they'll completely change their lifestyle. They have to do their chores sometime. So be prepared to deal with vacuum cleaners and other loud activities. They have to do such things during the day, since they'd be disturbing a lot more people by doing it at night.

You may find that you need to take some extra measures to adjust to the environment, such as finding ways to block out excess while you try to sleep. Additionally, trying to return the favor and be courteous to those who are sleeping while you are active is a good idea as well. Being on good terms with neighbors can be especially important when you're living in an apartment.




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