There is a lot that goes into effective property management, and it’s not always easy. If you are a rental property owner, and you manage your property yourself, you are responsible for property repairs and maintenance, regulation compliance, and responding to tenant complaints and concerns. Noise complaints are common issues that you will most likely have to deal with, but they aren’t always easy to address. Excessive noise claims among non-tenants or tenants can be prolonged affairs as you figure out whether or not the claim is legitimate.
Not only does commotion disrupt the right of a tenant to have reasonable peace and quiet, especially in the evenings and at night, it can also be a breach of contract if your lease agreement contains a clause regarding noise levels. It might be time to get involved if a tenant cannot sleep at night because a neighbor is noisy. Below are some guidelines on how to handle noise complaints:
Determine Whether the Complaint is Valid
When a noise complaint is received, assess the situation clearly to figure out whether it is a valid complaint or it is based on unreasonable expectations or oversensitivity. Sometimes a gray area could be there on what constitutes regular, everyday sound levels and when it reaches the point of being “excessive.”
If one of the tenants decided to begin his jam session at midnight, this would be distressing for his neighbors and is likely to fall in the category of excessive noise. However, if in a rental property with multiple floors, a tenant could be merely walking around on the upper floor and the downstairs neighbors would be able to hear footsteps. This is reasonable everyday noise that cannot be escaped, although small improvements can be made like putting pads on the bottoms of loud moving chairs or laying down a carpet.
Responding to a Noise Complaint
Rapidly responding to a noise complaint is critical. By quickly responding, you will be able to help prevent overreactions. The grievances of the tenants should never be ignored; it is important to empathize by listening actively to their concerns. Provide them with an overview of their options concerning the noise complaint and remain in touch until the problem is solved. If an escalation to law enforcement is necessary, ensure that you follow up with the tenant to make sure the issue was addressed timely and professionally.
Valid Noise Complaint
If the conclusion is reached that the complaint is valid, you should promptly address the issue, whether this means contacting the tenant directly or the neighbor in question. You may want to send an email or call the noisy tenant to talk to them about the issue and complaints. If you have a clause in your lease agreement regarding noise, you may want to remind them of that fact. Repeated noise violations can result in eviction if they do not stop. Take it one step at a time, but if the tenant doesn’t stop the noise after a few conversations about it, it might be a good idea to remind them of possible eviction.
Here at Specialized Property Management in Fort Worth, we take tenant issues seriously. We are always on call for them and are willing to help them with anything from maintenance to noisy neighbors. We act as the middle man between you and your tenants so you don’t have to get involved more than you want to. Call us at 817-886-9220 or contact us online for more information!
