There are few things that are as annoying as an upstairs neighbor stomping around in the apartment. Especially if it’s happening all the time or at really odd hours where you are trying to get some rest.
But oftentimes, when you try to resolve it, the neighbor is uncooperative and your landlord may not appreciate how severe the issue is. In that case, one of the best ways to convince them is to record the noise coming from your upstairs neighbor.
You then provide this recording as evidence to your landlord to back up what you are saying. In addition to that, you also want to make a note of when the noise is occurring. This way, you can provide your landlord with more detailed information to support your claim that the noise is unreasonable.
In this article, we will be discussing some steps you can complete to record your upstairs neighbor stomping. Let’s get into it!
The information contained in this post is for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice. You should seek the advice of a qualified legal professional before making any decisions relating to the topics covered by this article.
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Why Is Your Upstairs Neighbor Stomping?
There are a number of reasons why your upstairs neighbor may appear to be stomping. The most common reason is that they want to make noise to get your attention.
This may be to tell you that you are being too loud and making too much noise. Or they may want you to stop making any noise.
Another reason may be that they have kids who are running around the house or jumping off tables, chairs or beds (yes, this happens).
Another reason that you may hear what seems like stomping could be due to thin floors or carpeting, insufficient padding or underlayment, or just a poorly designed building.
What Can You Do to Prevent Stomping?
Noisy neighbors are a common problem for a lot of people. It can be really annoying, but there are a couple of things that you can do.
Begin by talking to your upstairs neighbors. This is because they may not be aware how much noise they are making.
You then may be able to come to an agreement or find a solution to all the noise.
However, if you don’t want to talk to them, you could also leave them a polite note, asking to be quieter.
If talking doesn’t work, then you need to get in contact with either your homeowner’s association or landlord. If your landlord owns the upstairs unit as well, they may be able to ask them to be more considerate when moving about. If the noise is truly excessive, they may be violating local laws around noise.
If you want to learn more about what is considered normal apartment noise vs. what is excessive, check out my article on the topic here.
If your efforts to get your neighbor to stop stomping are not getting you the right results, you could invest in some earplugs, or noise-canceling headphones. This is a pretty good option, if the noise isn’t very frequent.
If noise is a constant problem, you may want to think about soundproofing your walls, although that is admittedly a pretty expensive option. It’s probably best to continue to try to work out a diplomatic solution.
If diplomacy fails and the problem continues to be severe, you may want to look for another place to live when you lease runs out or you otherwise have an opportunity to move.
Recording Noisy Upstairs Neighbors
If you have had enough of your upstairs neighbors stomping or making excess noise, then you may want to record them as evidence for your landlord.
To be able to record your upstairs neighbors, you will need some kind of recording device.
This can be a tablet, your smartphone (using a good recording app – more on that below), or a digital voice recorder.
Once you have chosen your preferred device, follow these simple steps to record the noise or stomping.
Step 1: Place your chosen recording device in an area that will pick up all the stomping and noise easily. Also remember to switch the device on.
Step 2: Wait for the stomping to begin; this is your sign to start recording the sounds.
Step 3: Continue to record the noise, until it ends.
Step 4: With this recording, save it and label the file with the time and date that you recorded it.
Step 5: Finally, with this file, send it to your noise complaint department, or landlord. This can be through email or through a file sharing website.
You want to make sure that you get the sound to be as clear as possible.
If the sound isn’t very clear, then you may need to move the device closer or somewhere else.
Also, you want your own apartment to be as quiet as possible. This is so the device can focus on the noise coming from upstairs, and won’t pick up noises from your own apartment.
If you want even better evidence, you can record using your phone and a decibel measuring app.
There are plenty of these apps that can measure decibels that are free, such as Sound Meter and NIOSH.
As for recording, one app that can record noise and report it directly to your landlord or law enforcement is Noiseapp. It’s available for Apple and Android here.
Another interesting option is SmarterNoise, which gauges decibel levels as well as provides recording capability. They are available for Android here.
Can You Legally Record Your Upstairs Neighbor?
You need to consider a couple of things, before you start recording your neighbors.
The main thing to think about is to make sure you’re not breaking any federal or state wiretapping laws.
Normally, you need the consent of every party that is involved to record a conversation legally. Of course, stomping is not a conversation, so there is a difference.
In this case, if you are unsure whether you can film or record your neighbor, then seek advice from an attorney.
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If you do illegally record someone without their consent, then in some cases this can lead to a criminal charge. As a result, it is important that you follow your federal or state law.
If you are allowed to record your neighbor legally, you need to make sure that you use a high quality recording device, and that it is placed in an appropriate area that will pick up all the sounds clearly.
Alongside this, if you still aren’t sure where you stand legally, it may be worth going straight to the police or contacting your landlord.
Both parties may be able to solve your issue for you, especially if other neighbors have also complained about said neighbor for similar reasons.
Although, if you are allowed to record your neighbors legally, then it is best to have some form of evidence before contacting the police, as they can then say that your complaint is justified.
Final Thoughts
No one likes noisy neighbors, and it can be annoying when they are stomping above your heads.
The best thing to do is talk to your neighbors about the sounds they are making.
However, if this doesn’t work then recording them and showing your landlord, may get the issues resolved quicker.
We hope you have found this article helpful, and now you know how to record your upstairs neighbor stomping.
