KaleidoKleio

Sunday, February 19, 2006

Update on Neighbours: Part 2

I was just sitting here at my desk trying to work on a paper (it is 11:30pm) and the footsteps from upstairs were driving me insane so I decided to take a book and give the ceiling a couple of firm hits. Five minutes later, while back at my desk, I heard a knock at my door. So I very coldly called out: "Yes?" It was a girl. She asked if I was hearing any noise, and I said yes, and she said that nobody upstairs was moving and I said well as long as I keep hearing banging I'm gonna keep banging back. Anyway, we were talking through the door and I didn't get up from where I was sitting because I felt like being a bitch. But then she said that maybe the noise was coming from somewhere else so at that point I got up and opened the door. She said she heard me bang and so asked her flatmate if he was making noise and he said no (liar!). She also said that the person who wakes up everyday at 4am-ish is her flatmate. She lives up there with her boyfriend and two flatmates, and she and her boyfriend go to sleep early every night.

Anyway, highlights of the discussion were: the lease is in her name and so she received the complaint from the landlord, she never received the first note I left in November and when she asked her flatmate he said he had left it on the kitchen counter but never said anything and she never saw it, her flatmate was the one who turned on the washing machine the other night at 1am after they got my note and she got upset and he said "But it's only 11:30pm" (which I guess was when he turned it on but the noisy bit comes at the end of the cycle) and she said "Yes, but when you finish it'll be 1am!" Anyway, we determined that it is in fact her flatmates' room that is above my bedroom, which is why I hear the noise at 4am. She said she was unaware that they move about that much because she is asleep and it's true, you can't really hear foot stomping room to room, it's through the floorboards. Anyway, she was really sweet and gave me her phone number and told me to call if I need to complain. Also, while we were standing there talking she suddenly heard a bang from upstairs and stopped mid-sentence and looked up surprised and said, "Is that what you hear?!" and I said, "Yes, constantly."

Anyway, I feel bad for complaining to the landlord now. Because the lease is in her name and she was really nice and is not the one making the noise. It's her damn flatmates, and they never bothered to inform her about the first note. I want to write to the landlord and tell her that it was not the girl that was the problem but I'm not sure if the landlord is even aware that there are four people living up there! Anyway, I turned myself off bitch-mode very early on in the conversation because she was really nice and sincere. But now that she knows, and since the lease is in her name, I'm hoping she will be more strict on her flatmates. What pisses me off, though, is that when I just banged the ceiling I used a tiny book, and I was sure they didn't hear it because they never seem to hear when I bang with the big book. But she came right down which means they can hear it. So every night when I bang my bedroom ceiling with all my might with that big book hoping that they might hear something, they are hearing it just fine, they are just totally ignoring me! This was the first time I bang above my living room, which is where her bedroom is...which means her flatmates are inconsiderate pricks.

7 Comments:

  • She did seem very sincere! Just don't get her into trouble cause the Landlord might not know she has flatmates!?!?! :oP

    I'm glad you are getting some feedback from upstairs and inshallah everything will be ok soon!

    By Blogger The Stallion, at 2/19/2006 7:45 am  

  • I would not feel overly sympathetic... she has to be more discerning with who she brings in as flatmates - especially since, like you said, she is probably in violation of her lease agreement by doing so. Bringing in someone who wakes up at 4 a.m. is just not smart. As for the banging - I would say from now on, bang on the living room area... that way she is aware every time there is noise. Maybe she will eventually ask these terrible flatmates to leave. I feel for you - we have hooligans for neighbors!

    By Blogger Lola, at 2/19/2006 8:03 am  

  • I think you should be in contact with this person, and since she told you to call her if there is a problem, do so. I've found that exacerbating the situation only leads to problems. If you can solve things amicably, it's always better in the long run. I'm glad she's decent. And happy to hear it's not a sweatshop that's being run upstairs!!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/19/2006 9:54 am  

  • Whenever I read your stories about your neighbors I remember Mr.Heckles from Friends.

    By Blogger Tooomz, at 2/19/2006 5:41 pm  

  • This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    By Blogger Kleio, at 2/19/2006 6:07 pm  

  • Stallion: Let's hope!

    Raine: Yeah it was obvious she wasn't too impressed with her flatmates. Four people living up there!

    Red: It could still be a sweatshop, we don't know for sure. Have I told you that on the landing outside their flat where they keep storage stuff, there is a half-sized fabric manequin without a head (the kind that seamstresses use)...

    Tooomz: Everytime I bang on the ceiling I feel like Mr. Heckles! That's why I don't use a broom. Although I've used my Swiffer a couple of times. :)

    By Blogger Kleio, at 2/19/2006 8:38 pm  

  • I'm really happy she heard the "bang" when she was talking to you. That way, she knows you are being sincere, as well. (No matter how nice she is, she may have doubted it.)

    I would invest in some earplugs, though...keep an ear out for the noise, but at leat with earplugs you won't have to let the noise mess with your sleep / work.

    By Blogger Caffeinated, at 2/24/2006 4:10 pm  

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