One of the challenges to living in an apartment community is just that: it’s a community full of people. Some of these people, unfortunately, are not always quiet and courteous neighbors. Noisy neighbors can be one of the downsides to apartment living.

Dealing with noisy neighbors takes a combination of common sense and diplomacy. First, it’s not a bad idea to introduce yourself to your neighbors when you move in. This is a good idea for both neighbor relations and apartment security. This can be done casually when coming and going, or you can knock on doors and make introductions. People are generally less likely to turn the television on full blast if they know who lives next door.

Sometimes your noisy upstairs neighbor doesn’t realize you can hear them doing jumping jacks at 5 a.m. or their Saturday night party is keeping you up until the wee hours of the morning. Approaching your neighbor the first time with a noise complaint can be a little nerve-racking, but making another person aware of the situation in a kind, non-confrontational way is often all it takes. Banging on the walls or turning up your music louder can cause the situation to escalate.

If speaking with them gets you nowhere in the noisy neighbor department, you should contact the apartment landlord or management company. A warning from the landlord may carry more weight and your landlord has the expertise to know if there is a simple way to remedy the situation. Moving noisy equipment into a different part of the apartment or setting up “quiet times” are things a landlord can help mediate. If this fails, you may need to contact the police for excessive noise or threats from a noisy neighbor who you have asked to be more courteous.

Keep in mind that apartments are communities with lots of shared space. What to do about noisy neighbors may involve a certain amount of ignoring the little things. Hanging heavier curtains can help absorb noise, putting foam insulation around doors can help keep down the outside noise of neighbors coming and going and putting thick rugs down can help keep you from being the noisy upstairs neighbor. Leading by the example of being a courteous neighbor can be a good start when dealing with a noisy neighbor.