There is no magic answer on dealing with that noisy inconsiderate (and probably contemptuous) neighbor or with noise coming from outside your building, but there are strategies you can develop.

Many tenants think there’s a law that allows a neighbor to be noisy up till 10 or 11 at night. There’s not. But common sense and practical application of the NYC Noise Code recognizes that a reasonable level of noise is acceptable during daytime hours. On the other hand, a rock band reverberating in your apartment, even at 12 noon, is probably unacceptable and you have a right to complain to the police, to your landlord and to the NYC Department of Environmental Protection. Which is the best is hard to say since every situation is different. And of course, talking with your neighbor should be the first step.

You must be prepared to push the issue. If the police don’t respond, call back and get the name of the desk officer and complain to his/her Captain [and higher]. Call the Community Board and your local politicians. But while you’re being persistant, don’t come off as a crazy. And after you’ve done your homework and documented the problem, complain to your landlord and be prepared to withhold your rent to force him to bring a nuisance action against the offending neighbor. If you decide to take this route, make sure you understand how to deal with Housing Court.

樓下搬來了新鄰居，我不知道有多少人住在裡面？因為，最初看起來是一對夫婦，但沒有幾天跑來了一個老女人和嬰兒，接著他們的房子裡出現兩條很吵的狗，有多吵？！幾乎有路人經過就狂吠，主人有時把他們關在後院不進客廳時，他們也在吠，半夜有時不睡覺也要吠，弄得我快瘋狂。

離譜的不止於此，他們半夜特別愛聊天，而且講話、笑聲都大到很誇張，深怕鄰居聽不到一樣，連關門、開門聲都很大，我不知道他們是有重聽還是怎樣，但是這些噪音已經刺激到我神經末稍，痛苦到無法入眠。

那戶人家很厲害，早上起床時會順便打開音樂，音樂的噪音大到我家地板都會震動，實在讓我無法忍受，打電話跟社區公寓的經理投訴，起初派人來警告，但是他們依然故我，受不了在社區辦公室開協調會議，這個傢伙講沒幾句就說有事先告辭，隔了沒多久繼續製造噪音，我索性打電話給社區警衛，他們繼續鬧我就繼續打，打到噪音結束為止。

遇到不識好歹的鄰居很糟糕，過去我沒太多類似經驗，經此一役我終於要投降，這一搞根本就沒心情上機寫作，更別提其他的事情，我真的快抓狂了！