Home.  Home is where your heart is. This should be your sanctuary, where you leave all worries and concerns behind. But, what if this is where the issues lie? We all want to have neighbors that you can easily get along with. But it’s not always the case, in fact, you’ll probably a nasty neighbor or two in your lifetime. The best way to deal with this is by following a couple of tips in resolving issues to keep your home the best place to live.

Be polite and gentle with words

If something is bothering you, speak up and say something. You have to let your neighbors know what’s happening and how it makes you feel, but discuss it in a nice way and be prepared to compromise or offer help. Trying to make a point while being helpful will build and strengthen rapport with your neighbor. If you have not been on speaking terms with them since you’ve moved in, try to get to know them. You should establish a good relationship with your neighbor so that you’d both understand each other better and be mutually respectful and considerate.

Be amenable

Present your neighbors with problems that you cannot tolerate and brings you discomfort. If they are unable to fix the problem right away, ask if they can do something that will temporarily ease the situation easier instead. Depending on what your concern is, offering help to your neighbors will simply make them amenable to responding to your request. 

Soundproof your walls

If you feel that addressing the noise issue with your neighbor will just spark conflicts at all,  try to resolve things first by using other methods in reducing the noise such as installing sound-absorbing materials onto your walls. If the soundproof efforts didn’t help, then it is time you express your concerns about the problem and how it impacts your quality of life. From there, you can and suggest ways to solve the problem together. Approach your neighbors in a friendly way and you’ll have more success in coming up with a solution. 

Know your rights

As a member of the community, you must know all your legal rights and adhere to their policies, so you can also determine whether your neighbor is in violation of your local laws. You must also review your renter’s rights for there are clauses in your rental lease agreement that entails specifics on noise policies, parking assignments, and any regulations that you can point out as a violation to your right.

Keep a Record of Everything

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If you reach the point where you know you will be unable to resolve your disputes amicably with your neighbor, start documenting everything. If you need to get the authorities involved, build a case for yourself. It will be easier for you to back your case if you are able to show proof such as photos, videos, and documents as evidence. Live videos using social media platforms can prove the legibility of the claim, but be careful not to get caught when filming as it may trigger negative reaction. Remember, take note of all the noises, behavior or violation that you think might be useful in filing your complaints. 

Get someone to help or mediate

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You can choose from the following if you feel there’s a need for a more drastic measure if your neighbor still continues with all the nuisance even if you have already made a verbal and written request.

1. Get help from other neighbors. Your other neighbors are most probably annoyed by the same issue you that have with your irritating neighbor, so might as well, encourage them to file a complaint with you. They too can be witnesses to the case you’re going to warrant once the situation escalates to require legal action.
2. Ask your property manager or landlord to resolve issues on your behalf. After all, they might have encountered these situations before and have come up with a better solution.
3. Call the local police. Getting the authorities involved as the last resort for drastic measures. It will shock and motivate your neighbor to stop pulling these stunts, but your relationship with your them will be tarnished and maybe no longer be repaired.

Breakaway

In some cases, an unresolved issue or dispute may be grounds for you to get out of the lease contract without breaking the law or incurring penalties. You might not want to deal with getting dragged into hours of court time and fees, but if you’re considering it, then do your research before attempting it.