Saturday 5 March 2011

My neighbours, my rant

Some of you might know that I have severe differences with my upstairs neighbours, well - one of them. They are two girls, first in a line of guys. I've lived in my flat for almost four years and always got on well with the blokes. When I moved in, I had two guys living upstairs and we became friends almost instantly. They left their door open when they were home and when I came home from work, I would go upstairs and we would 'hang out'. Or they would knock on my door at the weekend and asked if I'd like to have breakfast which they made. We often cooked together, ate together, went out together. We basically were the inseparably three.
 This is us joking around on a night out.

I was really sad when they moved out. But they moved not too far away and we still saw each other. One moved back to Spain and the other one, I'm going to see tomorrow, actually. So my first neighbours became friends and I'm really glad I met them.

The next two were all right too. We got along, they were nice lads.

Now, 1,5 years ago, I got the first pair of girls. I was excited. It started out really badly, sort of. It rained thoroughly into my flat because someone had a shower upstairs. This was the opportunity to sit together and get to know each other. It was 2am when I went upstairs and it was lovely. I was so happy to  have some nice neighbours again. And I actually really got on with Y. and still do. She gave me piano lessons. (Yes I started to play last April.)
Then: it happened. Our house felt like a tube station. Permanently, there were people trampling through the hallway, slamming doors, laughing, etc. Even the guy in the shop downstairs asked me what is going on. Then, E. began to work in a pub and everything got worse. She always had people around, but they constantly rang my buzzer, one of those very shrill tones, and that at every time. Even in the middle of the night. They all slammed the door and stomped about upstairs. This house, which once was one, is divided into two flats, wooden floors, poor insulation, thin walls.. you get the picture. When they leave their flat, slamming the door, everything in my flat shakes. Literally.
She would come home after work, bringing a few people with her, music loud, shouting and laughing and I couldn't sleep. She would throw parties with 35 to 40 people upstairs and they would last until the morning. We're talking 7 or 9am here. Now talking didn't actually change anything, although I've tried in the most possible nice way, I got the snappy answer that she's allowed a life. I agree, but not if it means, I need to suffer. This house is not made for parties.

One Sunday night, I had enough and banged their door at 3am. Nobody opened the door, though I know they heard me. 45 minutes later I banged again, harder and more persistent. I heard E. through the door telling her friend to just ignore me. But her friend wanted to restore the peace and opened the door. She apologised, but I wouldn't have it anymore. They then went one level higher which they could've done when they got home, but couldn't be bothered to, for it's much nicer to keep people from sleeping.

I complained to my landlady and this weekend, they are moving out. I'm anxious to see who will be next and somehow I hope for two nice guys again. I think I'm done with female neighbours.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Stella,

    I think you just described the woe of several neighbors. I could tell you stories???? One of my neighbors sounded like an elephant in stilettos. They don't seem to mind making noise, but I hasten to think what would happen if the shoe were on the other foot.

    Good luck with your new neighbors.

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  2. yes apartment life.
    but I too have sinned. i moved out of a place last august, and
    i had been a great renter.
    never once had i been complained about after 2.5 years of renting.
    but there were horrors and atrocities committed against me.
    so the night before i left, i put the shoes on the other feet.
    just to see what its like to be the one countervailing the cares and
    needs of others. i bought a used stereo system and created a dance mix.
    a dozen people whooping it up as indians past midnight, midway through some frenetic Gaga number, the knock came on the door. I opened in full indian regalia and the neon lights haloed my warpaint. there was the landlord with the angry scowl.
    the next day i moved everything out, leaving only some stray feathers from a head-dress.

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