How to Handle Tenant Noise Disputes | San Diego Property Management

How to Handle Tenant Noise Disputes | San Diego Property Management - article banner

Disputes between tenants are difficult for everyone. When you’re renting out multi-family units in San Diego, you’re likely to come across tenants who complain about noise from their neighbors. Perhaps there are other residents of the building who are disruptive and loud. You may be hearing about parties that go all night long or children upstairs bouncing a ball on the hardwood floors or dogs that won’t stop barking. 

Landlords are expected to provide tenants with the ability to enjoy the quiet enjoyment of their home. When they can’t enjoy their home quietly, you may be called upon to manage tenant disputes and personality problems. This is a great time to contact a San Diego property management company with experience in tenant relations.  

Here are some of the steps you can take to stop a noise dispute from escalating. 

San Diego Tenants and Communication

Communication is always important, and if one neighbor is being too loud for the other residents in a building, a simple and non-confrontational discussion can sometimes take care of the problem pretty quickly. If your tenants are comfortable talking to their neighbors, encourage them to do so. 

Noise can be especially disruptive at night, so if tenants are kept awake by barking dogs, loud music, or constant parties, a simple conversation between neighbors may make things better. Encourage your resident not to be accusatory or angry, but to approach it in a way that’s respectful and open. 

It’s possible that the neighbors don’t realize how easy it is for your tenants to hear them. If they’re reasonable and respectful, a simple chat may be all that’s required, and things will quiet down right away. 

Opening a discussion on noise and respecting each other’s quiet times is also something that you can facilitate as the landlord. If your tenants are nervous about talking to their neighbors because they’re combative or difficult, it might be up to you to have the conversation. Don’t let your tenants escalate the situation if their neighbors are rude and angry.

Create a Strong San Diego Lease Agreement  

Having a strong lease in place will protect you and your residents. 

In that lease, you should outline exactly what tenants need to do if there’s a problem with noise or some other general complaint. When you receive a complaint from a tenant about the noise, take a look at the lease. 

You can also use that lease agreement to address the problem with the tenants who are causing the noise. Show them where it states they’re responsible for respecting quiet hours or keeping noise to a minimum. Always use the lease agreement to reinforce expectations and responsibilities. 

Working with a San Diego Property Management Company 

Working with a San Diego Property Management Company  Don’t ignore a noise complaint from a good tenant. You don’t want to lose them at the end of the lease term. 

We know it’s hard to mediate these disputes. But remember that there’s an answer: professional property management. San Diego property managers have encountered noisy tenants before. 

There are many ways that a management company can deal with loud tenants and tenants who are likely to complain about the noise in their building. And, you won’t have to be involved. You can expect your property manager to have a strong lease in place that protects you. Excellent tenant relationships are another benefit. Property managers skillfully deal with tenants and tenant disputes without getting emotional. 

We can help. If you’re dealing with tenants who are not respectful of their neighbors, contact us at Mercer Properties.