Got told that I can't exercise in my apartment anymore...

pduckworth

I currently live in a second story apartment (note, this is the fifth apartment complex that I've lived in where I have had people below me ... zero complaints until now). I was in the middle of doing my workout when the people who just moved in downstairs told me that they don't want me working out in my apartment because it's too loud. I was doing this at 3:00 in the afternoon by the way.

Anyway, I have 12 months left on my lease and I don't want to be in a war with them for another year, so I feel obligated to stop... but now I don't know what to do! I'm a pretty broke full-time student, so I can't afford a gym membership. I'm two weeks into Insanity and feel like I have to quit, which makes me pretty bummed. I know that I can still do free weights, but that honestly feels like it. Do you guys have any advice on how to deal with this? I live in Florida and it's about to be summer time, so running outside is pretty much not an option.

runfatmanrun

Maybe ask them if there is a better time that would work for them. I know it's your schedule too but maybe there is a way to both get what you want.

iwantahealthierme13

Talk to your landlord you are allowed reasonable enjoyment of your living quarters and it was 3pm, not 3am.

your neighbours are in the wrong, don't stop!

pduckworth

Maybe ask them if there is a better time that would work for them. I know it's your schedule too but maybe there is a way to both get what you want.

She basically told me that she is always hearing noise from up here so she doesn't want to hear it anymore. I tried to call BS on this because I only workout for 40 minutes a day, but she just wasn't going to listen. She even complained about me walking around normally. These apartments are old! Our floorboards squeak.

Talk to your landlord you are allowed reasonable enjoyment of your living quarters and it was 3pm, not 3am.

your neighbours are in the wrong, don't stop!

I actually was thinking about going down to talk to the office, but I wasn't sure if it would helpful or not. I seriously am the most boring college student ever. I'm gone 90% of the day, I have /never/ thrown a party, I'm very light-footed and try to be quiet when I walk... all I do is workout for those 40 minutes!

Celeigh12

Does your school have a gym?

penrbrown

There must be 'quiet hours' in your lease. I would talk to your landlord and see what can be worked out. I know you don't want to be at war with your neighbor but she has no right to tell you how you can enjoy your living space.

SirBen81

I currently live in a second story apartment (note, this is the fifth apartment complex that I've lived in where I have had people below me ... zero complaints until now). I was in the middle of doing my workout when the people who just moved in downstairs told me that they don't want me working out in my apartment because it's too loud. I was doing this at 3:00 in the afternoon by the way.

Anyway, I have 12 months left on my lease and I don't want to be in a war with them for another year, so I feel obligated to stop... but now I don't know what to do! I'm a pretty broke full-time student, so I can't afford a gym membership. I'm two weeks into Insanity and feel like I have to quit, which makes me pretty bummed. I know that I can still do free weights, but that honestly feels like it. Do you guys have any advice on how to deal with this? I live in Florida and it's about to be summer time, so running outside is pretty much not an option.

You are not obligated to stop. The only thing you are obligated to do is not make outrageous amounts of noise during sleeping hours. Unless the people downstairs have some sort of authority over you I'd keep on working out. To remain neighborly just think of a nice way to refuse their request.

metzlerjn

ask them if they want to join you
really though that sucks and i don't think thats fair you should talk to your landlord.

Lauren8239

Do you have any rubber mats on the floor? I use the kid ones that interlock and they work great and are cheap at walmart.
If she's such a jerk about some noise above her, she shouldn't be living on the first floor. You have to expect noise from people above you, that's life. I can't imagine you make much noise unless you're working out in high heels, lol.

mccarol1956

This is exactly what I would do. My only thought is maybe they work nights and sleep days. Otherwise why the complaint? Sheesh. Ask them for a good time for them.

enchantedbunny

Talk to your landlord you are allowed reasonable enjoyment of your living quarters and it was 3pm, not 3am.

your neighbours are in the wrong, don't stop!

agreed! talk to your landlord. both parties pay rent to live there, and like you said, you're exercising at 3pm. other than the 10pm "quiet enjoyment" clause present in most leases, you could probably get your landlord to help mediate a reasonable compromise in this "noise complaint" issue.

pduckworth

There must be 'quiet hours' in your lease. I would talk to your landlord and see what can be worked out. I know you don't want to be at war with your neighbor but she has no right to tell you how you can enjoy your living space.

Our quiet hours are 8pm-8am, with security getting here at 5pm to start patrolling. I've never worked out later than today, which I started at 2:45pm and would have finished around 3:35ish

My apartment complex has a "gym", which is effectively two treadmills (one broken), two bikes (one also broken), and a few TVs.

bunnylvr

**** 'em. You pay rent, you can do whatever you want in your own apartment. Having to put up with other peoples noise is part of living in an apartment and your neighbors should've thought of that before they decided to move into an apartment. If they don't like it they can GTFO. I mean it's not like you were being unreasonable, it was 3pm.

roodledoodle

To be honest for 40 mins at 3pm I would just carry on. Call her bluff and tell her you can hear noise from them sometimes too - it's give and take! Maybe speak to your landlord to just to let him know what's going on - it will look better if it comes from you rather than them. Good luck x

harribo_mum

What does she expect to do hover? I live in a ground floor flat and I can hear the people upstairs walking around and even the toilet flushing. It did get a bit irritating at first but its just the way the building was built. I don't even notice it now.

Theres noway they can expect you to not move in your own place but if you want to be civil maybe do what someone else said and talk to them about a better time to do it.

rllewell

I currently live in a second story apartment (note, this is the fifth apartment complex that I've lived in where I have had people below me ... zero complaints until now). I was in the middle of doing my workout when the people who just moved in downstairs told me that they don't want me working out in my apartment because it's too loud. I was doing this at 3:00 in the afternoon by the way.

Anyway, I have 12 months left on my lease and I don't want to be in a war with them for another year, so I feel obligated to stop... but now I don't know what to do! I'm a pretty broke full-time student, so I can't afford a gym membership. I'm two weeks into Insanity and feel like I have to quit, which makes me pretty bummed. I know that I can still do free weights, but that honestly feels like it. Do you guys have any advice on how to deal with this? I live in Florida and it's about to be summer time, so running outside is pretty much not an option.

You are not obligated to stop. The only thing you are obligated to do is not make outrageous amounts of noise during sleeping hours. Unless the people downstairs have some sort of authority over you I'd keep on working out. To remain neighborly just think of a nice way to refuse their request.

What he said. You have every right to move around in your apartment during the day. Make a point to always be nice and neighborly (as best you can) but continue your routine. It is up to them to report the issue to the landlord to resolve NOT for them to resolve it with you.

myfitnessnmhoy

. She even complained about me walking around normally. These apartments are old! Our floorboards squeak.

Then how is your stopping the exercise going to somehow magically stop the complaints if they're griping about you WALKING AROUND?

Ask them if there is a best time for you to do your exercise, which is when the noise is at its highest. Try to accommodate their preference if possible. That's being polite. Timing your maximum noise levels around for a period when it bothers them the least is a nice thing to do. If they refuse to pick a time, well, working out is a normal part of normal peoples' lives. Do what you gotta do. Maybe see if there's a part of the floor that makes less noise, buy a cheap workout mat to see if it helps, etc.

But walking around normally is part of daily life and they'll have to talk to the landlord if your normal walking is causing excessive noise, because that is normal behavior of normal human beings in any domicile. You shouldn't be expected to get a set of mission:impossible rope harnesses so your feet never touch the floor!

Be polite, but you shouldn't have to suspend your existence and crawl around on all fours all day (though that might be good exercise - LOL) because your downstairs neighbors can't handle that they are in a crappy apartment with an actual human being living above them.

And bring this complaint to your landlord BEFORE your neighbors do.

StaceyL76

I honestly would let her know you will be working out daily during during these hours...1-4 and if she has any errands to run.. she can run them then.

When you live in an apartment..noise from the neighbors is just part of life.. As you said, you are not always making a lot of noise. She has to be reasonable and can't expect to control what you do in your living space.

Good luck!

I liked the advice of asking her to join you!

pduckworth

Thanks so much for the replies everyone

I purposely got a 2nd floor apartment because I didn't want people above me, making noises. I had a terrible issue with late night parties at my old complex, so I definitely do what I can to be respectful. I workout barefoot, on carpet as well to try and alleviate any noise.

I'll definitely talk to the office about it. She even had the AUDACITY to complain that she can hear when my dog jumps off of the couch. Congratulations lady. You have ears.

/edit. Just going to mention that I was above and beyond when it came to being polite. I apologized for the noise and told her that I would work on it. As soon as she walked back downstairs to go into her apartment, a lizard ran over her foot and she screamed and almost fell into the wall. Felt like that lizard was trolling her on behalf of me

zellagrrl

Talk to your landlord and maybe set up a meeting with the landlord and your neighbors to work out an agreeable time.

penrbrown

There must be 'quiet hours' in your lease. I would talk to your landlord and see what can be worked out. I know you don't want to be at war with your neighbor but she has no right to tell you how you can enjoy your living space.

Our quiet hours are 8pm-8am, with security getting here at 5pm to start patrolling. I've never worked out later than today, which I started at 2:45pm and would have finished around 3:35ish

My apartment complex has a "gym", which is effectively two treadmills (one broken), two bikes (one also broken), and a few TVs.

Then you're well within your rights to be working out at that time. Talk to your landlord but don't stop your workout. This woman sounds completely unreasonable.