How do you deal with noisy neighbors?

Just call the police.

I’d be more inclined to try asking them nicely, either in person or in a note, if they could try to keep the noise level down after a certain time (explaining that it’s keeping you awake). If that doesn’t work, then call the police.

@augustlan I’d agree. A polite request can work wonders sometimes!

Bang on the wall. I’m a classy one alright.

Knock on the door and talk to them about it. they may not realize they are being so noisy. If that fails call the police.

Ask them to play their music during the day while cutting their grass.

If you do pick the correct path (talking to them) make sure you do it during the day. If they are loud at midnight they have probably been drinking. Best to talk while they are sober.

My neighbor installs audio equipment in automobiles at a busniss where he works. He, apparently also installs in his off-time, at his home which is behind mine. I went along with his loud music(testing his installation) for a long time. One night, his boom box music began to shake my house and knock pictures off the wall. My wife said, “that is it. I am going to confront this man myself”. This she did. The man apologized and we have had no further problems.

Augustlan is correct in his answer. Try the neigborly way first. If no success, then call the police.

I think I have told this here before, but I am not sure.
My upstairs neighbours were noisy some nights in sequence and it bothered me (I am especially sensitive for loud, sudden sounds).
I gathered my courage (it can be a bit scary for some, to go complaint to neighbours that you don’t know so well yet, I believe) and walked the stairs.
I rang the doorbell, they opened the door, and before I could say something, they started laughing, curiously laughing.
I had put a cooking pot on my head, as to show them that I was worried that the ceiling would come down.
It broke the ice, and surely we had a mature little chat about sounds around the house and how they can sometimes,usually unintended, bother others.
So my advice is: try lighthearted, humorous approaches.

Start by asking them nicely if on weeknights they could turn the music down after 11 P.M. and hold the noise level down.

Say to them, “Perhaps you don’t realize how well the noise carries.”

It is understandable how you feel. A good night’s sleep can be challenging enough due to other factors. So far, we’ve covered discussing it with them, leaving a note, and calling the police. Oh, and banging on the wall.

It sounds like you are living there temporarily. If this is true, and it isn’t bothering anyone else in the household, is there any way that you can sound-proof your room? What about using one of those sleep sound machines or ear plugs? Is there a room in the house that might be less susceptible to the noise? If it is bothering anyone else, perhaps the person who has a more familiar relationship with the neighbors could speak to them.

This alternative solution is offered because you mentioned that you would prefer to avoid confrontation. Dealing with the noise issue inside of your house is really the only way to do so.

I had talked to my one neighbor who had done this and it stopped for about a month. He then started up again so I started calling the police on him.

Hey all I am a landlord. Call the cops! that usually solves all of the problems. In my leases I have a noise clause and I also have a cops called too many times clause. If the cops have to visit you more than once for noise or disrupting others, then its time for you to move. It must be hard if you have wood floors that must get noisy!Good Luck with all your problem neighbors!

Just ignore it, that’s what I did. They mean well, after all, it’s isn’t like they’re saying, “hey! guys! Let’s be loud to piss off the neighbors!” unless it is..it isn’t, is it?

It would be quite surprising for them if you just called the police, with no discussing the problem.

Talk to them first about it. If they persist, call the police

Thank you all for the valuable feedback! I finally mustered up the courage to go next door and tell them about it. I tried to be polite and civil. Though I was quite nervous too, and I hope it didn’t show. They were nice about it though. I just hope they thought I didn’t mean all day, only on weeknights after 9:00 or something. Weekends, I don’t care, unless it’s deafening loud (which hasn’t happened). I had to talk to another neighbor this month about his dogs. One of them was barking late at night. I’m pretty drained from confrontations at this point :)

Glad to hear that you coped with that situation ! :)