Yesterday was “welfare Wednesday” so of course it meant the downstairs tenants all got drunk and played their music and TVs really loud and screamed and cursed at each other all night. I waited for a lull in the fighting and went down to remind them that they’re not the only people who live in the house. They acknowledged that and kept it down for almost a whole hour before getting loud again. This kept up until about 2:00 am.
However, some good news came of the confrontation: they confirmed that they are indeed moving out on December 1st!
This revelation comes at a cost: Now that they know they’re moving out, they’re less inclined to give a crap about being good neighbours. For a group I already call “The Worst Neighbours Ever” this does not bode well for the upcoming month.
Today, being the day after welfare Wednesday means, of course, that it’s an Invite Your Unemployed Friends For A Daytime Party Day. They’re currently downstairs breaking things (I’ve heard at least three separate “smash” sounds) with the music up loud and the bass cranked up even higher so it vibrates my floor and makes my dog hide under the desk, cowering. I bang on the floor and it turns down for a while but sooner or later someone turns it back up, usually when one of their favorite (shitty) songs comes on. I have no idea why “What If God Were One Of Us?” has to be played at maximum volume at least once a day. Perhaps it’s written up in the welfare code.
I delivered their mail just now (it all comes in my slot) and sure enough, they’re pissed drunk again. The guy I handed the mail to (I just call him “the boyfriend” because I’ve never got his name) slurringly confided in me, “I can’t take it any more, livin’ here man. I’m fallin’ apart.”
You and me both, brother.
In the interest of full disclosure, I was on welfare for a short time after my first business went under. It wasn’t very fun. I believe in the social safety net. I just believe more strongly in not being a shithead neighbour.
Why don’t you call te fuzz about the noise? Isn’t there some legal sound and time limit? Would that do anything do you think?
Because when I ask them to be quiet, they get quiet. And then they get loud again later.
All the cops will do is tell them to be quiet. And then they’ll get loud later.
Also, getting confrontational with the drunken hair-trigger-angry bums downstairs who are moving out and could decide to just burn the place down because jail is just as good as living on the street (or better!) might not be the wisest decision.
So instead I made sure to give them written complaints about the noise, to send copies to the landlord, and to mention all the problems to the landlord in emails as well, so they have due cause to evict them had it been necessary.
But it’s not. So now I just have to put up with it for a month and it’ll be all good.
I know I don’t live in the area, but for an old friend, I could make the drive out and remove them from their problems for you. This may make the next few weeks easier