A lady just moved into the apartment above mine a few weeks ago. Along with a truckload of plush yet tacky furniture, she brought a treadmill. And not one of those slim-lined NordicTracs either…this is a clunky, circa 1980’s workout device. It took three men to get the thing up the stairs to her apartment.
The treadmill is located in the room above my computer room–in fact, it is situated above my computer. She runs on this treadmill for approximately 60 minutes (!) every day. Not only can you hear her running, but the entire computer room seems to shake when she’s working out. The ceiling creaks, the windows rattle, and it sounds like she’s going to plunge right through.
Is it really possible for this lady and her treadmill to come crashing through the ceiling into my computer room? (The apartments were constructed in the mid-1980’s, if that helps your decision any.)
I am not a lawyer, but I’d do two things at this point:
Notify in writing both the neighbor and the management of the apartments that you consider this situation to be hazardous to your health and to the safety of your possessions. Do this tactfully, but clearly so there can be no misunderstanding later. Have these letters delivered via certified mail with return receipts. Keep the receipts and a copy of the letter someplace safe. This will give you grounds for claiming damages if something should ever happen.
Second, get renter’s insurance if you don’t already have it.
What it is, Sailor, IMHO, is blatant disregard for anyone else. I have lived in apartments all of my life and I know what it’s like to have loud stereo’s and other noises going on. I always try to be considerate of others and keep the noise down in my aparment as much as possible.
It probably isn’t an actual danger; if the ceiling was in danger of collapsing I think it would have by now. At least she doesn’t exercise at the time of day I’m studying. My mom, who visits me frequently ( ), actually spoke to this neighbor about the treadmill, ensuring the the neighbor understands that it’s impossible to study when someone is running on a treadmill over your head.
Fortunately, she’s going to move out in December; however, I think urban1 is absolutely right–I’ve got one heck of a nuisance for a neighbor. Her upstairs neighbor is having more problems with her than I am–nuisance neighbor keeps taking her parking space. (We don’t have assigned parking spaces here, but it’s pretty much understood which parking spaces belong to who.)
Jeep’s Phoenix I’m glad she is aware of the situation now. I was going to suggest to somehow maybe in passing with her to say something along the lines of “Wow! You must be getting quite a workout up there. I hear you on your treadmill when I’m trying to study.” Just to get the idea across to her.