Taking the help of neighborhood-mediation centers: There are hundreds of neighborhood-mediation centers in nearly every metropolitan area in the U.S. and in certain other countries that specialize in resolving potentially bitter border issues. Numerous mediation centers are even operated by church groups. These centers are becoming increasingly popular because they generally resolve neighbor feuds for free and are able to settle cases ninety percent of the time. These mediated agreements are known to remain in force because the mediator makes no decisions at all and the outcome is a mutually agreed solution between the two parties. If you think you could never get your neighbor to agree to a mediation, the center will help you by assigning a mediator, who will contact your neighbor and urge him to come in. Sixty percent of the time both parties do appear for mediation.

Other approaches

There is a possibility that your offending neighbor, even at the risk of eviction, may not respond to the landlord’s request or the landlord himself doesn’t respond to your requests. It’s time to take action outside the realm of mutual resolution:

Calling the police: Calling the police is most effective when you’ve reached a point where the noise has continued for a long period of time, and you’ve tried unsuccessfully to resolve the problem at your end. Call the police when your neighbor is at his noisiest best (or is it worst?). This would give a clearer picture of the nuisance. In this too, persuade your neighbors to contact the police separately, since there is strength in numbers. Many simultaneous calls will automatically strengthen your case and elicit a quick response from the police.

Legal action: If your neighbor remains adamant, taking recourse to legal action is saner than ending up with a shrink! Take the advice of a lawyer on your specific rights and redresses available and then sue the neighbor. If the landlord had ignored your written complaints about your noisy neighbor for a reasonable amount of time, you may have grounds to take this erring landlord also to the court.