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What do I do about needless noise complaints from a tenant below me?

• Hello- Last month I moved to Austin, TX from Massachusetts. I am 23 years old and this is the first time I have lived by myself. The reason I am writing this is because the woman below me has already complained 4 times to me about noise I am apparently making. The first time she complained was the very first night I stayed at the apartment. She said that she had been hearing a lot of banging, etc. and asked if I could keep it down. I apologized and explained the I had just moved in and that was probably what she heard. She also explained to me that she is a sngle mother with a young daughter and that she wakes up early everyday, etc. I sympathized and tried to be as quiet as possible. A few days later she came up to my apartment again (this time well after 10:00 at night). She said that the night before there was a loud noise at 3:00 am which woke up both her and her daughter and apparently she deduced it must have come from me. I explained that I was sound asleep at the time and had no idea what she was talking about. She apologized for bothering me, said it must just be thin floors and went back downstairs. After this second complaint I made a concentrated effort to be quiet to the point of rearranging my routine and essentially tip-toeing around my apartment. The third complaint was one that really tipped me off that this lady may be a little crazy. I just started culinary school and had an orientation the week before last. I came home from the orientation at 6:00 pm and had been in my apartment about 30 seconds when I got a knock on my door. I opened the door to her 7 or 8 year old daughter telling me they were trying to eat dinner and to please keep it down. Now, of course, I am not going to yell at a little girl and I think the lady knew that therefore sending her daughter to do her bidding. I explained that I had just come home and that I would be as quiet as possible. After this complaint I went to the management office and explained the situation to them as a kind-of head's up. They told me if she complained again to come back and they would do something. The last straw came today. I have been in school for about two weeks and my classes start at 6:30 in the morning. I therefore wake up at 4:30 M-F. Again, I am as quiet as possible. I came home from school at 9:00 this morning and there was a note on my door for everyone to see (not folded up) from my neighbor. It was in red marker in bold letters stating that this was the second time her and her daughter were waken up at 4 or 5 in the morning (she wakes up at 6:00 god forbid) and that I was being inconsiderate, etc. What made me mad was not only the blatant rudeness of the note but also her assumption that because I am young that I do not wake up early as well and any noise I make must be because I am unaware of others, being inconsiderate, etc. Sorry for the long explanation but I wanted to get all the details in here. After the note I went down to the office again and explained what had happened. They said that they would call her and explain my side and also see where she thinks the noise is coming from, at what times, etc. and let me know. This issue is seriously stressing me out to the point where I worry everytime I walk around, or do any normal activivity of daily life. I also am worried because as of yet I have not ahd anybody over because I am still new to the area. What happens when I make friends and want to have some people over (reasonably of course) or I have friends visit me? I also am a bartender and when I do find a job I will probably be coming home pretty late on some nights and she probably will complain about that too. Has anyone been in this same situation? What can I do? I don't know if I trust the management to take care of this. Also, I want to say that I have lived in apartments before and have been on the receiving end of noise so I do sympathize. However, I also understoo that unless it was excessive (loud music/tv, moving furniture, yelling, etc.) there was nothing I could do. HELP!!!!

• Answer:

  None of this is your fault. You cannot be expected to tip toe around just to make her happy. Some people just cannot stand living in an apartment. There is a clause in most leases that states not to bother the neighbors and that all tenants have a right to quiet enjoyment. Since you are doing nothing out of the ordinary, I think she is the one in violation and needs to get a notice from the landlord to leave you alone or move out.