r/Austin • u/Bokaconan • 8h ago
Ask Austin [Advice needed] Dealing with 5 months of late-night noise issues at an Austin apartment complex, management is unresponsive
Hi everyone,
I'm looking for advice on how to deal with an ongoing noise issue at my apartment complex, The Prescott on South Congress Avenue.
For approximately five months, my wife and I have been dealing with loud yelling, shouting, and other disturbances coming from a neighboring apartment late at night, often around midnight or later. The noise regularly wakes us up and makes it difficult to get a proper night's sleep in our own bedroom.
Our bedroom shares a wall with the neighboring unit, so the noise is especially loud inside our bedroom. However, someone walking past the neighbor's front door or listening from outside the apartment may not hear much of anything. This has made the situation particularly frustrating because management keeps telling us to contact the security company they use.
We've contacted management multiple times and have made numerous video recordings documenting the noise. We have plenty of evidence, but management continues to ask us for more documentation instead of taking meaningful action. We've also contacted security, but they simply walk past the neighboring apartment.
At this point, we feel like we're going in circles. We've been dealing with this for months, and it has seriously affected our ability to sleep and enjoy our own home.
The apartment's resident handbook specifically states that unreasonable noise is prohibited between 10:30 PM and 7:00 AM. Despite this policy, the situation remains unresolved.
I'm hoping people familiar with Austin can help me figure out what options we have:
- Is there a city department or local authority we can contact to report repeated late-night noise disturbances?
- Would contacting the Austin Police Department's non-emergency line be appropriate when the noise is happening?
- Is there a formal complaint process or any tenant resource in Austin that can help when apartment management repeatedly fails to address documented noise complaints?
- Has anyone dealt with a similar situation, and if so, what actually worked?
I'm not expecting management to eliminate every normal apartment noise. This is about repeated late-night yelling and shouting that wakes us up and prevents us from sleeping in our own bedroom.
We have tried working with management, contacted security, and documented the incidents. After approximately five months, we're looking for a practical way to get this resolved.
I'd really appreciate any advice, especially from people who have dealt with similar issues in Austin. Thank you.
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u/Key-Natural-8688 7h ago
In the mean time, buy one two high powered box fans and place them in your room or around the apartment. This will at least create white noise and most likely drown out the noise while you wait to resolve your situation with management.
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u/craigosofficial 6h ago
different situation but my upstairs neighbor would just drop stuff around 12am-2am for some reason, consistently, every night. getting a fan to run white noise has made my life much easier
i dont want to hear anyone around me
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u/w6750 7h ago
I called 311 and made a report on the app when my neighbor had a late night rager. They sent someone out. The call and the app report will be considered two separate reports, and if you and your wife both do this, that could be 4 reports. The more reports the better (this is how the 311 operator explained it to me)
Sorry you are having to deal with this
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u/Critical_Koala9893 7h ago
call 311 while it happens, they can send someone out and at least make a record of it. after enough calls they might actually do something. also the non-emergency line works but 311 is usually better for noise stuff in austin.
for the management side, maybe send a certified letter with a copy of the lease section and the handbook rule, saying you've documented X number of incidents since whatever date. paper trail makes them nervous because now there's a record they ignored you. could also look into tenant council, they give free advice for this kind of thing.
five months of midnight yelling is wild, sleep deprivation makes everything worse. hope you get some quiet soon.
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u/FLDJF713 7h ago
311 doesn’t work overnight unfortunately for code compliance. 311 IS the non-emergency line btw.
Tenant council doesn’t give advice. They connect you with people who do but you must qualify for free services or you’ll have to pay.
Paper trail is good advice.
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u/VideoImpressive8014 7h ago
Silicone ear plugs + white fan noise
You will not get the youth around you silenced the effort is futile. Silicone moldable ear plugs and white fan noise is it
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u/Bokaconan 7h ago
Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to comment and offer advice. I really appreciate everyone who is trying to help and share their experiences. It means a lot, and I’m grateful for all the support!
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u/PasdeLezard 6h ago
I'm sorry you're dealing with this. I had to break a lease on a great apartment once because of a downstairs neighbor who came home from bartending at 2 AM most every night and cranked up the bass so it shook my floor. The landlord let me leave rather than confront the two dumbass guys, even though they were also starting to destroy the place -- they broke a window and didn't fix or report.
Good luck, you need your sleep and sanity!
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u/catsnotpeople 7h ago
I have annoying neighbors who blast loud bass from their cars in my complex, I ended up getting a brown noise machine cause it’s a lower frequency than white noise and now nothing wakes me.
I also once had a shared bedroom wall and had to move my bed to the wall that backed up to my living room.
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u/Best_Growth6952 7h ago
I had the same ongoing issue. I made numerous 311 and 911 reports after management was unresponsive. They would literally bang on the walls, music, etc. Nothing ever happened. Ironically, when I was moving out, they called the cops on me because I was too noisy in moving stuff around.
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u/roccosito 4h ago
Have you reported this through a Google review? That’s the only way I managed to stop spinning in circles with one complex. Mainly because there regional offices would monitor the reviews.
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u/LocoChicaAustina 53m ago
Switch apartments within the complex or relocate if management won't help with this. Decent sleep is critical to normal human health both mental and physical. You may need to contact corporate to break the lease. Once you get into a new place and you both can sleep soundly each night for a week or so you'll feel amazing. Sounds like the neighbors are going through some shit. Been there done that and you do NOT want to be there when things get dicey. Sorry you are dealing with this. Had same issue years back and simply moving out was the good solution although not inexpensive. But on the bright side the new place I moved into had a much newer AC system and I saved a bunch on utilities soooo yeah.
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u/miss_egghead 7h ago
Praying for you because we dealt with it for a year and it was turning me into the Joker. We never got anyone to do anything so invest in noise reduction ear plugs for sleep
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u/Salt-Operation 5h ago
You have a right to quiet enjoyment of your domicile. Management needs to enforce their own contract and quiet hours. Perhaps a demand letter from an attorney? But also call 311 and make noise complaints. File code compliance complaints against the apartment complex for any violations you can find. Austin Tenants’ Council may have some specific resources for this particular issue.
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u/Salty_Importance_232 7h ago
Is there an option to transfer to another unit or break the lease? I know I wouldn’t be able to function in an environment like that. I’m so sorry you are dealing with this.
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u/ctrlaltdelete285 7h ago
If you’re prepared to leave, have an attorney write up a letter. Many times just this alone will be enough to do something.
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u/Better_Reserve_2066 6h ago
buy subs and bass shakers and a Miami bass machine cassette. set alarm for 4am. crank it. you're welcome
1
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1
u/AimeeMonkeyBlue 6h ago
I use a box fan/ white noise machine and noise cancelling earplugs and have a door jam against my door for peace of mind since I can’t hear everything I would normally hear.
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u/lioninawhat 2h ago
Move out. As long as you pay your rent on time, they don't give a shit about your welfare.
If they try to sue you, claim Warranty of Habitability. Take them to court. Wring them out to dry. With all the evidence you have, they know they don't have a case.
All these people saying "white noise," "call some other authority", and whatever have no idea how bad shitty neighbors are.
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u/Texan4tacos 2h ago
I hate to say it, but your only actual options are (a) move into a different unit (b) break the lease (c) move out at the end of the lease.
The complex will do nothing & the neighbors will not change (they’ll get worse if you confront them- they’re already aware of the fact that they’re disturbing you and they enjoy it).
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u/FLDJF713 7h ago
Is the resident handbook incorporated into the lease? Otherwise it isn’t enforceable. Check your lease, not the handbook.
1
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u/green_cheese_moon 7h ago
I moved into a small home with no one on any side of me. Boom problem solved.
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u/FabulousCallsIAnswer 5h ago
I hope you get this resolved. But in the meantime… What are they shouting about? Like, what’s the constant drama?
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u/NOTcreative- 7h ago
Cops? Sounds like domestic disturbance. You can figure out $1300 a month rent but not how to call on a domestic disturbance ?
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u/Comprehensive-Eye500 7h ago
I’m really not trying to be an asshole here by saying this, but have you tried communicating with the residents themselves? You mentioned a whole bunch of things and nothing about any attempts to communicate directly.
I don’t recommend confronting them in the heat of when it’s going on obviously, but rather during the day in a non-confrontational way.
My other advice would be to transfer units.
Most complexes will allow you to pay for a transfer inside the complex. Obviously in light of the situation I would push to have any transfer fees waived, but that’s where I would go before moving out.