We’ve all been there before. You’re sitting down to enjoy a quiet evening and a party breaks out next door. Due to the noise level, it sounds as if the party is in your own home. While you may be tempted to knock down your neighbor’s door and give them a piece of your mind, we recommend a few tips to deal with neighbor noise in a civilized manner.

Harmonious living when you’re sharing a wall with someone is not an unattainable goal. While we may have different lifestyle approaches, an act of kindness and understanding goes a long way to maintaining civility between neighbors.

Often times, our neighbors assume the walls between units are insulated against sound. They don’t realize how easily sounds travel and penetrates walls. Before tempers escalate, get to know your neighbors. Bring over a bottle of wine or baked goods in order to make a connection and gain an understanding of their lifestyle. When sound becomes a problem, ask your neighbor nicely to turn down the volume or move the party elsewhere. The more you know your neighbors, the more they recognize you as a friendly face and not the angry one next door.

If you’ve politely asked on more than one occasion and the noise matter continues, it would then be appropriate to get management or the homeowners association board involved. Never take matters into your own hands and threaten your neighbor. The more you maintain civility, the easier it will be for management to resolve your complaints.