How To Be A Good Neighbor In An Apartment Complex

Living in an apartment complex means you must fit in and avoid going against the grain. After all, you must be considerate and understand you’re living in close quarters with many strangers. You’re not alone if you worry about what it takes to be a good neighbor in an apartment complex. 

You can easily be a good neighbor in an apartment complex if you respect the noise curfew and your neighbors’ schedules. Control your pets, clean up after them, and try to train them to be calm around strangers, so they don’t bark too much. Clean up after yourself in common areas, like the gym, laundry room, and trash room. 

Carefully read your lease agreement and pay attention to the rules regarding common areas. It doesn’t take much to annoy your neighbors if you disrespect the building rules. Luckily, it’s usually easy to follow the rules. Follow along as we explore how to be a good neighbor in an apartment complex. 

How To Be A Good Apartment Neighbor

The best way to be a good apartment neighbor is to avoid drawing negative attention to yourself. Most people want to stick to themselves and live peacefully in an apartment complex. However, it’s hard to ignore when someone disturbs the peace and violates the noise curfew and other rules. 

You can’t go wrong if you simply use the lease agreement as a guideline for how to be a good neighbor, however, a lease doesn't always outline all the nuances that come with being a good neighbor in an apartment complex, such as:

1. Respect The Building

Apartment complexes often have several facilities, such as a gym, recreation room, laundry room, and even a swimming pool. If you don’t respect these facilities, you can ruin them for your neighbors. It won’t take long for your neighbors to realize that the new tenant is the one who made a mess in the laundry room. 

As a rule of thumb, you should leave each room looking like it did before you got there. You can’t control what your neighbors do, but you must at least respect the building. After all, the apartment complex is your home, so why not keep it looking nice?

2. Comply With The Lease

Everyone who lives at your apartment complex is expected to follow the same lease rules. The last thing you want to do is be the odd one out who frequently violates the lease. Familiarize yourself with the lease agreement before you settle into your new apartment.

Pay close attention to the property rules to ensure you don’t violate them. Some of the rules may apply to factors that can affect your neighbors, such as parking, laundry, and on-site facilities. The other rules will primarily apply to what you do within your apartment.

However, they may also affect your neighbors, such as if you smoke in your apartment. Not only can you get evicted, but you may also face fines and cleaning fees. Follow the rules of your lease to be a good neighbor and avoid getting evicted. 

3. Be Mindful About Guests

There’s nothing wrong with having friends over to hang out in your new apartment. However, you should consider a few things before having a party in an apartment. Chances are that the walls are thin and that you have neighbors on both sides of your apartment. 

You may also have upstairs and downstairs neighbors who aren’t ready for you to have a party. Try to limit your parties to a small handful of people. Otherwise, you will likely upset everyone on all sides of your apartment. 

Tell your guests about the noise curfew, and ideally, you should end your party before then. It’s also important to tell your guests to park in spots that don’t block your neighbors from parking. Warn your next-door neighbors before having company over if you’re worried about their reaction. 

4. Be Willing To Help

One day, you may plan a vacation and worry about your mail, packages, and even the plants in your apartment. When this happens, you may resort to asking your neighbors to hold onto your mail or water your plants while you’re gone. Hopefully, you are willing to return the favor and help your neighbors as well. 

A good neighbor is willing to help their neighbors, provided they have the time and are able-bodied. That doesn’t mean you have to go out of your way to help your neighbors every day. However, you can nurture a great community if you help your neighbors when they need it. 

This doesn’t mean you have to provide financial support or run errands for them. Instead, simply be willing to do small favors like collecting their mail for a few days if they ask you to. 

5. Keep A Handle On Your Pets

You can’t blame your neighbors if they’re nervous about your pets. After all, some people don’t even attempt to keep their pets under control. Don’t let this be you, or else you may upset your neighbors and make a few enemies. 

Only take your pets to areas where they’re allowed within the apartment complex. Apartment complexes often have designated spots for dogs. Clean up after your dog when you take them outside, and always keep them on a leash. 

Train your dog to stay calm when stimulated, or else they may bark constantly and annoy your neighbors. It’s also important to change the litter box weekly if you have a cat. Otherwise, your neighbors will notice the overwhelming smell of cat urine through the vents. 

6. Acknowledge Your Neighbors

There’s not much of a chance that your apartment neighbors will become your best friends. However, you should at least acknowledge their existence to avoid awkward situations. A simple “hello” or “nice to see you” can go a long way in making your neighbors feel seen.

It’s important to build even the simplest rapport with your neighbors. This can come in handy during emergencies, such as tracking down your pets or even a lost package. However, you should also respect their boundaries and know when to stop a conversation. 

7. Be Careful With Doors

Nobody wants to live next to, above, or below someone who slams doors. Not only is it loud and rude, but it can also rattle your neighbor’s walls. Slamming a door can even cause your neighbor’s framed pictures to fall off the wall. 

This is the easiest bad behavior to curb. Just take a second or two to think about what you’re doing when you enter and exit your apartment. Slamming the door won’t help you or make you get to your destination any sooner, so don’t do it. 

8. Respect The Noise Curfew

Many landlords impose noise curfews in large apartment complexes. They do this with everyone’s best interest in mind, and you must consider this each day. You must be considerate about music and loud noises whether there is a noise curfew or not. 

Luckily, it’s primarily a matter of common sense, as it’s easy to tell when it’s too early or late to blast music. Stay quiet early in the morning and late at night to not disrupt your neighbors’ sleep schedules. Otherwise, you will make enemies with several people in your apartment complex. 

Summing It Up

Follow the noise curfew and avoid having large parties late into the night if you live in an apartment complex. It’s also important to acknowledge your neighbors who go out of their way to talk to you, even if it’s a brief conversation. Be careful with your pets, clean up after them, and keep them out of common areas if they bark a lot. 

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