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Roommate troubles reach high decibels

By Amy Dickinson, Tribune Content Agency on

Dear Amy: I live in an apartment with two roommates, who I did not know prior to moving in together. Our apartment has thin walls. Since we moved in (three months ago), we've been battling with the upstairs neighbors, who blast music between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., usually on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

It's annoying for sure, but I just put in my earplugs and go to sleep.

One of the roommates, though, has a serious vendetta against them because of their noise, and has submitted enough complaints that she convinced the landlord to evict them. I've remained fairly neutral throughout the situation -- if my roommate wants to make it her mission, that's, of course, fine -- I'd prefer to have less noise too, but I also don't care enough to do anything about it.

The thing is this roommate with the vendetta happens to have THE loudest natural speaking voice I've ever heard, and she never seems to make an effort to lower her voice. To me, her speaking in the apartment (often after I've gone into my room to go to sleep) is way more intrusive than the upstairs neighbors' noise.

She speaks at a near-yelling volume, whether in the early morning or late at night.

How on earth (if at all) do I tell this person, who's supposedly really sensitive to noise (she's said this), that her speaking voice is noise-complaint worthy?

 

-- Ear Plug Addict

Dear Plug: You haven't known your roommate all that long, but the way you portray her, she sounds like a fairly high-drama -- and high-volume -- bully.

She does not have the right to disrupt your peace and quiet, any more than your upstairs neighbors had the right to blast loud music late on weeknights.

Is there a specific reason why you are so hesitant to ask her to speak more quietly? Or are you afraid that she might launch a vendetta against you? (Realistically, she might.)

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