House Rules - is this one common?

The key word in that quote you posted is "disturbing". I don't think it means you can't watch TV or listen to music PERIOD, it just means they'd like you to be respectful of your neighbors. Sounds reasonable to me.

It's part of cooperative living--you agree not to create noise that impinges on your neighbors' rights of quiet enjoyment of their apartments. You expect the same from them. If you are very concerned, do some due diligence about the level of sound that travels from one apt to the next. I'd also suggest you iron this out before a board interview--it isn't the kind of house rule a board likes to see a buyer concerned about--when they ask if you have any questions, this isn't the type I'd bring up.

This isn't uncommon and it's not exclusively a NYC or a coop thing. I lived in a condo out west that had a similar rule, even included not running appliances (dishwasher, washer/dryer) after 10 pm.

You can play music or watch tv all you want...the point is to keep the noise down. The building probably had problems with people being inconsiderate so they added this rule. Personally I think having this rule is a good thing.

The key is how effectively this is enforced. As part of the due dilligence your atty should find out of the current residents have filed any noise complaints with the management company.

It is certainly something you want to know the answer to BEFORE you buy & how sound travels in the building is certainly a huge factor here. The big question, though, is "Do they mean this rule LITERALLY?" I remember visiting a co-worker one night & she shushed me in the kitchen saying, "I don't want to bother the people downstairs; you'd think these kitchens were mic'ed!"(as in microphone). I also recall hearing in Los Angeles that the cops could get you for disturbing the peace if they could hear you while they stood outside your (closed) apartment door. I've always thought that was the perfect test but what does your co-op mean by this rule?

yet another reason to buy a condo. if you like loud music, the coop maggots will get you. yes this is a common rule. notice it says at "a tolerable level" rather than at a "reasonable level". Meaning that the arbiter of what is and is not "tolerable" is the blue haired bittie on the board and her minions.

I used to live in a condo in Switzerland where you were not allowed to walk in the corridor after 10pm except for the sole purpose of walking from your apartment to the garage. If you think I didn't get a complaint letter (and a threat of a fine!) for walking down to the laundry room exactly once, you've got another thing coming.

Could be worse.

There's another way to interpret this co-op rule (which exists in my Manhattan co-op house rules also, except we do not have that sentence about sound systems being tolerable at all times): You CAN make noise between 8 AM and 11 PM. You can even make "disturbing" noise.

I'm a flutist, and I was *ecstatic* when I saw that sentence in our house rules. This means I can practice flute and bring my harpist/guitarist and hand drummer and upright bassist friends over, and so long as I stop at 11 PM, which is no problem, I would probably win over any complaints. (My building is so well built, though, I doubt the neighbors can hear much of anything. Certainly I can't hear anything from any other unit unless I'm in the hall outside of a door, and even then not much. Also ours is a corner unit with the emergency stairwell next to one wall, and the hallway along the other wall.)

Musicians have told me that it's the law in NYC that musicians can practice until 11 PM, but I rather doubt that applies in co-ops.

Noise-wise the only thing I was told at the board interview was that the floor needed to be carpeted by some %age I can't call. I installed luxurious wool floor tiles myself (www.flor.com, wonderful stuff!!) covering all but a few inches of perimeter along the walls--it's probably 95%+ coverage, and I put a large carpet in the kitchen too. If you're worried about the neighbors, this helps a little bit.

One other thing about noise, it's the bass notes that travel best, not the treble sounds. You can crank up your stereo pretty high if you just roll the EQ way off the bass. The reason, bass notes have long amplitude waves that travel through wood and air and water for a long distances (this is why the whale songs are SO low, below the threhhold of human hearing). If you're partying, put a towel along the bottom of the exit door and I doubt anyone will complain.

"yet another reason to buy a condo"

Duh, read the other posts - this has nothing to do with condo or coop living.

I have also lived in Switzerland but that's a totally different game. It is culturally accepted to have such rules (e.g. many building say you shouldn't flush the toilet or take a shower after 10pm too and of course they are very strict on separating garbage and neighbors will call you on it). Comparing Switzerland to NY is not fair - apples to oranges.

So if I had a whale in my apartment, no one could hear it? Why get one then?

I agree

uptown gal must be a coop maggot. this is a string regarding coops, not condos, thus it has everything to do with coop living. i see from the tone of your posts how holier than thou you are. my guess is you are not very attractive. but god loves you anyway i assure you.

totallyanonymous, this is a string for providing advice, not for attacking fellow posters. Keep it relevant or go back to curbed.com.

you attacked me lady unless I missed something.

You did miss something - I was disagreeing with what you said, not making derogatory remarks.

For future reference--"duh" may be a term of endearment to you and your brunch pals but on an anonymous chat board its an attack.