Landlord Responsibility On Soundproofing

Just as the landlord cannot restrict which noisy planes fly overhead, or who honks their horn on the street out front, they can't control the neighboring construction noise, and have no obligation to improve the habitability of the apartment. If the construction is going to be continuing for a long time, you could ask for a break on the rent, on the theory that anybody else looking at the place would want a discount for the noise/dirt/disturbance factor of being next to a construction site.

If the noise is early in the AM or late at night, you could find out from the city whether a work hour waiver was granted, and lodge a complaint via that route.

'Unbearable' is a highly subjective term & a bit exaggerated or you'd be out of there already, no? I don't know what it would take for you to measure the decibels you are experiencing but at least that would give you an objective figure to work with (as well as a reality check) when you approach the landlord.

Thanks, Aaron. What constitutes a long time? The building next door just broke ground, and is slated to be completed in 2016. So that's at least two years of noise & dirt.

And drdrd, I'm definitely thinking about breaking my lease. I've had the decibel levels measured with the windows closed, and it's 75 dBA. WIth the windows opened, it's above 90.

The windows in my rental building do a very poor job at keeping out objectionable views, and with a naked fat man having moved in next door, the view has become unbearable.

Does anyone know if landlords are required to do anything in this situation?

ny10006--there are city codes re: noise mitigation on construction sites. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/noise/index.shtml

If you think this site is in violation you should file a complaint.

This is one of those times when Mathew's attempt at humor fails. Badly.

As usual, I agree with aboutready. But I would also like to point out that this could be a problem even in a place like C0lumbia C0unty. Those roosters like to wake up early!

Or, maybe there's a window in "drdr"'s bathroom and she can been seen " standing naked and wet" while air-drying herself in front of her small electric heater, after her shower.

I only know that's what "drdr" does, because "drdr" posted a comment, describing it.
I posted a comment, merely stating (although not directed personally to "drdr") that wrapping up in a towel and putting on a pair of slippers, then going into the bedroom to dry-off , would be a good solution.

aboutready came onto that thread, with her usual looking for a fight confrontational comment,
angry and spitting mad:
"..You don't even know the layout of her bathroom."

No, I didn't even know that "drdr" is a female (but aboutready knows) and aboutready also knew "the layout of her bathroom".

How aboutready knows that, is quite suspect ", no?"

Matt: This is one of those times when aboutready's critique fails badly ",no?"
It's a beautiful Saturday afternoon there in NYC and at about 3:15pm, aboutready is looking for an argument on streeteasy.

Truth, you need help.

It's 7:18pm, EST on the first, beautiful weather day in NYC.
aboutready is here on streeteasy, as usual. She's claiming that I "need help".
Her "attempt" at that suggestion has (over the years and today), "fails. Badly."
Where is her "loving husband", her "adopted son" and her daughter?
It's Saturday night, March 22, 2014.

aboutready needs "help" however, who would even care enough to "help" her?
Her own family avoids her, whenever possible.
She has no real friends.
There is no "help" for her. "',no?"

^u^

I think Matt's comment was hysterical! LOL!!!

Well, aboutready has alanhart to contact for "help".
Which isn't much of anything, in the "help" department. (Except that alanhart arrives on the streeteasy discussion scene, A.S.A.P., after being summoned by aboutready.)
They both "fail. Badly, no?"