Noise, noise, noise!

[firenze11]

Hi everyone!

It has been forever since I've been on here. I've been incredibly busy working on my MA (I can't wait to be done and get back on my bike!)

I have a question for you since I find you give incredibly good advice and bring great perspectives to problems. This might be long, so hold on to you hats!

I live in graduate housing at my university. I love everything about it. Until the construction started.

We got an email that construction would start, literally outside our windows, two days before it actually started. This is major construction that we were told would be from March until May. Well, apparently that was a fib because the housing office let it slip that it would not stop until July. So that's the remainder of my time here.

At first, it began at 7 am sharp every morning. It made the roommates and I grumble, but it was do-able. Ever since then, it started earlier and earlier. Yesterday they woke me up at 5:50. And now they are starting at 7 am Saturdays. Security told us they are legally allowed to work on Saturdays and Sundays. So I'm expecting them to come tomorrow. This is the first week that they've been here on weekends.

To make matters worse, one of the other tenants in the building said they were planning on renovating the upper floor this summer. Over the year we learned they were planning on doing something up there, but we have not been officially informed of that, yet (perhaps two days before it starts they'll let us know).

So I feel like I've been lied to by omission about some very important things. They should have told there was a very high possibility that major construction would be happening in and directly outside the building before I agreed to the terms of the lease. One of my roommates may need to sublet because of an internship opportunity but there is no way anyone will agree to take her room.

The big thing is I get migraines and two triggers for me are sleep deprivation and noise. I'd really learned how to control these triggers well and now I feel like a lot of my control is being taken away. And all of us work 7 days a week, we have heavy work loads and enough stress as it is. None of us sleep well and we'd really like some regulation of the hours of construction. We can mostly deal with it during the day. Or at least suck it up. I can't really go off to the library because I have about 30 books in my room for major research essays. I can't just lug them all to and fro, along with my computer and all its trapping to work in a tiny carrel in the library day after day.

Housing told us their "hands were tied" and there's "nothing we can do." But I feel like there's got to be something they can do, either advocate for their students and be strict about the hours of work, reduce our rent, or help find another place for us to live. Something.

So, wise women of TE, what do you recommend? We're drafting a letter but are worried that will get us nowhere. I'm tired and mad and not sure how much more I can take of this. (boy, do I need to take this out on a nice bike ride)

Thanks!

[roadie gal]

Around here there are laws about what time construction can start. You might want to look into that. 5:30 for a weekday and 7am on weekends sounds very early.

[ny biker]

Yes, I'm pretty sure there are noise ordinances around here too, that prohibit construction noise before and after certain hours.

FWIW, I feel your pain. I once lived in a place that had jackhammers outside every morning. My pillow would vibrate. It really is horrible.

[Ana]

I know we have legal services for students here at the University. They provide legal advice to students for free (I am not entirely certain of the details, as I have not used their services).

That sounds terrible. Is there any way you could just adjust your schedule so you get up at 5:00am anyway so you aren't loosing sleep?

[Tuckervill]

How about asking someone you know who has a house or a bigger place where you can set up your 30 books and just go over there to study?

Tough situation. I don't know how you'd ever stop them working, but too early in the morning..yikes. It's still dark at 5:50 at my house!

Karen

[Mr. Bloom]

I'm not a lawyer, but I believe that every lease has the anticipated benefit of 'quiet enjoyment' implied. This may be where legal services can assist...

[shootingstar]

I'm sorry to hear this noisy inconvenience and headache --literally.

With respect to legal aid, just ask for legal advice. Most likely would be free, firenze. If someone in your household has time to make phone call and be around /visit to get an answer later.

There is no place on campus near / in the library to rent a locker for you to dump your books for research?.. Just asking.

And as a final absolute last resort, provide the student newspaper with this latest development. That'll give them fodder! Might galvanize student housing management/facility management to modify their direction to contractors. But keep in mind, they have to complete the retrofit before winter comes again. As a negotiating tactic, your household is aiming for a compromise on construction noise/work times.

[firenze11]

There is no place on campus near / in the library to rent a locker for you to dump your books for research?.. Just asking.

I've tried to think of ways I could work around this problem. The thing is I don't think there are any lockers available, but if there was I know the ones in the gym are constantly being broken into (even during the day). So I don't feel very safe with this option.

At my undergrad school, we had carrels available to grad students that had cages with locks. I wish we had that here, but we just have regular carrels. I have one that I do leave books on and use from time to time, but it's tiny and can't hold all my books. Also, the last time I went to use it and check on it, my books had been taken off of it and moved to another carrel. I had to hunt them down. It really freaked me out and made me angry.

Also, I generally work from anywhere between 9 am to 9,10,11 and on at night. I really do need to be able to work from home. And I can pretty much deal with the noise during the day, so I can suck it up for the most part and put some ear plugs in if necessary.