You’re a landlord for a duplex in New York City. Most of the time, things work out well, and there are two tenants in the duplex who tend to get along. But this is not always the case, and you know that conflicts may occur.

For example, maybe one of the tenants has made some noise complaints. Perhaps the other tenant has a non-standard work schedule, so they are usually awake at night. Maybe they practice a musical instrument, which can be very loud, or they have a loud pet. As the landlord, do you have to do anything about these noise complaints? Do you have any legal obligations to solve them? 

The noise code

As a general rule, no, you are not legally obligated to do anything about these complaints. You should make tenants aware of the local laws and regulations. If one tenant complains, you could try having a conversation with both of them to see if you can resolve the issue.

But if that doesn’t work, then the loud tenant may be in violation of New York City’s noise code. This means that the tenant whose rights are being violated needs to make their complaint to the correct city officials. For things like animal noises – like an incessantly barking dog – the first step is often to provide advice or instructions to the pet owner. But if the noise complaints continue, then the government can take action to ensure that the noise code is followed.

Situations like this certainly can lead to complex conflicts between tenants and landlords. Those involved need to know exactly what legal steps to take.

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