u/GerardL21

I'm in NYC. Moved into the 1st floor of a 2 family last year. A woman, her boyfriend, and a new born moved in a few weeks before me and my wife. We didn't want any kids upstairs and the landlord agreed and said he wanted the same. The plan the landlord was told was for the woman and baby to stay and the poor excuse of a man boyfriend would help get settled and then be back & forth. Fast forward to today, the jobless, alcoholic, do nothing has stayed the entire time, and now its a 1 year old, a 7 year old, & a 10 year old.

I've complained to the landlord when the kids first appeared in January. They rolled in well after midnight and decided its party time. Running back & forth, moving furniture, music blasting until after 5am. Told landlord. He spoke to them. Kids left 2 weeks later.

2 months later, landlord tells me a few days before that they are coming back and said they will "try" to keep it down. Stroll in same time & do the same shit. Now its my turn to have a talk. Douche answers the door shitfaced and me and my wife, politely but stern, tell him to please not have the kids run around. Its 3am and we have to wake up for work in the morning. Next part I almost laughed out loud. "We have jobs too". LOL. He was pissed and was saying I'll talk to them. I tell him about quiet hours in NYC (10P to 7A) and I'm met with "who said that?" Tell him NYC law. We say one last time, just please don't have your kids run around, thank you. We close the door and hear "you better watch your fucking mouth". Turn right around,open the door and ask, was that a threat? Says no, no, & backtracks a bit. Now, he's fuming. Quiet upstairs after.

We wake up around 7am and once he heard we were up, decided to purposefully stomp across each room. Send the landlord the audio my cameras picked up & give him the story. Talks to them again, supposedly. Kids gone 2 weeks later.

A month or so after that, there was a big domestic dispute up there, alcohol fueled. Shit was thrown, hands were thrown. Hands were put on her and she fought back and then left the apartment (and left the front door open all night). Send landlord audio of that and he talks to her and she downplays it.

Kids come back 2 weeks ago & each day, virtually quiet until 6-7pm. Then its relentless until after 12am. Give the landlord an update on the noise. He comes back to talk to the mom and then to me. Decides to tell him, the kids are staying. It went from 2 people all the time, to 5. The landlord has also already told me that their lease is not being renewed and I've heard him tell them that.

Its obvious the talking to them doesn't work. The thought of calling in a noise complaint and then waiting for the cops to show up at 4am isn't ideal because of my job & the work I do. I feel like the landlord should issue them a Notice To Quit or at a bare minimum have them put rugs down at their expense or carpet down at his expense (its all hardwoord floors and in the lease agreement it says floors must be covered with carpet or rugs).

I'm just looking for some insight on how to go about moving forward or anyone who's had a similar situation. The landlord is not holding up his end of the deal and he's only protecting himself. I know I'm in NYC & everything favors the tenant, but still, I'm entitled to the quiet and peaceful enjoyment of my living space. Do I seek counsel and try to get a rent reduction? I'm open ears here. Landlord is a softy and upstairs played him from the beginning and I threw that at him yesterday. And as for me, I'm very handy and have done A LOT for his property so far. He's told us several time he doesn't want us to leave. We don't want to leave either but its on the table if upstairs isn't out in the next 2 months.

Also, the one person upstairs who does have a job is in the public eye and I'm sure the company wouldn't like to hear about any of the issues and the violence that's gone on in front of an infant.