Location: NYC
I moved into an apartment in October, with 3 other people. It's NYC, walls are thin, but it's not an issue at first. After a week, though, the neighbors on my side of the house started being super loud. I am talking loud music and screaming at every hour of the day and night.
My room is divided from the others by a hallway, but we could hear their music and screaming in our living room, which is on the other side of the house.
They would also set their alarm at 6 AM and leave it on while talking over it for around an hour every day.
I have hundreds of recordings, called 311 at least 20 times (should have been more, I am just a bit of a pushover), talked to them, sent them a couple of letters.
At first I would knock on the wall, but they would knock back and scream at me. They also apparently complained to management about the knocking, which is insane.
I have an email thread with management with more than a hundred emails, most of them mine. Management did not do anything about it until a month ago, when I told them I wanted to break the lease.
They apparently sent a letter from a lawyer.
The noise progressively got better, the music is less frequent, and the talking is less loud, but they still wake me up at least 3 times a week (usually during the week) at around 3 AM with it (still loud enough for me to record it with no issues) and with pounding on the wall; their alarm still lasts an hour in the early morning, and I am honestly exhausted. I have 3 jobs and am having a few 12+ hours work days, and my mental health is deteriorating quickly due to the lack of sleep.
I can't relax in my own home, and I am afraid of retaliation if I keep complaining and calling 311. Yesterday, after more than 20 minutes of the alarm, I knocked on the wall, and they turned it off, but violently knocked back. It was 6:50 AM.
Management stopped replying to me. I keep sending them proof of everything I say, they have a lot of videos, and I have a lot more that I didn't send.
I understand that it's better now, but I still can't sleep, and the emotional stress of never knowing if I will be woken up in the middle of the night is unbearable. I am on sleep medication because my psychiatrist was worried, and I still wake up. I also wear ear plugs, have a noise machine, and tried soundproofing the wall.
I sent an email to management today saying that they either help me or approve a transfer of the lease, because I am done.
My lease ends at the end August, and every month we paid a part of July and August in advance, so they are almost completely paid off.
All of us are on the lease, but my roommates are fine with me leaving and another people entering. It would only be for 3 months.
I don't really have money for a lawyer, and I am afraid I might need one. I am also afraid to be blacklisted by the landlord for causing all of this.
What are my options? Can they do something to me? Are they going to reimburse me the money I already paid?
Thank you so much for your help!