Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: loud snoring from adjoining units

[HOLLAND_ (HOLLAND_]

Thank you, Bob, and others who have responded to this issue.  I agree with Bob
that soundproofing needs to be considered when building.

Regarding the five people to negotiate, not true in this case.  2 parties only.
I own my unit (9 years), they own upstairs (9 months), I am President of the
condo trust in a small, self-managed building where noone wants to be trustee
anyway, but that's another story.

I have spoken with the neighbor.  Someone suggested band-aid type things you
put on your nose (?baseball players use them).  Neighbor says her husband, the
snorer, has used these and they don't work for him.  I suggested she have him
evaluated for apnea.  They have, he doesn't have it.  He's an M.D. or intern.

I suggested padded rugs, more drapes, pillows, and whatever insulting materials
they could get.  She says since he is an intern, they have a lot of expenses
and can't afford lots of rugs and things.

I suggested a special pillow from Brookstone's that advertise it will help with
snoring.  She said she will try that.

The odd thing, I can hear the snoring in the bedroom above mine, but it is
muffled.  I think from all the bedding as insulation.  That doesn't actually
wake me or even bother me much since it's a low, muffled noise.

But this 5-7 a.m. noise I hear while sitting on my living room couch!  It seems
the snorer falls asleep on his couch!  It somehow echoes down through the walls
or whatever and literally buzzes through my head.  I asked the wife to get her
husband to sleep in the bedroom where the snoring is muffled. ( I suspect she
wants the noise away from her)  Immediately this neighbor is very defensive,
though I tried to approach them in a very non-threatening manner, acknowleding
that this was a medical and difficult problem, etc.

The good news: it seems he'll be doing an internship or residency in another
city this summer.  The bad news: they just bought the place last summer so
unless they are planning to rent it out, they may be living here for awhile.

I think my only option is to either rent out my place or sell....time to move
on.  Thanks again for words of wisdom, sympathy, and encouragement.

Beth