Neighbors, unless you live in the middle of nowhere you probably have them. Sometimes they are your friends, sometimes they are complete strangers, sometimes they have a lot of pets, and sometimes they have little babies who cry all through the night. No matter what type of neighbor you have, having a good relationship with your neighbor is essential for a good renting experience. Being a good neighbor means doing a lot of things to help the relationship stay positive, so nobody has to call management or worse, the police. We compiled a lot of information and found the most important things to maintain a good relationship with your neighbors.

Discuss your Boundaries

One of the biggest issues people have is what is acceptable and what isn’t. You have to discuss what’s an okay music level or party level with your neighbors, for you and them to be happy. Let them know ahead of time, if you are going to have a party so everyone can discuss what they want out of the situation. Try also to discuss work schedules or kid schedules, because trying to put a kid to sleep or getting yourself to sleep after a 12 hour shift with a party going on next door isn’t a pleasant experience.

Don’t be a Stranger

Sometimes people can go forever without speaking to or communicating with their neighbor. One of the best ways to have a solid relationship with your neighbor is simply talking to them every once in a while. If you’re having a huge party and you let them know in advance, take the extra step and invite them over to join the fun. Taking even small steps like saying hi every time you see each other or helping them move in, can start you on the track for a good relationship.

Communicate Directly

Sometimes leaving a note on a door is not the best way to communicate your feelings with what your neighbors are doing. If you see each other on campus or walking to the bus stop at the same time. Talking directly to your neighbors can relieve in type of confusion that may still be lingering. Andrew Moats, who recently started at a new school, was having problems with his new neighbors and instead of going the usual post-it note route talked to his new neighbors directly. Moats said “talking to them directly helped them understand my situation and made our current living situation a lot easier” he continued with “no one wants to inconvenience anybody else, so talking to each other about things that effect all of us is important”.

Cleaning up after your pets

This one doesn’t necessarily apply to one neighbor specifically but it definitely can apply to a lot of people. Everyone loves their pets, but nobody loves cleaning up after them. Also, no one likes seeing what they leave behind either. It might be disgusting but ultimately you need to clean up after your pets. Your neighbors don’t want to see that and you’ll spare the management the task of cleaning it up as well.

Be mindful of shared areas

Sometimes in apartments they have shared balconies or terraces. To make sure these don’t become an issue. Try to make sure you’re not taking up too much space. If you’re having a party and your friends want to take a smoke break or want to time away from the party, make sure your neighbors are okay with it first or make sure they stay on your side. If you share a bedroom wall with your neighbor, refrain from being on the walls or being too loud.