What rights do I have when it comes to rental apartments and this problem?

We live in a rental community, and we are having noise problems everytime our neighbors turn on the water. There is like a loud knocking sound in our wall. We have our apartment professionally painted, and now they want to cut two wholes in the wall not even knowing how big they will be, and patch them up and paint those part white, on our red wall. Can they do that? They are unsure if that will stop the noise since they dont know what it is, and they are not professionals just maintanance at the facility here. They think its the pipes expanding and hitting the wood but we asked around and everyone says thats impossible. Can they really do that do our walls, without any guranntee it will work? What can I do so that our walls stay painted red and not red with white spots?

shera_42

They can cut a hole in your wall and they do not have to paint it the same color. Apartments paint all their walls white and that's their only obligation even if you did spend money on a custom paint job. You will just have to get some touch up paint and do it yourself.

claudiacake

"What it is" is air in the pipes. The uneven rush of water causes the pipes to shake and that makes the noise you hear.

There. That part solved.

As for the other, read your lease very carefully, but I suspect the apartment management has every right to do whatever repairs it deems necessary. About the painting: Most apartments don't allow painting without approval of the management. Did you get approval? Did they approve your color selection? If not, you're a lost gosling for sure. They can repaint with the normal color palette used in all the other apartments.

michelob86

That should stop the noise. What's happening is the hot water line is not anchored and is vibrating the pipes. Bet it's louder in the winter, yes? That's because the pipes are cold, and when the hot water heats them up and expands the joints, they "pop" in place.

The only way to solve it is to find where the water lines are and anchor them better. Or live with the popping, it's your choice.

If the paint is your choice, you'll have to supply them with your color and they should repaint it the same for you.

ALEXFLAMEIN

yes you can paint your walls

David S

It's your paint, but their walls and plumbing. If you want it fixed, you're going to have to sacrifice that lovely paint job because they have to open the walls to diagnose and fix the problem. The squeaking and banging you're hearing probably results from too loose or tight a fit as your pipes pass over or through wood framing. It's called water hammer, and can be fixed by a plumber or a maintenance man who knows what he's doing.

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