Contact your landlord about this harrassment, just so he/she knows. Ask if there is anything you can do to reduce the noise coming from your unit. There probably isn't, but this will show that you are willing to work on the problem. Then keep a log of everything the downstairs neighbor does, and what you did that caused her reaction. You drop a fork, she calls police. Cat jumps from couch to floor, she bangs on ceiling. Record the day and time as well. In fact, document everything. Every contact with your landlord, if the police come, etc. It can't hurt. And look up any laws or ordinances for your town/city about noise. Make sure you are following them--you probably are, but just check to make sure. Same with your lease. Make sure you know if there are any clauses about noise or quiet hours. Again, I personally don't think you are violating them, but in a case like this it helps to know what the rules are. That way, if she does convince the police to show up, you can inform them that quiet hours are 10 pm -6 am (or whatever), and you were moving your kitchen chair across the floor at 7 pm, well within the time limit. What did the police say/do when she called them? Did they come out? Did they speak to you? In order to take you to court, one of two things needs to happen. The police will need to determine that you have broken a law. Or the neighbor will need to find a lawyer willing to take on the case and bring a suit to court. The chances of either one happening are slim. This woman needs to be in a top floor apartment, but I doubt that she'll ever move. Keeping my fingers crossed that the landlord will let you move to another unit. I don't think it needs to be a downstairs unit, unless you want one. I'd hope that other people in your building are more understanding of normal, common, everyday noise.

Don't even think of getting 50 opinions here. What does that mean? (I don't get it.) Anyway, was her stuff on the carport when you were shown the unit and when you signed the lease? I ask because there is a common clause in leases that one accepts the property in its "as is" condition. So if the lease does not mention carport use, and her stuff was clearly all over it and by appearances had been there awhile when you signed the lease, you might be stuck. I hope someone knows a site that shows how rental properties are divided. You could go into your local county Auditor or Recorder's office and ask if property taxes include a carport attached to your particular address. Or check online, a lot of local jurisdictions offer tax maps or diagrams online now showing which buildings and structures are taxed at a given address. Go to your county's web site and look for Auditor or Recorder section, or anything that mentions property taxes. You can generally search via address so put yours in. Keep in mind your lease language or LLs decision on how its used is going to override a tax map. But if nothing specific is indicated in the lease or verbally by your LL, and county tax records show its part of your address, it's not far fetched to conclude you're paying rent on that structure too, and so entitled to use of it. Along that same line of thinking, it is a stretch for your neighbor to conclude that she has use of a structure that is not mentioned in a lease anywhere and is attached to your specific address, not hers. As the other poster mentioned, a lot of this is lease related and ultimately your LL is the one who is going to have to straighten those parts out. (Which I'm concluding will not be a first for this particular LL if that woman has lived there 20 yrs.) But your last paragraph screams of "neighbor from h-ll" issues and behavior that goes above and beyond what a LL can enforce. If a tenant chooses to wander around the neighborhood trespassing & looking around or into other people's homes, that's a law enforcement issue. Post a No Trespassing sign and call the police if you catch her doing it. That's just creepy. Whatever you do, don't postpone discussing this with your LL much longer. To the LL your silence could indicate acceptance of the situation and letting the clock keep ticking is only working against you. (Perhaps tell him you've been trying to work this out amicably and in an adult manner with your neighbor but have not had any success on your own.)

I have another friend who lost her husband when she was 52. Her husband was retired, but I don't know if he was collecting or even had put into SS since he had his own business, and may have decided to pay himself in cash. Yes, I know it's breaking the law, but that's the possibility. When she inquired re: his SS, she was told she 'wasn't old enough', huh? I lost a first husband at 27 and was able to collect for myself as well as my children, so don't see age as being a prerequisite. I'm curious, is it because he didn't pay in, or is there another reason this could be the case?

OH Nancy. That looks like a device of torture. I can see how it would be easier to do if not working. I hope it helps. I totally understand the job stress. Dealing with the same myself The stress for me brought on the worst flair of psoriasis I have ever had. Still suffering from it. Better though now. Been over a year and a half I can barely walk. Like you low pay no befits and yet a couple councilmembers want to own me. Well it is not going to happen. I work approx 6 % or less of the year for my job and the other 94% is my own. They are NOT taking that away from me. Already talked to my boss about it and he said keep facts and figures close at hand as this will be challenged at the next meeting when I finally get the FIRST raise I have had in 4 years. I do not plan to resign because if they fire me I will get unemployment. They have no excuse to fire me. I have done nothing wrong. One councilperson even wants to control my PERSONAL home answering machine. Says the message is not acceptable for a person of my position. Well HELLO this is MY phone. In fact my message is this. You have reached the home of Me and hubby. Since I am the one that pays this phone bill I choose who I allow to annoy me. Leave a message and you will be lucky if I call you back. Now is that so bad?? Yes it is but I have had city phone calls at home starting at 6:50AM up to as lats as 10:30 at night. What makes a person think I want to talk to them about their water bill in my living room. I do have an office. Since I have had this message my phone calls have been reduced to about 90%. PHEW and my health is improving. I no longer answer the phone at home unless I hear who it is and want to talk to them. I refuse to pay for caller ID and then have to grab phone book and try to figure who it is calling. Since I took charge of my own feelings and voiced my opinion to several people my health is improving. Nancy do what you want to do. I hope you heal. I know that Lymphedema is nasty stuff. Stress is nasty stuff. We need to avoid it as best as possible. One little thing I have been doing is taking Holy Basil. It is a great calming herb. No prescription needed. Just be sure to check with your doctor about it first. Sorry I did not come over this side sooner. I forget about this side. How did the interview go??