Apartment notice asking residents to skip late-night showers sparks online debate

A notice posted at an apartment complex asking residents to refrain from showering after 10 p.m. has spread online, sparking a heated debate.

According to social media and multiple online communities Monday, a photo of the notice — believed to have been written by a resident — went viral and drew widespread reaction.

The notice stated that certain units had been running water continuously from 10 p.m. to midnight and even as late as 2 or 3 a.m. "We can hear the washing machine, water pouring from the shower and the bathroom faucet," it read. "During the day, even prolonged water use is bearable. Washing up at the end of the day is normal — but in the dead of night, the sound of running water is like a waterfall to your neighbors."

The notice added that even the sound of young children running around in the early evening "feels trivial compared to this water bombardment." It urged residents to be considerate of one another after 10 p.m., noting that the building was particularly vulnerable to noise between floors.

A user believed to be the author said the intent was not to ban showering altogether. "The unit above makes stomping noises, chair-dragging sounds and arguing all day long," the user said. "They go in and out of the bathroom dozens of times a day — turning the water on and off repeatedly from morning through the evening and until 3 a.m. — and it keeps waking me up."

The user added that the upstairs neighbors stayed home all day, every day — on weekdays, weekends and throughout school breaks — leaving no quiet moment. "There's constant banging and water noise all day long. I want to sleep in the evening, but they keep running the water until 3 a.m. and it's driving me crazy," the user said. "I can't tell them not to, but it's really miserable for those of us living below."

Many users who came across the post criticized the notice's author. "What about people who work night shifts?" some asked. Others wrote, "You can't tell people not to shower in their own home," "Anyone that sensitive should live in a standalone house," and "Just move out yourself."

Others, however, were more sympathetic. "Aren't they just asking people to be considerate of each other? People who make noise have no concept of consideration and never think it's their fault," one user wrote. Another said, "Running the washing machine in the middle of the night in a shared building — is that really OK?" A third pointed to a broader issue: "The construction company should be the one getting blamed, but instead neighbors end up fighting each other."