When you live in a multi-unit apartment, it is basically impossible to be silent all the time.

What would you do if your downstairs neighbor asked you to try to walk more quietly since they can hear you, or to wear slippers?

That is what happened to the man in this story, so he told his neighbors that he wouldn’t make any promises about walking around.

AITA for telling my downstairs neighbor “No Promises” about fixing “loud walking” sounds?

I live in a co-op in NYC. The building is a post-war 6-story wood-beam building. I live on the top floor.

I can see how this would be annoying.

At around 8pm tonight, my downstairs neighbor came up and rang my bell. He introduced himself and told me that my walking is too loud and he often hears me walking around at 2-3am.

Note that it’s not a loud TV or music or whatever — it’s “loud walking”.

Living in multi-family locations like this is never going to be silent.

I have rugs on my floors (in compliance with the co-op board requirements) but simply put, the building is not soundproof in any way shape or form, and sound reverberates.

He asked me if I can try to walk quieter, and asked me to wear slippers around the house.

There is only so much he can do.

I flat-out told him that I’m not stomping around, and of course I won’t intentionally try to make noise, but that I’m not going to promise to wear slippers or restrict the time of day/night that I walk around the apartment.

He looked dejected (and a bit mad) that I wouldn’t promise to reduce the noise.

I think he could have at least said he would make an attempt.

Of course, I don’t wish him ill, but frankly, I don’t want to make a promise I can’t keep, and I don’t want to set any type of precedent for him complaining that I’m not doing something I said I was going to do.

Am I out of line for not agreeing to wear slippers or enact a self-imposed curfew?

AITA?

No, he isn’t doing anything wrong, but also the neighbor wasn’t wrong for asking. It would be nice to make an attempt to walk more quietly though.

Take a look at what the top commenters said on this story.

Sometimes it is annoying, but there is only so much you can do.

Nobody did anything wrong here according to this commenter.

Yeah, living in an apartment can be annoying.

It isn’t that late at night.

This person thinks he could at least make an effort.

The neighborly thing to do would be to at least make an effort.

If you liked that post, check out this story about a guy who was forced to sleep on the couch at his wife’s family’s house, so he went to a hotel instead.