Noisy neighbors only if it’s in a comedy movie. In real life, this kind of neighborhood isn’t the least bit fun.
But before starting a war with your neighbor, it is important to know exactly the origin and why of the noise, in addition to protecting yourself with legal solutions and provided for by law. Follow the post with us and learn more.
Dealing With Noisy Neighbors
Dialogue is the best way
Before taking any action, try to talk to your neighbor and tell him that the noise is bothering you.
Be polite and careful with your words, your neighbor may not even realize you are bothering others.
Explain to him why you are bothering him and, if possible, try to offer some alternative or solution to the problem.
It could be, for example, that the noise comes from the type of work your neighbor does. In that case, you can agree on the times when the noise is released.
Where does the noise come from?
Some types of sounds and noises can be controlled and, consequently, avoided, as is the case of the high-heeled sound of the neighbor upstairs.
However, some types of sounds are practically impossible to control, like a baby crying in the middle of the night. So, before going to talk to your neighbor, try to identify whether or not noise can be avoided and how.
This makes it easier to reach an agreement. And, if you find that noise cannot be avoided, such as the baby’s crying, perhaps the way is to seek sound insulation for your home.
don’t complain for nothing
How many times a week or month do you have noise problems with your neighbor? This frequency is also important to note.
It may be that the noises only happen sporadically, like on a party day, for example. In this case, be kind and relaxed, after all, it may be that next week the party will be at your house.
However, if the noise is repeated daily or every weekend, it’s worth talking to the neighbor and proposing a deal.
Unfortunately, if you notice resistance, the way out is to look for more drastic ways to solve the problem. We’ll talk about them below.
Talk to the syndicate and read the condominium’s internal regulations
If the dialogue failed and you were unable to resolve things with your neighbor peacefully, then, if you live in a condominium, the solution is to take the conflict to the union.
Report the facts and, if possible, have documentary evidence (such as audio and video) that proves the noise and nuisance.
Every condominium has internal regulations that provide for fines and punishments for residents who disrespect the rules, including the silence.
Be aware of this regulation and assert your rights.
When can the noise become a police case?
And who lives at home? Do what? People who live in residential neighborhoods do not have a regulation, nor a union to mediate the problem.
In this case, the solution is to call the police. Really? First, it is worth emphasizing an important thing: the law of silence does not exist in the civil code. Some cities and states have their own regulations on the subject, it is up to you to check if your city has such a law.
So it is! You didn `t see it coming.
What actually exists is the Criminal Misdemeanor Law (Law 3688/41). And what does that mean? This law deals with the disturbance of peace, as you can see below:
Art. 42. Disturbing someone else’s work or peace of mind:
I – with shouting or racket;
II – exercising an uncomfortable or noisy profession, in disagreement with the legal requirements;
III – abusing sound instruments or acoustic signals;
IV – provoking or not trying to prevent noise produced by an animal that has the guard:
Penalty – simple imprisonment, from fifteen days to three months, or fine.
However, this type of misdemeanor is seen, in court, as something of low offensive power, and, because of that, hardly anyone will be arrested or will pay a fine.
The most that can happen is the police knocking on your neighbor’s door, orienting him about the nuisance that is being generated in the neighborhood and leaving. It is up to the neighbor to decide whether or not to continue with the noise.
And it is here, at this point, that its potential for dialogue and conflict-remediation must be honed. That’s because if your neighbor considers you a pain in the ass who complains, doesn’t say good morning or good afternoon and still calls the police, you can be sure of one thing: the noise will only get worse.
Not to mention that calling the police can generate a very bad climate and, let’s face it, nobody wants to live on a war footing, right?
What to do then?
The tip in this case is to look for the responsible agencies in your city to deal with this issue (if it has a law or regulation on noise limits in residential areas).
But go there prepared with documentary evidence. Make videos, take pictures, record audios and if necessary download an application capable of measuring decibels on your phone. On the day of the noise, take the measurement, take a screenshot of the screen and take this test with you.
Arriving at the site, open an administrative process. Most likely, your neighbor will be notified and fined.
Noisy Neighbors: What You Shouldn’t Do
Now that you know what to do to solve the noise problem, check out the tips for what not to do to not make things worse.
be rude and rude
Under no circumstances be rude, rude and disrespectful to your neighbor, even if you are right.
This will only create more stress and confusion, leaving you even further away from solving the problem.
When talking to the neighbor, stay calm, be peaceful and try to find out why all the noise. There may be an important and necessary reason behind all the noise. It’s also up to you a little patience and understanding.
Expose the situation on social networks
Don’t fall for the rubbish of making posts on social networks with indirection to your neighbor. He will find out and the attempt at a dialogue will become even more difficult.
So, no posts on Facebook or messages in the condominium group on Whatsapp.
do the same
You know that story about giving back on the same coin? That can be a shot in the foot when it comes to noisy neighbors.
First, because as we’ve said before, your neighbor may not even be aware that he’s causing a nuisance. In that case, the one who ends up being a troublemaker is you.
And secondly, the other neighbors have nothing to do with the story. When you fight back the noise, it’s not just the neighbor who is bothering you that will be affected, but the entire neighborhood.
How to avoid stress with neighbors
Here are some tips to prevent unpleasant situations with your neighbors:
Know the place before moving
It is very important to know the neighborhood before buying or renting a property. Many people are concerned only with analyzing the condition of the property and forget about this important detail.
Therefore, make a good analysis of the place. See the profile of the people who live next door, in front and behind the house. And, if you find it necessary, look for another place to live.
introduce yourself in the neighborhood
As soon as you move into your new house, introduce yourself to the neighbors. In addition to being polite, this ensures that you get to know the people who live around you a little better and also makes people get to know you. In this way, coexistence is more harmonious and the resolution of possible conflicts becomes easier.
be kind and polite
Be a good neighbor. Greet people, offer help, strike up a conversation. All of this strengthens the bonds of friendship and makes relationships more empathetic.
That way, your neighbor will hardly want to do something that harms you.
Make sound insulation
Finally, to live in peace and quiet, you can choose to make changes to your property to improve sound insulation, even if everything is in perfect harmony with the neighborhood.
To do this, replace the common doors with solid wood doors that are more resistant to noise. Replace the window glass with acoustic glass and if necessary, use drywall boards for complete insulation.
After all, you never know who might come to live next door to you, right?
