Few people like neighbors who start drilling something in their apartment early on a weekend. Sometimes the sounds of a drill can be heard throughout the house for several hours. Often in such a situation, the question arises - what repair work should be done to ensure that the drill works for days on end?
Article on the topic “Garbage man”, drunkard, “music lover”. Where to complain about neighbors interfering with your life?
Indeed, in order to install a shelf or secure a socket, you don’t need to drill into the walls all day. However, a drill, hammer drill or screwdriver that makes those very unpleasant sounds can be used for a long time when installing plasterboard and other structures on walls, ceilings or floors, engineer at a large construction and repair company Alexey Turlyansky told
In addition, long-term use of a hammer drill is possible when carrying out dismantling work, for example, when walls are dismantled or old plaster is removed. Also, this tool, according to the specialist, can work for several hours in a row when cutting concrete walls for electrical wiring. Alexey Turlyansky says that this is really long and painstaking work.
Don't forget that there are other construction tools that are very loud. Neighbors may think that the residents upstairs are drilling something for an hour in a row, but in fact the source of the noise is a tile cutter or a construction mixer. After all, laying tiles or floor screed is a rather lengthy process, so the tools necessary for this can work throughout the entire repair.
The apartment is private, the house is shared. How to negotiate with neighbors? More details
Neighbors are constantly drilling How to deal with it
You can, of course, talk to your neighbors first, but judging by the work schedule, they work themselves and drill in their free time
. I’m afraid that’s all. The new edition of the Moscow city standard for the operation of the housing stock (ZhM-2005/01) introduced definitions of “reconstruction” and “redevelopment” of residential premises, which require approval from the Moscow Housing Inspectorate. Everything else does not fall under these requirements.
Moreover, in the previous version of the standard (Decree of the Moscow Government of February 8, 2005 No. 73-PP) it was clearly established: “2.7. The regime for reconstruction and (or) redevelopment of residential and non-residential premises in residential buildings is established taking into account the following requirements. In residential buildings during the period of repair and construction work, it is not allowed to: - carry out work on Sundays and public holidays; - start work involving noise earlier than 9.00 and (or) finish it later than 19.00; "
In the new edition (Moscow Government Decree No. 831-PP dated September 25, 2007), this paragraph is absent - there is only an indication that in the application to the Moscow Housing Inspectorate for approval of the “rearrangement” or “redevelopment” of a residential premises, it is required to indicate the period and hours of the implementation works That is, if this work is NOT “reconstruction” and NOT “redevelopment” of a living space (which is difficult, if not impossible, to prove in principle), then your tormentors are fine with bribes.
Two ways. The first is the threat of a complaint to the Moscow Housing Inspectorate (and, they say, let them then prove that they did not carry out illegal work or go around agreeing on everything retroactively; it provides for drawing up a project even for installing an air conditioner and changing the design of the floors). But be prepared to figure out how, where and to whom to complain. An empty threat is very bad, it’s better not to start. The second is the police (make friends with the local police officer; give him 500 bucks so that he starts meticulously visiting the freaks and sending out outfits in the evening - it’s possible that they are being robbed by migrants without the right to work)..
In short, if the guys want to do without endless fines and brainwashing. government, let them voluntarily limit the period of work (the previous 9 - 19 were quite enough).
Peaceful settlement
If repairs are carried out at the established hours, but the neighbors find it unbearable to listen to the sound of a hammer drill, you should begin peaceful negotiations with the silence breakers.
To do this, you can call the apartment owner or personally visit him, calmly explaining to him that the noise he makes when he makes repairs disturbs the other residents of the apartment building.
There is no need to go into conflict and threaten, because in this case the injured party automatically turns into a lawbreaker.
The listed actions are not mandatory and are not regulated by the legislator, but they will help maintain peaceful relations with neighbors during repairs.
Do I need to coordinate repairs with neighbors?
When planning to do long-term repairs, it is more correct and civil to ask your neighbors when they are at work, and agree on the time at which the repairs will be the least noticeable and disturbing for them.
If construction work requires actions that go beyond the law, for example, work at night, then they must be coordinated with authorized representatives.
It is advisable to notify your neighbors in advance about plans to drill a wall on Sunday, especially if they have a small child. Because in some areas, at the legislative level, lunchtime is considered a quiet hour, when all kinds of noise are prohibited.
Step-by-step procedure for restoring silence
If your noisy neighbors are disruptive at night, take the following steps:
- Call the local police officer or the police. They must come to the call (in practice this is not always the case) and record the offense. If your accusations are confirmed, a fine will be imposed on the rowdies. If you didn’t call right away, write a statement to the local police officer about your noisy neighbors, he will react later and have a conversation.
- Contact the HOA or Housing Office with complaints about your neighbors. They will have to have an explanatory conversation. However, these organizations do not have the right to fine.
- Take your neighbors to court. You will need to collect evidence - video materials (with audio recording), testimony of witnesses; if you have the opportunity to independently measure the noise level - the readings of a special device that will confirm that the noise exceeds the permitted levels.
What not to do
There is no need to try to resolve the issue on your own - threaten, get into a fight, write offensive notes, damage your neighbors’ property (door, rug, keyhole, etc.). In this case, you may find yourself injured if your neighbors report you to the police or go to court.
What to do if your neighbors are constantly renovating
Sometimes the noise of drills and hammers can be heard so often among neighbors that one gets the impression that a friendly family of migrant workers lives behind the wall. Some people like to do repairs with feeling, efficiently, stretching them out over years, while others just like to drill and knock in the evening.
Meanwhile, Chapter 4 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation – “Rearrangement and redevelopment of residential premises” – is devoted to the procedure for carrying out repair work in residential premises. It establishes general rules; more detailed requirements are fixed in by-laws. In particular, it has been established that when carrying out renovation work in an apartment, it is forbidden to use equipment and tools that cause increased levels of noise and vibration. According to sanitary standards and regulations, the noise level in a residential area should not exceed 40 dB during the day and 30 dB at night. In addition, you must not clutter up common areas with construction waste and building materials. This violates the rights of other residents of the apartment building. Finally, the renovation should not last longer than 4 months.
Separate rules apply to repair work involving noise. Firstly, they cannot be carried out on weekends and holidays. Secondly, in many regions there are so-called “Laws of Silence”, which establish at what hours noise cannot be made. As a rule, turning on music or a hammer drill is prohibited before 7:00 am and after 11:00 pm. A similar law has been in effect in the Ulyanovsk region since 2011 - the Law “On Certain Measures to Ensure Citizens’ Peace and Silence at Night.”
Similar rules are also recorded in administrative legislation at the level of constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Thus, in the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Ulyanovsk Region, Article 4.1 is devoted to this. It provides for punishment in the form of a fine in the amount of 300 to 700 rubles for individuals who violate the curfew. Measures and the degree of administrative responsibility for this offense vary from region to region.
What to do if there are no rules written for your neighbors? To stand for your rights. The simplest thing is to contact the police with a request to record violations of the regime and draw up an appropriate protocol, which will serve as the basis for bringing residents who are keen on repairs to administrative responsibility. If there is no reason for this (they make noise, but strictly from 7 to 23), write a statement to the local branch of the State Housing Inspectorate, as well as to the Prosecutor’s Office, to try to check the legality of the neighbors’ repair work.
However, checks and clarifications can take quite a long time. If the noise from your neighbors is unbearable, consider how to protect your apartment from outside noise.
Judicial practice: is everything in the hands of the law?
When your life has become unbearable, only the court can compensate for the damage. But with one important condition: it is necessary to prove that it was the eternal repair that caused physical and moral suffering. For example, it’s not just that chronic diseases have worsened or a whole bunch of new ones have arisen. It is necessary to collect evidence that there is a connection between neighborhood actions and health problems. It is not simple. Court decisions can be the opposite.
Consulting a lawyer will help you determine whether you have enough evidence and how strong it is. And won’t the money be wasted on examinations and legal costs? Therefore, the most important step is to seek legal advice and only then go to court.
But in any case, you will need certificates from doctors, prescriptions, and information about the cost of purchased medications. Prepare reports of excess noise levels, the police officer’s responses to your requests, video and audio recordings, and testimony from neighbors.
Noise at night
If you hear noise from neighbors on the side or above at night, you should first make a note. Music or loud conversation may be heard from the apartment. You need to say what exactly is stopping you.
It is considered an offense to do so outside the prescribed hours. When this method is useless, you need to call the police. Moreover, this must be done precisely at night, because then the principles of the law on silence apply.
The duty officer is responsible for recording the call. If you refuse to come, the fact of the call will still remain. Then you need to go to the local police officer and give him a statement about the offense.
Animal lovers
With conscientious care, there are no problems with animals. But if because of them it has become dirty in the entrance, it is impossible to sleep at night, and it is scary to go out into the corridor or onto the street, you can and should complain about their owners to the regulatory authorities - Rospotrebnadzor and Rosprirodnadzor. They monitor compliance with SanPin, the law on the responsible treatment of animals and hold them accountable.
If a local law on the rules for keeping pets has been adopted in the region, then the complaint is submitted to the authority that monitors the implementation of this law. You can contact the city administration, they will redirect you where you need to go.
The complaint must be accompanied by evidence - photographs or a video recording, from which it is clear how, for example, a dog relieved itself on the sidewalk, and the owner, without removing the “pile”, returned home with the animal.
Fines for violating sanitary rules are small, from 100 to 1000 rubles, for violating the law on the treatment of animals - up to 3000 rubles.
If there is an unpleasant, pungent smell in the entrance, cockroaches crawl from the dirt, or pets are not vaccinated against rabies and pose a danger to others, then you can safely file a complaint with the relevant authorities, in particular, Rospotrebnadzor, the Housing Inspectorate. It does not matter how many animals are kept in the apartment - 2 or 15.
In addition, on January 1, 2021, the law on the responsible treatment of animals came into force, the provisions of which stipulate that animal shelters can only be created in buildings, structures or structures specialized for this purpose. Shelters cannot be created in apartments.
Have your neighbors got a wolf, fox, lynx, owl or crocodile? Since January 2020, such animals cannot be kept at home; regarding this fact, you can send a complaint to Rosprirodnadzor and Rosselkhoznadzor.
Where to complain?
When your neighbors are making loud noises, you just need to talk to them first. This works for many people and people stop interfering. The sounds from above are especially annoying.
Where to go if a request is ignored? You need to call the police department and complain about the tenants who are constantly doing repairs. You need to describe the problem completely. After the application, an inspection of the residents will be carried out, which will make it possible to find out whether offenses actually occur.
When violations of rights occur regularly, you should write a statement to the district police officer. It is desirable that the appeal be collective. All complaints must be written in 2 copies.
Along with them, evidence must be attached, for example, voice recordings. The duty of the district police officer is to receive the complaint and draw up a protocol. He imposes a fine on the violator. If employees are inactive, they must contact management or an assistant for the supervision of the internal affairs department.
When there is no response to such statements, you must contact the Internal Affairs Directorate. It is necessary to indicate at what time the tenants are renovating the apartment. You also need to file a complaint about the inaction of specific employees.
Copies of previously filed statements must be attached to the complaint. Usually such requests are considered quickly, after which a decision is made. But if you ignore it, you can go to court.
In case of inaction of a district police officer or other authorized employee, a citizen has the right to appeal to the management of the police department and police department. You can simply issue a warning. Usually, the persistence of citizens produces results and the problem is quickly resolved.
You should not tolerate tenants who are constantly making repairs. Only decisive actions can bring results.
High-quality sound insulation
It will not be possible to completely eliminate noise, but you can reduce its sharpness and volume . It should be taken into account that in panel and monolithic houses, audibility is higher compared to brick ones. A high-quality technology for eliminating sound conduction is the “floating floor”.
When laying laminate flooring, the following features must be taken into account:
- The screed and laminate should not be adjacent to the walls, otherwise it will serve as a sound conductor;
- Do not create a tight fit between the skirting boards and the floor. The place where the laminate and baseboard are attached is treated with a special tape;
- The insulating material should not clump.
What sound insulation to choose for laminate? The safety of the repair depends on the quality of the material. The underlay has two advantages: it makes the floor level and provides good insulation from noise.
It is important that it is laid correctly. When there is nothing to soundproof with, you can choose the following materials:
- Foamed polyethylene. The material is budget-friendly. It fits under laminate. It is advisable to choose the maximum thickness as it provides better sound insulation. From brands you can choose isoflex or isopor;
- Styrofoam. The material is ideal for laminate, since its main advantages are durability and strength. It is important that the floor is perfectly level;
- Tuplex. A high-quality coating for laminate, as it does not deform and retains heat. If this is what you put on the bed, it will be comfortable at home;
- Cork covering. The material is considered one of the best for sound insulation. It is laid under the laminate, which allows you to create a perfectly flat surface;
- Isonoise The material retains its shape and thickness. Insulation is provided by polystyrene and aluminum foil.
Any of the materials reliably protects against noise. Even if the neighbors are making a lot of noise, nothing will be heard.
