Can I complain?

Penguin · 11-01-2015, 06:18 AM

Alright, so this is really starting to get to me.
A little after I moved into my apartment, I assume, someone moved into the apartment above me.
The reason being that after I had been living here for about a month, he/she started drilling every. single. weekend.

It has been at least 3 months with him/her drilling for endless hours both Saturday and Sunday 9 out of 10 weekends.

Is there a point where I can complain about this? Technically he/she isn't breaking any rules but it's making me nuts as I can't concentrate on my homework, which I prefer to do during the weekends as that's when I'm home all day.
Even the construction site 10 meters away from my window is less noisy :/

Shannonmcn · 11-01-2015, 06:24 AM

Absolutely you can complain. Do you have a building manager? I don't know any project that required drilling that would take THREE MONTHS!

Penguin · 11-01-2015, 06:41 AM

Neither do I!
That person must purchase a lot of furniture/shelves/something else you can use a drill on

I havent really been home during the past 3 or 4 weekends though, so I have no clue if there has been any drilling in those. It just seems odd to me if he/she would only drill whenever I'm home
I'll probably wait for him/her to be noisy next week and complain to the building manager.
It's student accommodation after all.

Shannonmcn · 11-01-2015, 06:47 AM

Being in student accomodation might make it easier, that way it's not just the building manager that can tell him to knock it off but the university will have ways to threaten to kick him out!

I'm sure you're not the only one annoyed by whatever it is he's doing.

Could it be something other than a drill? Like a really old stationary bike that's vibrating the floors or something? Drilling for hours is just so completely mental I can't wrap my brain around it.

Penguin · 11-01-2015, 07:04 AM

It doesn't completely work like that here, sadly. In Denmark student accommodation works like any other accommodation. Besides that you have to be a student to rent - and usually the apartments are tiny but the apartment complex will provide articles for cleaning that you can borrow.

I really can't imagine what else that sound could be. I wouldn't exclude the possibility of it being something else but I can't figure what.
About why he would be drilling this much? I actually made a joke out of it and told a few people that he likes to drill random holes in his wall for fun...
Highly unlikely but it solves the mystery for now

Shannonmcn · 11-01-2015, 07:10 AM

Aww, that's a shame. I was never in our student accommodation but the rules were very thoroughly enforced on any property associated with the university. Hopefully the building manager will be able to sort it anyway, unless he's totally deaf he must know that he's annoying somebody!

Let's see, it could be drilling holes in the wall for fun, constantly assembling and unassembling ikea furniture, carving a masterwork in wood, using a heavy duty drill with a whisk stuck on to beat eggs for his omelettes, writing and recording some very specific niche music...

Penguin · 11-01-2015, 07:58 AM

Maybe a combination of all of the above!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shannonmcn

using a heavy duty drill with a whisk stuck on to beat eggs for his omelettes

sounds like some damn passionate cooking if you ask me

Piebald · 11-01-2015, 08:12 AM

I once had upstairs neighbours I swear used the middle of the floor for a brick dropping target. Sounds can change when transmitting through material. Nonetheless in general you are entitled to the peaceful enjoyment of your property. Your neighbour is entitled to conduct reasonable repairs, but not engage in a long term project that unreasonably interferes with your property enjoyment.
So, you have a legitimate complaint. But you have to prove it.
I suggest in the first instance you knock on your neighbour's door, in a nice way, and let him know how much the noise is bothering you. I do mean start nice, you may be able to resolve it here so try. Maybe bring muffins or if it's a student gig, beer. He/she may not realise how the sound is carrying. Maybe you can work out a schedule or offer to tell him/her when you go out (assuming you trust them not to burgle you).
If you are met with hostility, do not react in kind. Simply say "sorry we couldn't work it out" and withdraw. You have a plan B. Ditto if it continues after promises to stop. Now, to make a complaint you need a record of the disturbances. Get a note book and record, over a number of weeks, the start time and end time of the noise. Record what it prevented you from doing. Once or twice, for flavour, record the noise and how it sounds in each room. And get yourself some ear plugs.
After you have a good contemporaneous record, make a written complaint to the building management, setting out all the facts as recorded in your notebook. Keep the notebook safe, it is evidence. Expect this letter to be shown to your neighbour so keep it true. If you do not have building management, depending on your location's disturbing the peace laws take it to the police, your local council, or a lawyer.
Good luck, and welcome to the world of neighbours.

Pebbles82 · 11-01-2015, 08:35 AM

Have you been to see this neighbour and in a polite and friendly manner, ask him what he is making as you can hear drilling? Maybe he will show you! Then you can ask how long it will take. Are you sure he isn't a moonlighting dentist lol?!

Bertiebobbins · 11-01-2015, 08:47 AM

I know way round uk environmental noise laws but not the Danish ones obviously! Here the options would be to complain to the local environmental health department, approach the person directly or complain to their landlord. Approaching directly is usually the way they expect you do go first. It's probably a hobby they have that results in the noise (a machine running or something, especially as it's mostly weekends). You could discuss with them how said noise could be mitigated e.g. By moving machine, and it's not unreasonable for you to request they only do it between certain times. In the UK there are restrictions on when you can make "construction" type noise. I know someone who was told by their landlord to stop sewing after 7pm or lose their tenancy (social housing by the way) as their neighbour didn't like hearing the noise of their machine.

Definitely make a diary of when it happens. Find out to what the law says and who polices environmental noise complaints. Here we also have limits as to how many decibels is considered reasonable and they will come round and record the noise and measure how loud it is.

Good luck, I know noise is awful. I had noisy neighbours playing loud music a lot last year for a bit but luckily they were evicted quite promptly because we all complained.