Tips on Avoiding Conflicts with Your Neighbours

Living in cities narrows the living space between people, and mutual respect for one another and willingness to compromise is expected of all. This article gives several tips on how to avoid conflicts with your neighbours.

General

  • In general, hammering, drilling and other construction work should end by 2100 or earlier on weekdays and should not take place on Sundays and public holidays.
  • Avoid excessive and unnecessary noise, especially between 2200 – 0700.
  • If you are going to have a party, renovation or major construction work going on, informing the neighbours prior (nabovarsel) might be a good idea.
  • Loudspeakers should not be used outdoors between 2000 – 0700.
  • Avoid unnecessary noise in common areas or outside neighbours’ windows and balconies.

Living in a Property with a Garden

  • Ensure the hedges, bushes, trees are trimmed regularly such that they do not encroach on your neighbour’s property. If you are living in a rental property, this is usually the owner’s responsibility. Check your lease agreement.
  • Pick up the fruit from trees rooted in your property which have fallen on your neighbour’s property. Ask for permission from your neighbour to enter their garden if there is a fence separating your gardens.
  • In general, do not mow the lawn on public holidays and Sundays. And do not mow the lawn on weekdays after 2100.

Living in a Shared House/Apartment

  • Every property owner has the responsibility of informing their household members, tenants and guests of the specific rules of the house.
  • Security – all external doors should be locked such that only people with authorized entry can enter.
  • Smoking is generally prohibited indoors – check with your landlord.
  • Soundproofing in shared houses may not be optimal
    • Chairs, tables and other furniture make loud noises if they are dragged on an uncarpeted floor. Putting felt pads on the legs of these furniture reduce that and protect your floors from scratches and marks as well.
    • Try to refrain from wearing shoes with heels and stilettos in the apartment. Your neighbours downstairs may be able to hear your footsteps clearly. You are also at a greater risk of damaging the floors.
    • Try to prevent your children from banging on the floor with hard objects, bouncing balls and throwing items on the floor if you have neighbours living below you.
    • Music – reducing the bass settings on your sound system can help to reduce the amount of noise that your neighbours can hear.
    • Speakers – if speakers are to be on the floor, a layer of soundproofing under them might help to reduce noise transmission.
    • Door handles should be fitted with rubber stops to prevent loud bangs, which can also damage the wall behind the door handle.
    • Appliances like washing machines, dryers and dishwashers can produce vibrations which can be felt and heard by your neighbours. It is possible to fit anti-vibration mounts for the walls and/or floors. Also ensure that these appliances do not run between 2300-0700.
  • Do not clog the drains by putting sanitary pads, towels, napkins or other articles in the toilet. Clear the drains of hair and dirt regularly.
  • In the winter, keep the apartment heated to a minimum of 10°C to prevent frozen pipes.
  • Be sure to check with your landlord whose responsibility it is to shovel the snow around the property.
  • You are not allowed to make alterations which can affect the carrying/supporting elements of the property.
  • Do not store items or create hindrances in common areas, especially at exits and entrances.
  • Do not store highly flammable liquids/items in the storage rooms.
  • Sort your rubbish and discard them in the right bins/collection areas.
  • Feeding animals/birds and leaving leftovers can attract vermin like rats and mice so do refrain from these acts.
  • Do not ventilate the apartment by opening the door to common areas – smells from food can linger for ages in the common areas and cause annoyance to neighbours. Rather, open the windows and the ventilation covers and switch on the kitchen extractor fan on maximum.
  • Pay attention to your neighbours living below you when cleaning or shoveling snow off your balcony.
  • Be sure to clean up after your pets.

Living in an Apartment Block

Rules WILL differ for every apartment collective but these are the general and common ones.

  • Every property owner has the responsibility of informing their household members, tenants and guests of the specific rules of the collective.
  • Smoking is generally prohibited indoors – check with your landlord/ building management committee.
  • Security – all external doors should be locked such that only people with authorized entry can enter.
  • Do not clog the drains by putting sanitary pads, towels, napkins or other articles in the toilet. Clear the drains of hair and dirt regularly.
  • Immediately report to the landlord/building management committee if you spot vermin, cockroaches, bedbugs, etc in the apartment. And hire pest control to get rid of these.
  • In the winter, keep the apartment heated to a minimum of 10°C to prevent frozen pipes.
  • Do not store items or create hindrances in common areas, especially at exits and entrances.
  • Do not store highly flammable liquids/items in the storage rooms.
  • Sort your rubbish and discard them in the right bins/collection areas.
  • Charcoal grills are usually not allowed, only electric/gas grills are. Check with the building management committee if you are unsure.
  • You are not allowed to change the façade of the building (paint the wall of your balcony) without prior permission from the building management committee.
  • You are not allowed to make alterations which can affect the carrying/supporting elements of the structure.
  • Check with and gain approval from the building management committee before you install awning/marquise, satellite dishes, etc.
  • Feeding animals/birds and leaving leftovers can attract vermin like rats and mice so do refrain from these acts.
  • Hanging and shaking of blankets/carpets/rugs/clothes over the balcony/windows or in common areas are usually not allowed.
  • Pets are only allowed in apartment buildings if the building management committee has given its approval. Be sure to clean up after your pets.
  • Do not ventilate the apartment by opening the door to common areas – smells from food can linger for ages in the common areas and cause annoyance to neighbours. Rather, open the windows and the ventilation covers and switch on the kitchen extractor fan on maximum.
  • Pay attention to your neighbours living below you when cleaning or shoveling snow off your balcony.
  • Music – reducing the bass settings on your sound system can help to reduce the amount of noise that your neighbours can hear.
  • Speakers – if speakers are to be on the floor, a layer of soundproofing under them might help to reduce noise transmission.
  • Appliances like washing machines, dryers and dishwashers can produce vibrations which can be felt and heard by your neighbours. It is possible to fit anti-vibration mounts for the walls and/or floors. Also ensure that these appliances do not run between 2300-0700.

Parking Disputes

If the property you live in has an allocated parking lot or garage, this will not be a problem if you park within the confines of your parking lot/garage.

However, issues can arise when you live in a house without a parking lot/garage and where people park their cars on the road upon which they live.

  • Do not park in front of someone’s driveway/garage, even if there are no signs stating ‘No Parking’.
  • Do not park halfway on the pavement or too close to a junction (a distance of at least 5 metres from a junction is required). This can pose a danger to pedestrians and other motorists. And you might incur an (expensive) parking fine.
  • Inform your guests where to park when they visit (if applicable, let them know where the guest parking is located – usually clearly marked with ‘Gjesteparkering’)

Quick tip: You can send “REGNR <registration number of vehicle>” to 2282 to find out who the owner of the vehicle is. Once you have a name, you can try searching on Gulesider for the car owner’s contact number.

What Should I Do?

Should you experience situations where your neighbours are causing excessive noise or other issues, it is highly advisable to have a calm and polite discussion with your neighbour. Suggest solutions for the problems faced.

If all else fails, you might want to get a mediator involved or as a last resort, hire a lawyer.

With the will to compromise, it is possible to avoid conflicts that can permanently sour relationships between neighbours.