 | | | 
30.09.2007, 18:41
|  | Member | | Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: SO
Posts: 240
Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanked 21 Times in 17 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | I am fairly new to Switzerland but have to laugh at the "noise rule", ie, no noise after 10 pm? Who does one go to with a complant - the "noise police?" | | | | | your hauswarten | Quote: | |  | | | And I guess the Swiss feel that any noise before that time is ok? I am close to a school, a firehouse, and the space in back of our bedroom is used as a playground and as a thruway for motorized bikes! There is one that rides by around 2 am each night at full throttle! | | | | | I think the thought on this is that you chose where to live, so you essentially chose your environment and the attendant noises that come with it.
| 
30.09.2007, 20:24
| Newbie | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Walchwil
Posts: 4
Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland
I wish I could say that I "chose" this place - actually more like it "chose" us. We looked at other flats but were rejected because of my husband's work permit &/or because we are not Swiss. We have been turned down several times, last time because we did not speak Swiss German.
I think the only way to know about the noise level of a place is to live there for a couple of weeks (which is impossible) Otherwise, "caveat emptor." I asked about the fire house and was told there have been no fires in 10-20 yrs., but was not told that the firemen get together 1-2 times a week to start up trucks and bull__t until almost 10 pm. Also did not know about elementary school playground a short distance away -- don't mind kids, just hate those that scream unabated.
Has anyone else faced discrimination in apartment hunting and how have you gone about trying to find a flat? I know about Homegate but are there any other English speaking sites?
Thank you for your help!
| 
01.10.2007, 13:45
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Meisenberg Zug
Posts: 863
Groaned at 19 Times in 11 Posts
Thanked 284 Times in 182 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland
We had ours found for us by a relocation agent. I get the impression that she knew about ones that weren't generally known about, on the other hand, maybe she was just talking herself up
| 
01.10.2007, 13:59
| Newbie | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Walchwil
Posts: 4
Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | We had ours found for us by a relocation agent. I get the impression that she knew about ones that weren't generally known about, on the other hand, maybe she was just talking herself up | | | | |
Yes, we found ours through an agent also. Just an "unlucky" draw, I guess - I had wanted to go back and see the flat again, but I had to go back to the US and my husband wanted to be out of the hotel.
| 
02.10.2007, 11:17
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Meisenberg Zug
Posts: 863
Groaned at 19 Times in 11 Posts
Thanked 284 Times in 182 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland
At least you saw yours before you moved into it. We got our first look when we got the keys from the agent! It was all done on the internet, with references from husbands employer and photographs of the flat
| 
02.10.2007, 12:36
| Newbie | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Walchwil
Posts: 4
Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland
Well, Zug bound, I hope that things worked out for you and your family. I am looking for another flat, just can't move until March (that crazy rule about 6 mos. notice because of holidays). Unless we can find someone to sublet.
| 
02.10.2007, 14:02
|  | Member | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Australia
Posts: 135
Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanked 14 Times in 11 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland
Slightly off topic this, but my apartment block is currently having it's outer wall shell re-plastered. The work is all going very slowly and I expect it will take several months to complete. As part of the process, the workmen have stuck heavy plastic sheets on the outside of the windows and the balcony door. They have also removed the steel shutters from the windows, which means that I have no means to shut out the early morning light. I also have no access to my small balcony and cannot open the windows.
It's occurred to me that I should claim some compensation from my landlord for inconvenience and loss of facilities, but I don't want to sour the relationship. Does anyone have any experience of this sort of issue? Any advice would be gratefully received. Thanks.
| 
02.10.2007, 14:09
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Zürich
Posts: 4,521
Groaned at 18 Times in 16 Posts
Thanked 2,208 Times in 1,248 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland | This user would like to thank Nathu for this useful post: | | 
02.10.2007, 14:15
|  | Member | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Australia
Posts: 135
Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanked 14 Times in 11 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland
That is really useful thanks. Not sure I will persue it as I don't want to sour the relationship over a 10% reduction, but nevertheless it's a good bargaining point if the landlord decides to increase the rent, or if other issues arise.
| 
13.10.2007, 12:53
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Thurgau
Posts: 5,799
Groaned at 68 Times in 48 Posts
Thanked 2,824 Times in 1,605 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | What really got me about 5 1/2yrs back was the following...
I used to play the piano during the 'normal' hours 9am-9pm... Nobody has ever complained, well that's what I thought...
Anyway, I got a call from the Estate Agent saying, there have been complaints in the house, that my music was too loud... Now why on earth can't people walk down a flight of stairs, knock your door and say, 'could you please turn the music down a bit'??? So much to hostility and privacy in CH... You have to call the estate agent for him to call you... Where's the efficiency in that??? | | | | | The swiss are cowards my new neighbour got a complaint letter in her post box unsigned
| 
13.10.2007, 13:02
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Thurgau
Posts: 5,799
Groaned at 68 Times in 48 Posts
Thanked 2,824 Times in 1,605 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | Anyone fancy my noise level? I live right next to the University Hospital, ambulances, helicopters 30 metres over our roof, the trams breaking at full speed, the police, building works for the ETH about 50 metres away and a restaurant below that occasionally fancies itself as a nightclub. It's quite lively. Did I mention the idiots who need to compensate their lack in other areas by speeding up the road at high revs in the middle of the night? 
I'd happily swap it for bells (cow, church, bicycle) but I also realise that living in the city means noise so I try and blend it out. If you want to hear the noise, you will and sadly your brain starts to expect it, making it worse. If there is any way you can learn to ignore it, try, it'll work. Often being woken up is due to being in a light sleep phase rather than the actual intensity of the noise.
Still, building and so on should not start before 7 am and you can complain, at least I was told so. For more legal info go here. Not the best layout I'm afraid...
There is even a website on noise and how to deal with it, sadly German only. | | | | |
I feel sorry for you can you not move | 
13.10.2007, 13:06
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Thurgau
Posts: 5,799
Groaned at 68 Times in 48 Posts
Thanked 2,824 Times in 1,605 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | Just spent four days in Suisse-romande at villars-sur-Ollons and heard a lot of cow bells. Now, I have a pathological hatred of wind chimes and this was pure torture for me - dozens upon dozens of cows, all chiming their way around fields. I'm sweating just thinking about it... | | | | |
I feel sorry for the bloody cows having to where the bells i mean the best looking cow gets the biggest bell, if i die and come back as a cow please let me be ugly or an english cow | 
06.05.2008, 15:07
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Basel
Posts: 10,356
Groaned at 428 Times in 333 Posts
Thanked 16,045 Times in 6,322 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland
I have a question... I read about the 10pm to 7h am noise, but what is the rule about very loud music or noise during the day?
Let say the level of the music is as loud as if you live upper a bar, (but it's not a bar) and it is like that almost every afternoon, can you do something about it? Or it is something you can complain but have no power to change it since you can do what you want in your own appartment?
Thanks to answer me,
Nil
| 
06.05.2008, 15:16
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ticino
Posts: 3,128
Groaned at 96 Times in 67 Posts
Thanked 4,146 Times in 1,649 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland
Apart from the part you mentioned it doesn't seem there is much that can be done except getting into a ****ing match.
The link below which is from the Canton of Aargua website basically says that "neighbourhood" noise is difficult to measure and that parties should seek to reach an agreement. Once the realtionship deteriorates to the extent that lawyers are involved it becomes more difficult to reach an agreement.
Who would have thought? http://www.ag.ch/laerm/de/pub/weiter...haftslaerm.php | 
06.05.2008, 15:24
|  | Junior Member | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Zurich
Posts: 76
Groaned at 5 Times in 3 Posts
Thanked 14 Times in 7 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland
Other than the 22:00 to 07:00 rule, for all other times noise should be kept to a reasonable level (at least for Zurich). I would have thought that noise in the day time "every day" is not reasonable.
| 
06.05.2008, 15:41
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ticino
Posts: 3,128
Groaned at 96 Times in 67 Posts
Thanked 4,146 Times in 1,649 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland
I did a bit more research (the Aargau approach seemed a bit lame). It obviously depends on where you live. The place where you would find the regulations would be in the Gemeinde Polizeireglement. I don't know where Nil lives in Basel exactly (Stadt, Land or...), but for example in Binningen it is stipulated that: "Radio-, Fernsehapparate, Musikinstrumente und ähnliche Geräte dürfen nur so benützt werden, dass sie auf die Nachbarschaft nicht störend wirken." In other words, that radio, tv and musical instruments can only be used in such a way that they do not disturb the neighbourhood. [irrespective of the time] So, you should check your local Polizeireglement and see if they go above and beyond the 10pm to 7am rule. If they do, then you would have clear cause for complaint. | 
06.05.2008, 15:44
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Basel
Posts: 10,356
Groaned at 428 Times in 333 Posts
Thanked 16,045 Times in 6,322 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland  Thank you!
| 
06.05.2008, 16:17
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland
In my experience, the general rule seems to be: "After 10 pm is forbidden, as you should be asleep, the crack of dawn is just fine, as anyone who has not been awake for two hours by then, gone for a run and eaten his gipfeli is unspeakably lazy and probably a foreigner..."
I was the only one in our very Swiss Wohnhaus who complained about the idiots filling a metal skip with scrap metal at 6:00 am every Saturday throwing ironing boards and window frames in from a distance of 10 feet. The Hausabwart also has a thing about firing up his petrol mower at 6:30 ish on a Saturday morning in summer. He agreed after some negotiation that 7:00 am was also acceptable.
| 
07.05.2008, 17:30
|  | Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: United States
Posts: 195
Groaned at 8 Times in 5 Posts
Thanked 451 Times in 130 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland
I am guessing this noise rule does not apply in the canton of Geneva.
I live a couple of hundred meters from a public park on the lake here. Now that the weather is getting warmer, it has become a convention center for loud drunks in the middle of the night.
Last night/ early this morning, they were blowing some kind of horns at 4 a.m.
The crazy part is that there are a lot of houses closer to this park than my own, and no one calls the police.
Where are these Swiss that just love to report people?
I would call myself, but I have yet to be connected with a policeman who speaks English. I have only been here a few months, and my French is limited to ordering food in a restaurant. 'There are drunk men blowing horns in the park' is beyond my ability at this time.
'I have captured a burglar in my house' unfortunately was also beyond my ability. I guess I need to have my language instructor go beyond the norm of his curriculum.
To the burglars credit, he did offer to speak to the police on the phone for me. I wasn't sure if I wanted his side of the story told. I imagined I'd find myself locked up while he enjoyed the evening in my house.
| 
07.05.2008, 18:05
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Thurgau
Posts: 5,799
Groaned at 68 Times in 48 Posts
Thanked 2,824 Times in 1,605 Posts
| | Re: Noise rule in Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | |
'I have captured a burglar in my house' unfortunately was also beyond my ability. I guess I need to have my language instructor go beyond the norm of his curriculum.
To the burglars credit, he did offer to speak to the police on the phone for me. I wasn't sure if I wanted his side of the story told. I imagined I'd find myself locked up while he enjoyed the evening in my house. | | | | |
What happened please did you call the police?
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Thread Tools | | Display Modes | Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT +2. The time now is 15:12. | |