Traffic noise is rather different to 'people noise'.

It's a lot easier to acclimatise yourself to the constant drone of traffic than to the noise made by other people which will catch your ear much more.

Very true. Some nights I get very little sleep and I'm in a pedestrian zone. I'm resigned to looking for somewhere else.

just had a fight, well not fight fight, like discuss with my un-educated neighbor.......it is very bad experience. her son had music till 2am!!!!!! I just find out it is no use to talk to a person who does not have the same level as u. so we decide to move! noise swiss...............

you are soooo right!!! the noise made by people is unbearable!!!!!!!

Why not call the police? If everyone immediately moved because one of their neighbors is noisy once we'd have mass-exodus here.

First call the police. They'll make sure they shut up. If they do it again, call the cops again and also inform the landlord.

I have incredibly primitive and egomanic neighbors as well - my wife woke up again last night because of their brute sex noises - which we have to listen two about 2-3 times a week, usually somewhere between 1.am. and 3 a.m. I was advised by my legal council to keep a "noise diary" and after a month or so sue their butts. Another two weeks and I'll report them to the police.

peter

me and my husb. also have to hear her son and his gf doing that thing on the mid-night. I have thought about call the police since very begining, but i have always give up...maybe i am to nice... but now i will take ur advise! call the police if the son had tech. music till 3.4 o'clock.....

One way of killing their passion stone dead is to go directly to them and ask them if they wouldn't mind having sex at a more acceptable time or, if this is impossible to avoid, please could they forego the animal noises during their night-time frolics as it is keeping you both awake.

Think you might have problems attempting to sue them for this behaviour in Switzerland, however, as noisy sex in your own place between two consenting (and obviously keen) adults is not against the law. Also the police might see it as a bit of a time-wasting call out if you can't prove you have first visited the offending neighbours and / or approached the landlord.

Hi,
We've only been in our apartment stlye house (It's self contained three floors but connected to other houses and with a very narrow alley so...) and I'm already wondering how to get out of the contract. It is only a year contract and its sub-leased, so I would like to know just how hard it would be to break it. The reasons being; Every sound travels, so I feel awful about opening my windows when letting my kids watch television and having to threaten my family to whisper (not fun or fair to children or to your partner-especially with "our relations in the bedroom!) Also we have a dog and very few places to walk him and recently I had the upset of my life because, a new or visiting neighbor gave off to me about putting the dog in the basement room for a few hours. Firstly the basement room is spacious, it has two windows a drain water and food, comfortable bedding etc.AND is the coolest place in the house! I have had to put him there a few days last and this week for a few hours,because, firstly thats where he eats and secondly, I dont want any possible damage to occur in the house, as its not our property. Now when I tried to apologise,in case the dog was disturbing them (He doesnt usually bark- but if people are hanging around the door he might let out a couple of barks-never continuous, just to say "Move off!" ) they said that they would call the "polizia" if I put him there or barked again?! So firstly can I get into trouble for putting him there? i- hes got food water , space ,etc. Can I get into trouble for a little barking, only happening in the middle of the day-somewhere between the hours of 12pm-5 max? Thirdly, how the hell do I get out of this contract and away from these hostile people (Whom, by the way come in at all hours and talk loudly, regardless of the hour-had the pleasure of listening to them today/Sunday at 5am)

Sounds bad. I would try the following. Is it possible to get a dog walker so that your dog does get out and about more? make an official complaint in writing to your landlord regarding neighbours noise. If it turns nastier contact your commune but do it all in writing

Yesterday afternoon I was on my balcony and heard some woman from the other side of the street moaning very loudly in the throws of passion. I told my friend that Switzerland has special rules about making noise on Sunday's in particular and jokes that she was breaking Swiss law by being loud on a Sunday.
He told me (I thought it was very interesting but also unbelievable) that some kantons and apartment blocks have particular clauses in the lease that sexual noises are exceptions which ARE allowed as it is seen as recreational and helping promote families (making them).
Has anyone else heard of this?

That could explain whay it is the only noise I hear from my neighbours!

Frst time I'd heard it and because it wasn't someone in my block and it was a sunny Sunday afternoon and it didn't last too long , it was funny. But if it was a neighbour and it was regular it would get on your nerves very quickly I guess.

A friend of mine lived in a lovely posh apartment in Zuriberg.
A gay couple moved into the apartment above.
One evening he and his wife were having a dinner party with anorther couple and during the meal all that could be heard was sustained, heavy, grunting 'animal noises' as he described it.
Aftwr 20 minutes or so the guy walked outside the apartment block and shouted out angrily, "HAPPY ****ING ". Funny thing is he's Greek!!!

Better to call the police to get results. This banshee got 'banged up' but not in the way she was used to ;-) :

www.bbc.co.uk/news/10453199

The jury had to sit through 10 minutes of audio evidence.

Fortunately it was not video evidence....

Cheers,
Nick

A bit off-topic perhaps, but how do you deal with being 'the other guy'? My flatmate moved into our apartment before me and was building furniture at 10.10pm (I know, I know!) and our downstairs neighbour came up to complain (well within her rights, of course), the problem (according to my flatmate) was that she was really upset, didn't introduce herself, just immediately started ranting about the noise. Since then, she's come up again, at about 11pm again claiming we're hammering. In fact, it was the strange bumping noise that pipes make heating up and cooling down. I explained this to her and she argued with me for a while, then said it must be our opposite neighbours hammering. I assured her it wasn't and we eventually calmed her down.

This made me think that maybe she's very sensitive to noises so we've tried to be specially careful -- only very quiet music or TV after ten, sometimes even using headphones. However, one evening I had two friends for dinner and about 11pm we were in my room chatting and again, a visit from downstairs, this time her husband who was very pleasant and nice about it, and so I felt really terrible.

But, the next time it was about 1am, my flatmate and I are talking in the kitchen and she came up and was just ranting at him, claiming she could hear every word, in fact what she claimed we said was nothing like what we were talking about. She threatened to phone the police, saying, "I've called them before you know and they've taken action." And then she shouted at us for having 'incredibly loud sex' at 6am.

I'm not saying we're model neighbours or anything -- but we certainly aren't really loud, and I'm really worried we're going to end up fined or worse for talking in our own apartment. I'm now really tense and worried -- every night at ten I start creeping around and whispering, my flatmate tells me not to worry... but... I would like very much to have good relations with our neighbours and be friendly... Is there anything I can do?

Cheers!

It is maybe the reason why this appartment was available...

You can't do much beside being very quiet during the quiet time. Maybe you could bring her some flowers / wine / cookies to apologise for the previous noise and promise her you'll try your best?

Good Luck!

Thanks Nil! I think that's the best strategy... it's just a shame that I *love* to talk

I don't think giving her presents or flowers are the answer. If it was a one off from a previously nice neighbor, then I'd do it.

I've experienced this type of neighbor and if you genuinely think you are respecting the noise rules then I'd ask the person/s to write/ complain to the Verwaltung (management).

People who are being unreasonable often take presents as a capitulation and become more unbearable and bossy. I prefer to politely stand up for my rights and let the people who are paid to do the job, deal with the persons problems.

__________________
www.thehappynest.ch

Depending of the isolation of the building, I can't see how this is unreasonable. Each time, it was after 10h pm. The hammering was what set the neighbours on fire about noise. Yes, she is being annoying to show up at every little noise, but we don't know what she can hear from downstairs. It may sounds very loud.

By trying to be nice to her, she might gets more tolerant. Showing you don't care until the Verwaltung gets involve will just build anger and at the end, it will resolve the same exact way we see too often.... a move.

Nothing wrong to try to get her on your side and if, despite this, it doesn't work, stand up for your rights and don't let her rules you.

Une main de fer dans un gant de velour (Iron hand in the velvet glove)

We tried "nice" a couple of times with our problem neighbours. We just play hardball now.

Cheers,
Nick

Thanks for the advice everyone -- I appreciate that it was after 10pm each time, I guess it's just difficult when she won't listen at all and really is furious at us each time, and some of her complaints or claims just don't seem to make sense at all. I really want to make an effort to be quiet and to make her happy -- but also want to be able to talk to my flatmate or friends after 10pm. I think, when I've plucked up the courage (right now I tiptoe quickly past her door when I come in) I'll try the friendly approach, and say I'd like to talk about it in the cold light of day, maybe invite her for a coffee at my place. And if she calls the police... I guess I pretend not to understand and let my German flatmate deal with it. That's what German flatmates are for, right?

I guess, also, I'm just really used to big city noise and hubbub, and actually really miss noise. I used to live in Whitechapel, and ohhh the singing prostitutes and angry drug dealers. How I miss you all so!