Noise from worksCan anyone advise how we get the work

Mark D Image
02/02/2022 - 04:48

Noise from works

Can anyone advise how we get the work in the next apartment stopped?

The apartment next door was sold and there is maintenance work in the apartment. This started in late December and the noise is absolutely horrendous. I don't know what they're doing, it sounds like removing all the walls and the floor, but I work from home and have to make calls during the day and I can't do that.

If it were just a few days, and we had been given notice, then that's reasonable. However there was no notice given in advance. There is a sign on the front door of the building which was only put there on the day the work started. It says the work is for three months.

I can understand the need to carry out work (replacing the kitchen, for example) but it cannot be legal - especially in apartment blocks - to make as much noise as you want for as long as you want. You cannot rip out a floor (who replaces a floor?!) if the noise will disturb everyone in the building. We're directly next to it, the entire flat shakes.

We are looking to move to a different apartment in the city but we have to give three months notice.

How do we get the work stopped? Do we have to go to court to get what in England would perhaps be called a "noise abatement order" by recording the noise and the times, and asking a magistrate to order that the work is stopped or to put limits on the amount of noise that can be made? After we have moved away, they can then resume.

Thanks.

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In reply to by alan h

Do you mean the Administrator of the building? She's never here..

I spoke with the porter who says the work was agreed with the Administrator.

I suppose we could write to the Administrator, but we're renting. I can raise this with the landlady who could then write to the Administrator.

But I was hoping that this would be a very straightforward matter to submit a case to court with recordings of the noise and have the work stopped altogether or at least limited.

Thanks. I spoke with our friends here in Italy, who seem to think this is normal and nothing can be done. Indeed both of them seemed bemused that we would try to do anything about it.

I'd have thought that in a country where everyone lives in flats (we're trying to find a house instead, and it's not easy) there would be strict laws about noise nuisance. However it appears that anyone can make literally any amount of noise for any period of time if it's for the purpose of renovating a flat.

So if you work nights, for example, after three months of falling asleep on the job you'd probably be sacked, and this is acceptable.

I have to make calls to clients and I've had to abandon several of those because the noise is horrendous. It's not just a bit of hammering, but smashing down walls, pneumatic drills and so on, all day, every day, from Monday to Friday, for three months.

We had planned to move but we have to give three months notice. In a worst case we'll just have to move and forfeit the deposit on this place.

In the meantime I'm going to speak with the landlady today just to keep her informed about this, and try to get onto the Comune department.

Thanks. This morning I emailed the Comune and supplied a copy of the sign on the front door together with a video of the noise.

About an hour later the porter came up to talk to them and they left.

Sadly, it surely has to be a coincidence. I could hear his voice but not what was said.

The information on the Comune website has much to say about street works and parties, but nothing about noise in apartments.

I'll see what they say - I asked for details of the restrictions to which the workers must abide - so maximum noise levels as one example.

A detatched house is the answer. My searches have revealed that the number of detached houses at any price to rent in or near Bergamo is.. one. Albeit it's very nice and not much more expensive than this central apartment. This has got us thinking in a very different direction for the future.

It wasn't a coincidence that everything went quiet after I emailed the Comune - good idea. We just had a visit from the Project Manager and someone from the Comune. The most noisy phase of the work is over, that of demolition, and they've been told to be as quiet as possible. If they need to make a lot of noise they're to check with us first, and we have the number for the Project Manager so should they make too much noise we call him and he will tell them to stop.

My Italian listening comprehension isn't first rate but if I understood correctly there's some aspect - possibly the equiment used - which was not meant to be used in this scenario, maybe the thing that sounds like a pneumatic drill.

Many people complain of their interactions with the Italian State but I have to say that they've been incredibly efficient at everything while we've been here. Action within a couple of hours.. the video of the noise was probably a factor.

There are rules - work can begin at 7am.  There must be 2 hours silence at lunchtime usually between 1300 and 1500.  And the noise mustnt be above a certain level which the comune will decide on.  Thats it - Im afraid, there is little you can do.