Heey,

Yeah I am sorry to say, but here in geneva there's a rule that says that you can't make noice after 10 pm. So is there a rule that you cannot hang your clothing out of the window and many more..That's part of living over here.

My guess is that your neigbour is very strict, so don't take it personal, in the laws opion he or she is right, but that doesn't mean that it's reasonoble. If I were you, I would go down and apologize, let go of your pride, altough it's a but unreasable for your feeling. If that person wants to talk, I have noticed that everything here is fine, as long it's written down. Maybe you can make some rules and write it down in a contract, my guess is that this will give your neighbour some secerity and let go of things.

If he or she doesn't want to talk, go talk to you landlord for advice. But whatever you do, know that oficially this person is right! I know your pissed, but try to work it out in a calm way, go down, have a cup of tea or invite this person over for some coffee, you never know what you can solve in this way.

Hope everything will work out! Good luck, noting worse then a unhappy neighbour..

Regards

linda
linda_thoen, Mar 12, 2009 @ 18:21

The best thing to do would be to contact your land lord directly and explain to him/her the situation before your neighbour complains and ask for his/her advice, that way you've covered your back and the possibility of the situation turning nasty is stumped before it starts.

Then go to your neighbour and 'Politely' ask exactly what their problem is noise wise, shouting, footsteps, music too loud so that you can try solve the issue or be a little more careful.

If it does end up just being standard noise, normal talking but they hear it loudly buy them some ear plugs and wrap a bow round the box!

:-)
Aurore81, Mar 12, 2009 @ 18:27

Thanks Linda.



I know about the rules and laws. But the thing is.... We were not making noise that wasn't associated with normal living. Can we not talk and walk in our own flat? That's ridiculous. We are not playing music or watching TV too loudly. . I am certainly not apologizing for living.



Besides, I still don't have a grasp on conversational French and would be totally intimidated and unable to agrue if neccessary my side of the story.
sloducky, Mar 12, 2009 @ 18:31

[quote]Thanks Linda.



I know about the rules and laws. But the thing is.... We were not making noise that wasn't associated with normal living. Can we not talk and walk in our own flat? That's ridiculous. We are not playing music or watching TV too loudly. . I am certainly not apologizing for living.



Besides, I still don't have a grasp on conversational French and would be totally intimidated and unable to agrue if neccessary my side of the story.[/quote]



I would phone your landlord and explain it to him.

If you are indeed too loud, others in the house will complain, too.

If nobody else complained, the case is usually closed pretty quickly, I assume.



Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe try asking around in the house first and get to know who he really is. If he's a cousin of the land-lord, or the brother-in-law, your SOL ;-)

rainer_d, Mar 12, 2009 @ 19:05

no worries if you don't actually make a noise. If she insists, the regie might call the police, and the police (probably after talking to you) will install a noise measuring device in her apartment for a month or 2 (I know from a local bar where I organized a party). The results will determine who is right, as they cannot do anything when it's your word vs hers.
Rasputin, Mar 12, 2009 @ 19:20

I have been informed our neighbor is a grumpy old man. Now I am even less likely to go talk to him. But I am writing my landlord.



Thanks Tinkie - I really needed to hear that. I know I am in the right here.
sloducky, Mar 12, 2009 @ 19:45

Hi "sloducky"!



I live in ZH and I had the same problem u have with one specifically neighbour. And it was clear she was "speaking" TOO MUCH! First cause, if I was so loud, other neighbours would complain also, but it was only one. SO, after the first letter of the Immobilien that works with the building where I live, I sent back an email. I had no answer, so I went, personally, to the imobillien with the email printed in hands, a copy of a letter of the last place where I lived here, written that they never had problems with me, never was loud etc... and I took signatures of 3 other neighbours who said never heard any noise from my flat. For luck one person who works in this imobilien was very "friendly" and talked to me, better than the email, better than the email I had in hands. Since then, I have no problems!

And YES! It seems that here, in Switzerland, sometimes, u must apologize for living!

Good luck!
Fortuna31, Mar 12, 2009 @ 20:01

[quote]I have been informed our neighbor is a grumpy old man. Now I am even less likely to go talk to him. But I am writing my landlord.



Thanks Tinkie - I really needed to hear that. I know I am in the right here.[/quote]



The best bet is still to try and talk with this person. It might just be something that can easily be fixed; more rugs or padding on chairs or something. At least you will be able to say you tried in a civil manner to remedy it. These things can unfortunately often turn into a "war". One neighbor on a street I lived once on Long Island complained to the police about the noise of another, the street's grumpy old man, never first trying to sort it out. The complained about neighbor then researched the exact permissable sound level allowed at each time during the day and night. Then set up a public address system that played the dirty dancing soundtrack on a loop at the permissible levels non-stop for 3 years. That was bad. What was worse was he then filled his yard with toilets filled with potted plants. Then it became almost impossible for anyone to sell their house and move. What ended it was a new neighbor walked over and talked to him like a human, shoveled his snow from time to time and never mentioned his planters or his music. And one day it all went away. So give him a chance to see you are nice humans. If that doesnt work, let him listen to "The Time of My Life" for a few years.
floydmarks, Mar 12, 2009 @ 20:53

My advice is to actually be aware of what you do in your flat, what seems to you as not noisy can be so disturbing below!  The last flat I was living in I had to move, I was not the sort of person to complain however she would walk about with shoes on (wooden floors) at 3 or 4am in the morning and wake me up.  I don't know why she was up so early each morning.  She also would play with the blinds and move furniture.  So yes maybe you are not making too much noise but before you go to the regie and battle it out, maybe go down and ask what sort of noise it is, it might just be the fact that you are walking with your shoes on.  Just a thought!  Good luck!
Mistiwood, Apr 1, 2009 @ 19:49