after 22h one cannot take a shower in [Switzerland]?

Complaints Corner
1
my Swiss neighbour knocks (or kicks) the wall whenever i take a shower at around 23h, i understand I might disturb the Swiss neighbour but don't we have the "right" to take a shower at 23h?

i just heard from a colleague of mine that he was told to sit down to pee at night "because it's by law that after 22h one cannot take a shower or flush the toilet" (the poor guy maybe too tall for Swiss, 1.95m

I don't know whether I should apologize for the noise or should fight back, any ideas appreciated!

2
Apologise....

3
This should be listed as a condition of your lease. No peeing or flushing after 10pm, no showers after 10pm, no Sunday laundry, no vacuuming (or other "noise") on Sunday, etc.

Be grateful you have till 10. Our building's cut off time is 9. And they enforce the quiet time during the day - noon till 2pm.

4
Sounds like the best option to me, too.

Am somewhat alarmed to hear this, since I will soon be moving into my first Swiss apartment. I hope it's an unusual story.

5
Nope, not unusual at all. Just make sure you are familiar with the house rules and you will be fine.

6
And buy a bucket

A lot depends on the house. If it only has a few households in it then you can expect trouble if you break the rules, but if it is fairly 'anonymous' then there won't be a problem. Of course, you might then expect to be woken at 2am to the sounds of Hip Hop played on 10...

"Ordnung muss sein"

7
Nachtruhe basically means that you aren't supposed to make excessive noise to the disturbance of your neighbours. However you still have the right to make normal use of your apartment - i.e. there should not be a problem taking a shower, using the loo, cooking etc. Also, if you have kids, neighbours have to accept that babies cry in the night etc etc.

I have to leave the house at 6am to get to work in Altstetten, and nobody complains if I take a shower at 5am - though I would take issue with it if they did.

Unfortunately you get some neighbours who think they have a right to lord it over other residents and will try to use bullying tactics - particularly if an Auslander is involved.

Rgds,

Nick

8
Come on, how insensitive can some people be?? I can understand that it would be somewhat offensive to 'mow your lawn or vacuum at 8 am on a Sunday'; however, taking a shower after 10pm seems quite minor!!

I would ignore these rules - and bang back when your neighbour bangs!!

9
Don't shower for a week and then invite them over for dinner... just after going for a run in the bus station where it is really smelly..!!

10
I would definately aplogize. There are rules in this country, and I'm always surprised at the 'gin tons and damn the natives' attitude that is still prevelant. You are a guest here and guests usually behave themselves. Living in a 'Block' has a string of rules, be it petty to some. You signed that you were in agreement when you signed the lease. It is just a matter of courtesy to your neighbours. When in Rome.....

11
Point - Maid Of Kent.

I do love the "When in Rome" ... bit, hence my strong arguement about the Swiss guy deserving his sentence for getting 75years but that topic is closed anyway.

12
hmmm

I would be called a guest if I didn't have to pay.... And the fact that I was not born here doesn't mean that I am not able to know what is reasonable and not.

The attitude the 'swiss way or the highway' doesn't really work either. Imagine how many more cows CH would have by now....

13
Pay??!!?? Care to elaborate!!!!

14
After getting complaints about flushing the toilet after 10pm etc - thats just ridiculous, I just tell my neighbors I have important late night business phone calls with the states that I have to do (a little white lie never hurt anyone). Nobody complains anymore :P

15
I thought it was usually conversations with God which one had on the great white telephone - not the US. Ah well, you live and learn!

16
Because you're in Lausanne, you'll probably be OK. These types of rules seem to be more common, and/or more strictly enforced in the German-speaking part of the country than in the French-speaking part. They're a bit more relaxed about everything around here, a trait that those in the German-speaking part like to make fun of, but I think that it's a very good thing.

17
What a crazy thread!

I can't believe some people have others complaining about the toilet flushing or someone taking a shower past 10.

We had quite a lot of germs and sickness this winter. I would have been really upset if I couldn't flush the toilet or take a shower or bath after being sick. With the flu it was constant flushing for 3 days. This is really the only way to deal with it. How gross not to be able to use your plumbing at certain hours.

18

Su-weet! Although I'll check the rules carefully when I have an agreement specific to the building to sign. So far I've only signed about 10 forms for the agency.

19
My POV:

While it's specified in my contract that I should refrain from "excessive" showering, full baths and "excessive" toilet flushing between 22pm and 6am, a lot depends on your neighbours.

Excessive showeringusually means "more than 10-15 minutes" with full falsetto "The Lion sleeps Tonight" singing, no full baths is mainly for the draining noise but I don't have a clue as to what excessive toilet flushing would mean... a nice case of gippy tummy/the runs being verboten? I'd have a ball in court!

I got lucky in that my neighbours are all young families with kids ranging from kindergarten to junior high. They know they're noisy, so they can't come and complain when I get a call of nature at 3am or shower at 5.45am when I get up And I let it slide when I wake up from my Sunday lunch nap because squeaking/giggling kiddoes. Live and let live, after all, I could have a grumpy old coot downstairs that insists I tiptoe around on felt slippers etc.

20
On the other side of the story...my upstairs neighbours are a couple in the 60's, who, for some odd reason seem to be dragging a lot of chairs and tables around their carpeted floor...especially after 9pm. How they manage to make screeching sounds on a carpet is beyond me...however, I thought that I should cut them some slack because they only moved in 2 months ago and are still placing their furniture..they have moved from their independent house (which might be why they don't realise how much their redecorating after hours is a pain). But a few nights ago, just as my 7 year old was in bed, trying to sleep (about 9.30pm) there was a GHASTLY drill machine in a wall sound right upstairs from the kid's bedroom....he totally freaked out, shreaking out of bed because it was LOUD!! I have to say, it made me jump too, because it was loud and went on for maybe 30 seconds. I was majorly pissed off so I banged shut the door right under where the sound came from.No more noise, for that night.

Our apartment block (though very old) has 6 families, mosty elderly people, except us (even with kids we are very quiet) and another family with two kids due to move in soon.

I'v been rather patient with the upstairs people, but if it continues, I will have to take it up...I mean, normal noise is fine, like showering, flushing the loo etc, building works late night is crazy...any ideas or comments?? Thanks