I have a problem with acoustics in the building. The issue I have is that I hear everything what the neighbours above are doing. Whatever they talk about etc. - and the most irritating of all - whenever they flush the toilet, especially in the middle of the night.
I was wondering if there is anything I could do about this? I imagine that is hard to ask the landlord agency to renovate the apartments, even if it was feasible or possible, but maybe there is argument to be made to atleast lower the rent?
That’s impossible, everyone knows that in Switzerland it is forbidden to do so after 10pm.
Source: various expats that left Switzerland because too narrow minded and conservative. On average, they are now enjoying the open mindedness of Dubai.
Unfortunately there is very little you can do other than to move. You could ask the landlord to renovate although they'll probably say no. I always recommend to people searching for accommodation to check this out when looking at a new flat (You want to ask the agent whether the building is Hellhörig/Ringhörig). Most of the time it is possible to see this by how old the building is. Modern buildings tend to be very well sound insulated.
Wear earplugs. My neighbours kid cries in the middle of the night for quite a while. The record was around 30 minutes so far. So i found a company that does custom earplugs and now i can sleep with no problem.
I seriously recommend a white noise machine. Got me through the insanity of noise that is the Japanese countryside... now I have the same sounds as my white noise machine played, a babbling brook and bird songs, but in reality. Good luck, these work.
I feel for you. And yet, isn't strange that most 'expats' complain that they are not allowed to flush the toilet at night ... until they are disturbed by it themselves! There is a very good reason why those rules were made- at the time of older, poorly insulated blocks of flats.
Building renovation is cool. But, it takes months, it takes money and it takes an empty apartment building. Asking for a building renovation and assuming they say YES!, is asking to be requested to leave the apartment so renovation works can be done. If that's your goal, feel free to fight for it.
That’s true there is no actual law but it may be part of the individual regulations for a building, especially for older buildings with poor soundproofing.
Whilst it’s not strictly forbidden tenants are often strongly requested not to flush the toilets or take showers during the night out of respect for other tenants. Obviously emergencies happen and people are generally tolerant of those.
I sympathise as it's annoying. Swiss federal law does touch on noise and it be grounds to change/end a rental agreement but more about tenants being a nuisance. So as long as the neighbours are not doing anything wrong, eg shouting after 10pm, playing loud music on a Sunday etc, then it's hard to have a legal case here if it's just people living their lives in an old building.
You can try and talk to the landlord but alas good soundproofing costs a lot and the risk is they'd just prefer a new tenant.
And each time it comes up I have to remind users on this forum that 3 of the last 5 apartments I've lived in have had this rule. Including one building/complex that was built in 2021. Most apartments in Bern from my colleagues and a few in Lausanne also have this rule.
To the OP, my sympathies; buildings are terribly soundproofed here for how close everyone lives on top of one another.
Anyone can have any rules they like - it doesn't mean that they're enforceable. Even some contract terms that both parties sign can be unenforceable. Essentially it's when it goes against rights prescribed in law - not all can be waived.
I find this so weird. Sure, after a No.1 during the night I don't expect the toilet to be flushed... but after a No. 2? You ALWAYS need to flush that No.2 day or night and the thought of leaving it sitting and smelling in your toilet bowl all night is ridiculous to me.