Noisy neighbours - Zurich

I'd escalate step by step and send them a letter with copy to the landlord first. You are however completely within your rights to notify the police. After 22:00 you have to tolerate less noise.

Yes, they did. I learned later that their visits cost money also (Bussgeld).

If you ring (117) and tell them your woes - party noise after 22:00, they will come. Takes a bit longer at the weekends for obvious reasons.

Larry

Hey Larry, so you calling the cops on a complain they charged you for you? pls tell me I just got this wrong, right?

Hey (Hay) is for the horse son. Be more thoughtful in your prose.

The noise-making boozers had to pay.

L.

If they are really noisy call the cops. They might not do anything, but after a number of calls they will have to. You can't be the only one disturbed by this.

Where we live there's a night club right across the narrow street. Some nights it gets really loud, with puking and fights. Fun to watch but when it wakes up the little one the cops get a call.

I have only had to do it a few times; and I can almost hear them sigh as they wearily note down my info. Last time the cop said,"Well, you know that they are open 'till 3am, can't you just deal with it?" !!!!

I said, "OK, well then I have some woodworking projects coming up and don't like working in the heat so I'm telling you now my table saw is going on the sidewalk at midnight, ought to be done around 3 am. Just so you know .".

He did chuckle at that and duly sent an officer on the 50 meter trek from police station to the mid-street puke party.

Do call the police. When the coppers arrive and the music/shouting is far too loud they'll have to pay a fine.

I guess this does go into the category of "anti-social behaviour" or "neighbor disputes" and should definitely be reported.

You never know if other neighbors reported it also and your voice might even add a bigger impact or more credibility to it all.

Normally the police is meant to register all incidences reported which then in return may be of help or a good backup to interfere if necessary.

<> Swiss German male students do not get drunk every night.

<> Your not speaking German is your problem and not theirs

<> Policemen around here usually are defacto MONOlingual

<> the rules in the Canton of Zurich are clear. Noise of parties after 10pm is to be at "room-level". You here say that they are far louder. I have your word about this but no idea what their idea would/will be.

<> "immature idiots" is an extreme and heavily emotional description of people. Suggest you do not express yourself in that way when in contact with authorities

<> that you have no Swiss friends is absolutely your fault and not the one of the Canton or the one of the Kantonspolizei, but will speak against you.

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**** once again, contact them in daylight, compromise, get invited to their party. Open up and relax. And simply realize that Winkel is a very calm place overall ...............

Well this is the Complaints Corner where a little ranting is fine. Also I find it strange to construct a culture clash situation out of an ordinary noise complaint.

The OP doesn't live in Winkel. The thread about Winkel is here .

Hi Tanya,

Sorry to hear about your predicament with noisy neighbours. I would definitely try to approach them one more time and send a clear warning message across. Even though the language might seem to be a barrier here, in my opinion you should still put the foot down and face the young "intolerrant buggers" despite the communication problem. IMHO, especially if it is a large group of people there must be someone intelligible enough who understands English even greater probability if they are students).

If this doesn't have any effect, I would go staright to Gemeinde and file a complain about not observing the rules, usually after 22h00 the noise level must be reduced by law. As suggested above, if these party animals disrupt the peace in the area there must be more people disturbed by the noise, which I would try to find out from other neighbours thru the grape vine.

I am not sure how central you live from other inhabitants, but for instance in our community if somebody made noise, or anything abnormal was heard of, the culprit would be sorted out at no time.

Common sense, tolerate what you can but do not let someone infringe your deserved privacy.

IMHO opinion course of action I would take: speak to them again, if this doesnt' help contact Gemeinde, resort to police in extreme situation only.

Hope you will get it sorted out soon

Talk to your landlord, or better, write to him, with some dates and times of the noise. Also, try and find out the name of the property management company or landlord for the apartment where the parties are and give this to your landlord. Ask him to deal with the problem on your behalf. Make it clear that you cannot sleep. If the situation were reversed, you can be sure someone would be contacting your landlord to complain about you.

Absolutely call the police when the noise is taking place.

The old saying goes, When you can't beat them join them I would take up the suggestion made earlier that since you can't sleep, might as well join in the fun...hehe

Just trying to sdramatise (is it a word??) but I imagine that it could be pretty annoying especially if done often and you need to work the next morning.

Thank goodness you are around to defend Switzerland. Are you naturally sensitive/defensive of all things Swiss or did you really think the OP was saying:

1. All Swiss German male students get drunk every night

2. The male students are at fault since they don't speak English

3. Her lack of friends are the fault of the Canton and the Canton Police

This IS the complaints corner and this was at least a constructive complaint.

1) they only get drunk every third night

1-b) many of them possibly are not Swiss at all

2) they are at fault as the shout back instead of replying calmly

3) her lack of Swiss friends may be her fault or the one of her contacts

3-b) the Cantonal Police simply may refuse to take things further if they

feel that the "noise" is at normal room level

3-c) to threaten with calling the police is a typical Swiss notion, showing that the O-P is "over-assimilated" !

Blablablah!

Swiss German male students do not get drunk every night. <-- True, I was only drunk about every other day.

<> Your not speaking German is your problem and not theirs <-- which has nothing to do with the subject of them being noisy.

<> Policemen around here usually are defacto MONOlingual <-- not true, basic English is pretty much commonplace.

<> the rules in the Canton of Zurich are clear. Noise of parties after 10pm is to be at "room-level". You here say that they are far louder. I have your word about this but no idea what their idea would/will be. <-- the description was clear I think, police will see it that way too. You run no risk in reporting it, it won't "backfire", trust me.

<> "immature idiots" is an extreme and heavily emotional description of people. Suggest you do not express yourself in that way when in contact with authorities <-- they sound like immature idiots though, reacting like this to an obvious complaint..

<> that you have no Swiss friends is absolutely your fault and not the one of the Canton or the one of the Kantonspolizei, but will speak against you.

<-- will most certainly not speak against her as it's completely irrelevant.

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**** once again, contact them in daylight, compromise, get invited to their party. Open up and relax. And simply realize that Winkel is a very calm place overall . ............. .<-- the way they reacted does not seem to suggest that there is much talking to them.

Seriously, don't waste your time, just call the police and let them handle it.

Oh please, are you done now !!!

An addition to this saga. Having many times played 117 on the mobile telephone and having those strapping officials at my door to ask for directions to the noise-making boozers, I can offer the following observations:

The police will do their job and then ask have you contacted the Hausverwalting (Building Management) to complain.

I had indeed made the Hausverwaltung aware of the times, frequency and level of noise. Reponse from the Hasuverwalting was poor, in other words, washed their hands of it or were conveniently "not available" or in meetings etc., the usual.

Always having Rechtschutz (legal, house insurance), I got in touch with a solicitor who told me to buy a little book and like your proverbial train spotter to note down all times, occurences etc.

Duly did same. Presented this to abovementioned legal person who confronted Hausverwaltung with dates, times of noise AND a demand of 20% reduction in the rent.

Immediate reaction from Hausvergewaltigung.

Now, no noisy parties, stupidity etc. Seems a lot of people have grown up quickly.

You can buy these little books in any COOP or Migros.

Happy Hunting.

Larry

Careful there, I think you mean Hausverwaltung.

I presume you are swiss. The play with words was intentional.