Singapore Expats

noisy neighbors

Discuss about life in Singapore. Ask about cost of living, housing, travel, etiquette & lifestyle. Share experience & advice with Singaporeans & expat staying in Singapore.
Post Reply
germangirl
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 190
Joined: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:02 pm
Location: East Coast

noisy neighbors

Post by germangirl » Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:02 am

Hi all

I've just searched this topic and already found quite a few posts to this, but not exactly what i was looking for...

I'm an ang moh expat living in an HDB, and it's been great for the last year, really! MY neighbor upstairs always had the weird habit of moving around furniture in the middle of night or hammering walls, but that would normally stop within half an hour after it started, so i never complained much... now it seems they got themselves a new stereo, and they are blasting radio 90.5 all day and all night.... it stops around 3-4am and starts again at 6am... I've knocked on their door, without anyone opening, i left notes asking politely to turn the volume down.... i talked to other neighbors, most don't want trouble, and it seems to worst for me and those neighbors above that noisy unit... they already called the police, without success... i have called the police the last two nights... they said they came, but nobody opens the door...

honestly, i need sleep, and i am running out of ideas.... the police isn't exactly helpful, and i am actually not too sure about the law here... so, my main questions are...

IS there a law against loud music, or any kind of noise, at night? If so, what time are they supposed to turn the music down, and when are they allowed to turn it up again?

if they just keep locking themselves in, and don't even open up to the police, what else can i do? legally i mean, i don't want to turn my music up, go disturb them... friends suggested to glue their shoes to the floor, buy a cheap lock and lock them in from outside...

thanks for your ideas and help!
we know what we are, but know not what we may be

User avatar
ksl
Governor
Governor
Posts: 5989
Joined: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 8:52 pm
Location: Singapore
Contact:

Re: noisy neighbors

Post by ksl » Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:15 am

germangirl wrote:Hi all

I've just searched this topic and already found quite a few posts to this, but not exactly what i was looking for...

I'm an ang moh expat living in an HDB, and it's been great for the last year, really! MY neighbor upstairs always had the weird habit of moving around furniture in the middle of night or hammering walls, but that would normally stop within half an hour after it started, so i never complained much... now it seems they got themselves a new stereo, and they are blasting radio 90.5 all day and all night.... it stops around 3-4am and starts again at 6am... I've knocked on their door, without anyone opening, i left notes asking politely to turn the volume down.... i talked to other neighbors, most don't want trouble, and it seems to worst for me and those neighbors above that noisy unit... they already called the police, without success... i have called the police the last two nights... they said they came, but nobody opens the door...

honestly, i need sleep, and i am running out of ideas.... the police isn't exactly helpful, and i am actually not too sure about the law here... so, my main questions are...

IS there a law against loud music, or any kind of noise, at night? If so, what time are they supposed to turn the music down, and when are they allowed to turn it up again?

if they just keep locking themselves in, and don't even open up to the police, what else can i do? legally i mean, i don't want to turn my music up, go disturb them... friends suggested to glue their shoes to the floor, buy a cheap lock and lock them in from outside...

thanks for your ideas and help!
http://app2.nea.gov.sg/topics_noise.aspx

User avatar
sundaymorningstaple
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 40500
Joined: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 1:26 pm
Answers: 21
Location: Retired on the Little Red Dot

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:29 pm

Contact your local resident's committee. Start there.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

x9200
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 10073
Joined: Mon, 07 Sep 2009 4:06 pm
Location: Singapore

Post by x9200 » Sat, 20 Mar 2010 1:09 pm

KSL, I don't think this counts in as construction noise. She should rather contact somebody from the HDB administration - I am not familiar with their organization structure so can not advise more precisely.

germangirl
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 190
Joined: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:02 pm
Location: East Coast

Post by germangirl » Sat, 20 Mar 2010 1:17 pm

ksl, sms,

thanks for your posts, seems 10pm is the limit, the police told me they are not coming out until 11pm...

anyways, will try the local community, maybe they can help...
we know what we are, but know not what we may be

User avatar
ksl
Governor
Governor
Posts: 5989
Joined: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 8:52 pm
Location: Singapore
Contact:

Post by ksl » Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:59 pm

germangirl wrote:ksl, sms,

thanks for your posts, seems 10pm is the limit, the police told me they are not coming out until 11pm...

anyways, will try the local community, maybe they can help...
We have also been told 10pm noise levels have to be within a certain db range. if above, they are liable for prosecution.

http://www.hbiz.gov.sg/web/aa17/corpora ... es.en.html

HDB are guided by the NEA noise levels as can be seen by the link house rules.

germangirl
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 190
Joined: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:02 pm
Location: East Coast

Post by germangirl » Sun, 21 Mar 2010 12:39 am

thanks again, ksl... i am not sure about the db range their radio is on... but it's on day and night round the clock and extremely annoying, it seems they have tuned the bass down a bit, but it's still louder than my tv, but without the bass the vibrating gets better...

anyway, need to whine a bit, sorry for that... the lack of sleep lately...
we know what we are, but know not what we may be

germangirl
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 190
Joined: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:02 pm
Location: East Coast

Post by germangirl » Sun, 21 Mar 2010 1:29 am

hey guys, thanks again for your comments. just talked to the police officer who came by, they have been coming here for days, but nobody ever opens the door, so they leave again... so, i guess all the laws in the world won't help me here and I'll have more sleepless nights...
we know what we are, but know not what we may be

Cubby
Member
Member
Posts: 45
Joined: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 9:14 am

Post by Cubby » Sun, 21 Mar 2010 9:46 am

Call the NEA!! To register complaints or find out more about NEA’s noise pollution regulations, please contact the NEA Call Centre at 1800-CALL-NEA (1800-2255 632
They have strict rules with harsh penalties best is to keep at it make sure you get all your complaints in writing as proof of history of bad neighbourly behaviour been through it before with piano playing :mad:

swami1959
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun, 29 May 2005 11:58 pm
Location: Singapore

Neighborly noise

Post by swami1959 » Sun, 06 Jun 2010 12:46 pm

Even with a high density of population Singapore does not have strict and effective laws for curbing noises generated by inconsiderate neighbors.

As more and more people are densely packed together the walls and floors get thinner and the noise propagation has incresed multifold.

Few folks love to hear the incessent chirp of pet birds. Often folks in HDB flats keep as many as 3 to 4 bird cages with noisy song birds. These song birds make non stop shrill noise from 7 AM until 10 PM and neighbors can not do anything about it.

At best there will be talk about speaking to the neighbor, considerate neighborly behavior blah blah none of which can be imposed legally.

This is where HK is superior to Singapore. There they have strict laws on all types of noise.

Check out this link on how HK handles this

http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/noise_educati ... e_7.html#1

What can not be cured has to be endured.

I suggest you buy either Bilsom or 3M earplugs from Guardian or any of the pharmacies and start using it. Eventually your ear may get damaged by retracted ear drums and other issues due to sonstant use of earplug throughout the night however as there is no better alternative this is worth a try.

Click here to see the ear plug

http://www.sevsafe.co.uk/acatalog/Bilsom_Ear_Plugs.html

the_playful_prince
Member
Member
Posts: 26
Joined: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:44 pm

Re: noisy neighbors

Post by the_playful_prince » Mon, 07 Jun 2010 11:44 am

germangirl wrote:Hi all

I've just searched this topic and already found quite a few posts to this, but not exactly what i was looking for...

I'm an ang moh expat living in an HDB, and it's been great for the last year, really! MY neighbor upstairs always had the weird habit of moving around furniture in the middle of night or hammering walls, but that would normally stop within half an hour after it started, so i never complained much... now it seems they got themselves a new stereo, and they are blasting radio 90.5 all day and all night.... it stops around 3-4am and starts again at 6am... I've knocked on their door, without anyone opening, i left notes asking politely to turn the volume down.... i talked to other neighbors, most don't want trouble, and it seems to worst for me and those neighbors above that noisy unit... they already called the police, without success... i have called the police the last two nights... they said they came, but nobody opens the door...

honestly, i need sleep, and i am running out of ideas.... the police isn't exactly helpful, and i am actually not too sure about the law here... so, my main questions are...

IS there a law against loud music, or any kind of noise, at night? If so, what time are they supposed to turn the music down, and when are they allowed to turn it up again?

if they just keep locking themselves in, and don't even open up to the police, what else can i do? legally i mean, i don't want to turn my music up, go disturb them... friends suggested to glue their shoes to the floor, buy a cheap lock and lock them in from outside...

thanks for your ideas and help!
Didnt the Lord say "Love thy neighbor" :roll: ??

User avatar
sundaymorningstaple
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 40500
Joined: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 1:26 pm
Answers: 21
Location: Retired on the Little Red Dot

Re: noisy neighbors

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:40 pm

the_playful_prince wrote:
Didnt the Lord say "Love thy neighbor" :roll: ??
She does. She would love to shut them up.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

the_playful_prince
Member
Member
Posts: 26
Joined: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:44 pm

Post by the_playful_prince » Mon, 07 Jun 2010 2:48 pm

then.. maybe a pair of nice Safety Ear buds would help... worked the best against my wife's :mad:

germangirl
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 190
Joined: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:02 pm
Location: East Coast

Post by germangirl » Tue, 29 Jun 2010 9:04 pm

just to give a quick update... after sending the police to knock on their doors every night for a week or so, it stopped... from what i know they never opened the door to the police, BUT... it STOPPED! now i hear it every once in a while on a weekend, but hey, it's a HUGE improvement and at least i get to sleep again on work days ;-)

thanks again for all the comments!
we know what we are, but know not what we may be

carlsum1986
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 479
Joined: Sun, 06 Jun 2010 9:49 pm
Location: Bangkok

Post by carlsum1986 » Wed, 30 Jun 2010 9:40 am

maybe no humans live in there but beings from the other world..... :lol: :?

Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “Staying, Living in Singapore”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest