While we all enjoy the benefits of urban living, the fact that you are a part of a community means that you always need to be considerate of your neighbours and understand how your actions may affect their peaceful living.
You should be aware that some fairly mundane noises can be heard outside your apartment and affect your neighbours’ peaceful enjoyment of their home. The neighbours may be next door or above or below your apartment.
The noise of scraping chairs, moving furniture and loud music (particularly bass vibrations) can carry and annoy your neighbours. If your apartment has hard floors these noises can be even more noticeable even though you have complied with the recommended insulation requirements set out in the Body Corporate rules.
You should be aware of these issues and the following tips can help:
- Put ‘soft’ feet (self-adhesive pads) on the legs of chairs, tables or any other items of furniture that may be moved around. Balconies in particular are problematic as they may be close to other apartments’ bedrooms. Soft pads may be purchased from any supermarket or hardware shop.
- Keep the music volume at a reasonable level at all times particularly after 10pm. Be aware that bass vibrations will carry above and below your apartment.
- Close your balcony doors to keep the noise inside your apartment.
Ensure all furniture on balconies is secured – there can be high winds and items can be blown off the balconies onto the street.
All furniture on the balconies should have soft pads attached to the area between the floor and the legs of the furniture. These should be checked regularly as they can fall off.
Throwing any item over the balcony is strictly forbidden. Cigarette butts can start fires on balconies further down the building.
When moving in the common area hallways you should be aware that all noise can be heard within most apartments that front on to the hallways. Where possible, please greet and farewell your friends inside and keep noise to a minimum in hallways.
Do not leave any rubbish on the floor near the rubbish chute. Take boxes and larger recycling items down to the bins in the visitors car park area. Throwing large items in the chute can block the chute.