immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Lärm

  • Hot months, hot heads: disputes between neighbours

    Hot months, hot heads: disputes between neighbours

    Between March and June, there are particularly many crackling noises in the neighbourhood. According to Alexandra Pestalozzi, legal expert at AXA-ARAG, complaints about neighbours increase in the warmer months when there are a lot of people outside. Construction projects, noisy animals and unkempt gardens are the most frequent triggers for conflicts.

    In 2023, AXA-ARAG received 0.7 percent fewer reports of neighbour disputes than in the previous year. A decrease of around four per cent was also recorded in the first six months of 2024. Despite this decrease, disputes over construction projects remain a central point of conflict, accounting for around one fifth of all reported cases.

    Consideration and communication are key
    The summer months bring many challenges: noise emissions from construction projects or noisy animals such as dogs and cockerels often lead to disputes. In such cases, Alexandra Pestalozzi recommends first seeking a discussion with the neighbour and, if necessary, involving the administration or a legal advisor.

    Watering plants can also lead to trouble. Excessive watering can lead to damage to the neighbour’s balcony or building. In such cases, the duty of care and consideration applies, both under tenancy law and under neighbouring law. Respectful behaviour and clear agreements can avoid many conflicts.

    Barbecuing on the balcony and in the garden
    Barbecuing on the balcony or in the garden is generally permitted, but can also lead to disagreements. Alexandra Pestalozzi points out that certain types of barbecues may be prescribed in rented flats and that the house rules and tenancy agreement should be checked in advance. A general ban on barbecuing by neighbours is not possible, but here too a discussion should be sought in the event of conflicts.

    Procedure in the event of a conflict
    In the case of planned construction or planting projects, it is advisable to talk to the neighbours in advance in order to avoid potential conflicts. Should disputes nevertheless arise, Pestalozzi advises discussing them over a coffee and looking for solutions together. If this is not enough, a neutral third party, the administration or mediation can be called in. In some cases, it may also be necessary to involve a legal adviser.

    In conclusion, Alexandra Pestalozzi emphasises the importance of communication and consideration in order to ensure harmonious coexistence in the neighbourhood. Respectful interaction and adherence to common rules make a significant contribution to minimising conflicts and promoting a peaceful neighbourhood.

  • Canton of Zurich launches new shop for geodata

    Canton of Zurich launches new shop for geodata

    The Office for Spatial Development of the Canton of Zurich has developed a shop for geodata . According to a press release , users receive free access to spatial data in the canton of Zurich and can order them at the touch of a button.

    With the new shop solution, use-restricted, i.e. non-open data is now also being added. Previously, cantonal geodata sets were available to users free of charge as open authority data via the GIS browser maps.zh.ch or a geoservice and could only be called up manually.

    A total of over 500 products from the geographic information system can be viewed and ordered in the geodata shop, including data on buildings, air, noise and climate. Later, data on buildings and land, so-called object data from the ObjektwesenZH platform, will also be added.

  • French-speaking Swiss live louder

    French-speaking Swiss live louder

    At every third residential address in Geneva, people have to endure a noise level of more than 60 decibels. It is as loud as a lawnmower ten meters away, according to a press release . This noise can still be heard even with the windows closed.

    On the other hand, people in German-speaking Switzerland live the most quietly, namely in the cities of Bern, Winterthur and Aarau, as the real estate research of Zürcher Kantonalbank lists. For its analysis, the financial institute examined every residential building in Switzerland for its exposure to road noise.

    It also came out that the street noise leads to rent discounts of 320 million francs annually. Geneva has the highest rent reduction with CHF 40 million, Zurich follows in second place with a financial loss of CHF 28 million.

    Because even if Zurich is in the middle in terms of noise pollution, thousands of apartments along the main traffic arteries are still affected by a high noise level, according to the press release. “So street noise will remain a burning issue in housing policy in the canton of Zurich.”

    According to real estate research by Zürcher Kantonalbank, prices for private homes will also rise this year. Prospective buyers can expect 6 percent more, and in the canton of Zurich even an increase of 7.5 percent. The demand for one’s own four walls in the corona pandemic is driving.

    Searchers find fewer and fewer advertisements in the relevant property search portals on the Internet. According to a press release, the number of sales advertisements in the canton of Zurich on the Homegate brokerage platform has fallen by more than 30 percent since 2019. Reason: Brokers can find buyers with less effort through their own channels.

    The demand for property is currently so high that “some of the apartments have already been sold before construction begins”. Often all it takes is just setting up a construction board. Prospective buyers should therefore be put on the lists of broker companies, advises Ursina Kubli, Head of Real Estate Research at Zürcher Kantonalbank, according to a media release.