'My neighbour has had builders round non-stop for five years - it's driving me mad!'

In Luxembourg, almost one in five residents say they are negatively affected by noise from their neighbours or the street. A few days ago, our colleagues from RTL Infos addressed the issue. Following a call for testimonials, readers came forward to talk about problems with noise, whether from businesses, neighbours, traffic, or even animals. Here's a selection of what they had to say:

"They play the trumpet every day" 

MCDC: "All day long, the dog won't stop barking, the children won't stop shouting, and the landlord we tried to speak to is rude and won't listen. It's a shame we can't enjoy our terrace and garden anymore and that we have to stay locked up in our house with the windows closed in the middle of summer … And as we're a long way from Luxembourg City, we're dependent on a police intervention centre that's a long way from where we live, so it's not easy to get anywhere… you have to wait a long time for a patrol to intervene (or not) because there are criteria for urgency and availability…"

Fonfon: "Two neighbours who live +/- 30 metres from us let their three dogs bark, every day, at all hours of the day. It's as if they're barking at the command of their owners. Some sort of protection for their respective buildings?"

Robert: "My neighbours drag their furniture across the floor every day when they get up. It's like they're moving house. They play with a ball that they bounce on the floor, which echoes in my flat. They play the trumpet every day. They run."

Isabelle: "They walk the same dog every day at the same time, and it is barking constantly. In the quietest hours of the morning and in the evening, seven days a week. Their tuned car leaves every morning at 6:50am and they let the engine run for minutes before departure. They take out their quad bike every Sunday afternoon to drive up and down the street just for the fun of it. And then there's their never-ending construction site, which has been going on for five years now, with the noise of cement mixers, lorries, and the infernal machine making the holes for the foundations… It's enough to drive you mad! All this is happening in cité Grand-Duc Jean in Bereldange."

Red one: "Yes, very much so! My neighbour who lives upstairs has children who won't stop running, from morning until sometimes 1am at night. I went to see him, and he told me he couldn't tie his children up. It's just awful…"

"Diesel locomotives make unbearable noise" in Belval

Pichichu: "There's a house right opposite my bedroom window the inhabitants of which regularly throw parties with loud music and lots of people smoking. The residents open all the windows so that the noise can be heard quite far along a relatively quiet street in Weimershof. Often, the parents are also at home when such parties take place! It's impossible to have a rational conversation with the neighbour, and even though the police have been called more than five times in the space of 13 months, the parties simply go on. We feel powerless."

Coco: "A fitness centre has set up at the back of our residence for the last three years. Music blasting all day long. I went to see him to talk to him about it. He told me he had work to do. I contacted the local council because the local by-laws had been broken. Nothing happened. I also contacted the local council's mediation department, but there was no response from the neighbour. The following year I did the same thing again. The council did nothing. I contacted the police, who did nothing despite the many videos I sent them. I contacted the environment department, which did nothing. I finally lodged a complaint. The complaint was unsuccessful due to a lack of evidence, even though I had sent numerous videos. Not to mention the fact that the police told me I would be prosecuted if I continued. This year it happened again. I went to see the neighbour again and he told me that all I had to do was move. In conclusion, nothing is done about it and people who cause noise pollution are never bothered."

Olivier: "And what about the Cargolux planes that take off at 11:58pm at night (to stay within the authorised time slot) or land at 5.30am in the morning? And let's not forget about the Cactus lorries in Bonnevoie that deliver to shops from 5am every morning in summer and winter and leave their engines running? What does the law have to say about that?"

Mister X: "I bought a new flat in Belval and I live on the 14th floor. There's train tracks outside for the rail service. That's not the problem, as the passenger trains are barely audible and don't disturb. However, there are also other sidings where CFL Cargo temporarily stores steel deliveries. These kinds of transports go out day and night. Night rest is not respected at all. According to the railway company, these are exceptions, but this is not true at all. These wagons are transported by very old diesel locomotives. The foul-smelling exhaust fumes and noise from the moving of the carriages made it impossible to even sit on the balcony. It's a problem that affects several residents of the house, and something has to be done about it."

Qualité de vie: "There should be an investigation into Belval and the noise and environmental pollution caused by Arcelor-Mittal and CFL cargo, 24 hours a day, at weekends, on public holidays, and at all hours of the night in the marshalling yard. We bought a flat in the OMNIA Tower and were told that there's barely any noise coming from the marshalling yard and that it would be more like neighbourhood noise. It was a lie. Today, there are a hundred or so of us living in the tower who have to put up with the nonchalance of CFL cargo and the couldn't-care-less attitude of Arcelor Mittal. Even the police are giving us the runaround, saying it's our own fault: 'You bought something there, you should have known better. If you don't like it, sell!' Is that appropriate for someone who is supposed to enforce the law? We measure up to 95 dB during the day, but also after 10pm and at night at 2am, 3am, and 5am. Diesel locomotives make unbearable noise and stink up the whole environment with their combustion waste. We can't open our windows or use our terraces. The town councils know about it, AGORA knows about it, but nothing happens. So, it seems there are different laws for the 'lower classes' and the others get away with everything!!!!"

"This is our house and we can do what we want"

Régine: "We put up with the noise from two bars. The people who sit there make themselves at home, making noise by shouting and talking very loudly, no matter what time it is."

Ana: "There's a playground right next to the houses, with a basketball hoop and a football goal on it. Almost every day, for several hours at a time, sometimes until well after 10pm, the bouncing of the ball and the noise of the metal basket are very loud. These noises are audible even when all the windows are closed. The players also shout and play music. The municipality of Luxembourg City refuses to take the request to remove the basket seriously. The playground could be reserved for children who go there to play."

JP: "Extremely noisy parties throughout the day, the more alcohol = the louder. Attempts to ask them to make less noise were met with 'this is our house and we can do what we want.' Impossible to talk to them. Other tenants forced to lock themselves in with the windows completely closed, even when it's very hot…"

Coco: "When you arrive in a calm and peaceful environment and encounter a respectful and benevolent neighbourhood, obviously you don't adapt, you impose yourself, you're the new Lord. That's the way it is. Whether you like it or not, I'm the one who lays down the law! I subject you to all kinds of noise at all hours of the day, evening and night, on Sundays and public holidays: barking, music for everyone, even if you don't like my music, I don't give a damn, doors slamming again and again, machine noises over and over - yes, I've had builders round non-stop for four years. Don't make any noise before 9am because I sleep in late. I do what I want, I'm king of the street, full stop! And don't you dare say a word to me! This is what happens when people think they can get away with anything, no matter the fate of the rest of the neighbourhood, which is calm and quiet!"

Mich: "Practically every evening, our new neighbours gather on their balcony to engage in loud discussions with music until very late in the evening. The police have intervened several times, but to no avail. So, what can we do?"

charles bronson: "Rue du Fort Wedell, around-the-clock noise under my balcony, prostitutes talking to each other from one pavement to the other… screaming prostitutes sitting in front of the nursery… loud aggressive junkies…"

Sun: "Neighbour phoning on his terrace during the day and late at night. Screaming between the couple and the kid all day long. They think they're in a house, not a flat. They let the dog poop on the common areas of the condominium without removing the excrement."

Good to know: Luxembourg's rules on noise disturbances

Don't hesitate to contact the police in the event of a neighbourhood dispute.

In Luxembourg, the basic rule is to respect night rest, which is compulsory between 10pm and 7am. It is therefore forbidden to carry out any work in your home during this period, and you are strongly advised to minimise sources of noise disturbance such as television, music, etc. Similarly, outside your home during these hours - whether in a public place, the street, a park, etc. - you should take care to not disturb your neighbours.

During the day, on the other hand, it is generally accepted that you can carry out noisy activities (gardening, DIY, music, etc.). Nevertheless, there are specific time frames during which these activities are acceptable:

• Weekdays: Between 8am and 8pm

• Saturdays: Between 8am and 12pm, and 2pm and 6pm

• Sundays and public holidays: Between 10am and 12pm.

Any disregard for these regulations can result in fines ranging from €25 to €250. In 2022, the police issued approximately 200 fines for noise nuisance, encompassing all types of disturbances, not limited to neighbour-related issues.

If you would like to find out more about the rules governing good neighbourliness in Luxembourg, read our previous article on the subject.