What can I do about a noisy neighbour?
You have the right to live peacefully in your own home and we expect you and your neighbours to treat each other with consideration. It is a condition of your lease that you do not cause a nuisance or create a disturbance. If you do experience noise nuisance from a neighbour, there are steps you can take. The first step is to speak to the neighbour causing the noise, as they may not be aware that they are disturbing you. If this does not solve the problem, contact your Home Ownership Officer. We can offer advice on dealing with disagreement. Many councils and other agencies have mediation services that can help sort out disputes. Your local council’s environmental health department also has certain powers to deal with noise nuisance. They may ask you to keep a diary of the times and types of nuisance you experience. Sometimes a little thought and consideration is all that is needed to make your neighbourhood a more pleasant place to live in.
A. First, you should try to resolve the issue with your neighbour. In most extreme cases, you need to call the police at 416-808-5500 about noise problems, as the City has a very limited number of noise by-law officers. There are bylaws in place that prohibit loud noise at certain times of the day. If you are unable to resolve the matter with your neighbour, you can contact Municipal Licensing and Standards at 416-392-0827 if the noise takes place during business hours. The After Hours numbers is 416-392-1320. The City will investigate and possibly issue the offending homeowner with a notice advising them of the by-law and requesting their compliance. If the noise continues, the City may pursue legal action in Provincial Offences Court.
If you are bothered by noise from a neighbouring property, it is often best to approach them yourself and discuss the problem informally. Your neighbour may not be aware he/she is causing a disturbance and in many cases they will be pleased to co-operate in the interest of good neighbourly relations. Contact the Mediation Service What is Mediation? It’s a simple and free way of sorting out disagreements between neighbours. How does Mediation work? Mediation helps both neighbours to see each other’s point of view. It can even help them get together to talk about their problems and solve them. Who are the Mediators? Mediators are volunteers who have been trained to help people sort out their disputes and work towards a solution they are all happy with. They are ordinary local people who understand neighbours’ problems. Mediators never take sides, never tell people what to do and always keep what they are told confidential. But how can Mediation work for you? If you and your neighbour are
