Shoes in the hallways, loud music, deliveries and seasonal rents are part of the list of complaints from residents.
We are living through atypical times. Before the new coronavirus pandemic, our generation had never spent so much time at home, both working and resting. With the social isolation applied since the arrival of the vírus in our country in March of last year, adults, children and pets began to spend more time together, which has a positive side. However, on the other hand, the excessive time spent at home has provoked serious misunderstandings among neighbors, especially those living in condominiums.
In the middle of an online class or a work meeting, who has never had to deal with the noise of construction work, the barking of a neighbor’s dog, loud music, or even a loud argument? These are some of the new problems facing those that live in apartment buildings, with the aggravation of ill humor, thanks to the psychological evils created by the pandemic, such as mourning, fear of contagion, unemployment and the lack of freedom to live as we did before. And what is the solution? Dialogue, empathy and patience. For instance, if you’re going to do some renovation work, arrange with your nearest neighbors a schedule of their meetings or important engagements. Large interventions in the apartment must also be officially communicated to the local administration. The manager of the building must be the first to conciliate conflicts, before one of the residents sues.
Check below the main reasons for discord among building residents:
As mentioned before, construction and renovations are at the top of the list of complaints from neighbors. Structural repairs in the home are usually very bothersome to next-door neighbors. But it’s not only the noise that is disturbing, since dust and eventual cracks and infiltrations also irritate the residents of the building.
The noise that bothers the most is that of neighbors who give noisy parties or lose control of the volume when listening to music at home, be it while housecleaning or during a weekend lunch party. It is necessary to respect the volume allowed by law, such as, for instance, in Rio de Janeiro: up to 55 decibels between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. From 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. the limit is 50 decibels.
Speaking of parties, nothing is more irritating than people who don’t live in the building but are occupying the place next door. Yes, we’re talking about people who rent apartments for the season and don’t know how to behave collectively. Besides possible bad habits, seasonal rents allow strangers to enter the building.
The same happens with the internal circulation of deliverymen, often called during the pandemic. Although it is a profession that is essential to our society, many residents are bothered by their entry, since it can potentially increase the circulation of the new coronavirus.
Speaking of those who enter the building, another bothersome thing is what doesn’t enter the home: shoes. Shoes in the hallways have been the reason for dissatisfaction among neighbors, since there are no standards of procedure to be followed and many residents leave their shoes every which way in the hallways.
The incorrect use of masks also irritates the residents of buildings, because many people don’t feel comfortable moving in the same ambiance – common areas of the building, such as leisure areas, hallways, playground and elevator – with residents that don’t wear masks, or wear them incorrectly.
Finally, what could have become a channel for resolving conflicts has become another motive for discord among neighbors: the famous building WhatsApp groups. A very useful tool for passing on information in the building, the groups have become a channel for exchanging insults between neighbors. Due to all this, it is up to the building manager to moderate the ambiance, both virtually and in person.
