Few people like neighbors who start drilling something in their apartment early on a weekend. Sometimes the sounds of a drill can be heard throughout the house for several hours. Often in such a situation, the question arises - what repair work should be done to ensure that the drill works for days on end?
Article on the topic “Garbage man”, drunkard, “music lover”. Where to complain about neighbors interfering with your life?
Indeed, in order to install a shelf or secure a socket, you don’t need to drill into the walls all day. However, a drill, hammer drill or screwdriver that makes those very unpleasant sounds can be used for a long time when installing plasterboard and other structures on walls, ceilings or floors, engineer at a large construction and repair company Alexey Turlyansky told
In addition, long-term use of a hammer drill is possible when carrying out dismantling work, for example, when walls are dismantled or old plaster is removed. Also, this tool, according to the specialist, can work for several hours in a row when cutting concrete walls for electrical wiring. Alexey Turlyansky says that this is really long and painstaking work.
Don't forget that there are other construction tools that are very loud. Neighbors may think that the residents upstairs are drilling something for an hour in a row, but in fact the source of the noise is a tile cutter or a construction mixer. After all, laying tiles or floor screed is a rather lengthy process, so the tools necessary for this can work throughout the entire repair.
The apartment is private, the house is shared. How to negotiate with neighbors? More details
Neighbors are constantly drilling How to deal with it
You can, of course, talk to your neighbors first, but judging by the work schedule, they work themselves and drill in their free time
. I’m afraid that’s all. The new edition of the Moscow city standard for the operation of the housing stock (ZhM-2005/01) introduced definitions of “reconstruction” and “redevelopment” of residential premises, which require approval from the Moscow Housing Inspectorate. Everything else does not fall under these requirements.
Moreover, in the previous version of the standard (Decree of the Moscow Government of February 8, 2005 No. 73-PP) it was clearly established: “2.7. The regime for reconstruction and (or) redevelopment of residential and non-residential premises in residential buildings is established taking into account the following requirements. In residential buildings during the period of repair and construction work, it is not allowed to: - carry out work on Sundays and public holidays; - start work involving noise earlier than 9.00 and (or) finish it later than 19.00; "
In the new edition (Moscow Government Decree No. 831-PP dated September 25, 2007), this paragraph is absent - there is only an indication that in the application to the Moscow Housing Inspectorate for approval of the “rearrangement” or “redevelopment” of a residential premises, it is required to indicate the period and hours of the implementation works That is, if this work is NOT “reconstruction” and NOT “redevelopment” of a living space (which is difficult, if not impossible, to prove in principle), then your tormentors are fine with bribes.
Two ways. The first is the threat of a complaint to the Moscow Housing Inspectorate (and, they say, let them then prove that they did not carry out illegal work or go around agreeing on everything retroactively; it provides for drawing up a project even for installing an air conditioner and changing the design of the floors). But be prepared to figure out how, where and to whom to complain. An empty threat is very bad, it’s better not to start. The second is the police (make friends with the local police officer; give him 500 bucks so that he starts meticulously visiting the freaks and sending out outfits in the evening - it’s possible that they are being robbed by migrants without the right to work)..
In short, if the guys want to do without endless fines and brainwashing. government, let them voluntarily limit the period of work (the previous 9 - 19 were quite enough).
Is it possible to drill on weekends: law 2022
Everything is ambiguous here. There is no federal law that regulates this issue. As in 2021, 2021, in 2022 the regions themselves decide what the drilling rules will be on weekends when carrying out repairs. This is a natural consequence of the federal structure of the state. After all, the issue isn't important enough for it to be a problem.
Fines for carrying out repair work and drilling at the wrong time
So there is no clear answer as to whether drilling is allowed. Each subject has its own rules. Preventive measures also differ. In some places this is a rather serious fine, especially for legal entities. And somewhere it will end with a warning. At least for the first time.
Do I need to coordinate repairs with neighbors?
When planning to do long-term repairs, it is more correct and civil to ask your neighbors when they are at work, and agree on the time at which the repairs will be the least noticeable and disturbing for them.
If construction work requires actions that go beyond the law, for example, work at night, then they must be coordinated with authorized representatives.
It is advisable to notify your neighbors in advance about plans to drill a wall on Sunday, especially if they have a small child. Because in some areas, at the legislative level, lunchtime is considered a quiet hour, when all kinds of noise are prohibited.
Controversies in noise regulation
The fact is that the most ordinary hammer drill creates such noise that it exceeds the permissible maximum by approximately two times. According to sanitary and epidemiological standards, you cannot make noise louder than 55 decibels. While the hammer drill exceeds a hundred.
Drilling in the apartment
It is clear that with this approach it is sometimes impossible to make repairs at all. That is why restrictions were set not on noise level, but on time. There is a contradiction here, but this is simply an adjustment of the legislation to reality.
This does not mean that screaming louder than 55 decibels during the daytime on weekdays will be perceived as acceptable. Including from the point of view of the police.
What to do if your neighbors are constantly renovating
Sometimes the noise of drills and hammers can be heard so often among neighbors that one gets the impression that a friendly family of migrant workers lives behind the wall. Some people like to do repairs with feeling, efficiently, stretching them out over years, while others just like to drill and knock in the evening.
Meanwhile, Chapter 4 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation – “Rearrangement and redevelopment of residential premises” – is devoted to the procedure for carrying out repair work in residential premises. It establishes general rules; more detailed requirements are fixed in by-laws. In particular, it has been established that when carrying out renovation work in an apartment, it is forbidden to use equipment and tools that cause increased levels of noise and vibration. According to sanitary standards and regulations, the noise level in a residential area should not exceed 40 dB during the day and 30 dB at night. In addition, you must not clutter up common areas with construction waste and building materials. This violates the rights of other residents of the apartment building. Finally, the renovation should not last longer than 4 months.
Separate rules apply to repair work involving noise. Firstly, they cannot be carried out on weekends and holidays. Secondly, in many regions there are so-called “Laws of Silence”, which establish at what hours noise cannot be made. As a rule, turning on music or a hammer drill is prohibited before 7:00 am and after 11:00 pm. A similar law has been in effect in the Ulyanovsk region since 2011 - the Law “On Certain Measures to Ensure Citizens’ Peace and Silence at Night.”
Similar rules are also recorded in administrative legislation at the level of constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Thus, in the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Ulyanovsk Region, Article 4.1 is devoted to this. It provides for punishment in the form of a fine in the amount of 300 to 700 rubles for individuals who violate the curfew. Measures and the degree of administrative responsibility for this offense vary from region to region.
What to do if there are no rules written for your neighbors? To stand for your rights. The simplest thing is to contact the police with a request to record violations of the regime and draw up an appropriate protocol, which will serve as the basis for bringing residents who are keen on repairs to administrative responsibility. If there is no reason for this (they make noise, but strictly from 7 to 23), write a statement to the local branch of the State Housing Inspectorate, as well as to the Prosecutor’s Office, to try to check the legality of the neighbors’ repair work.
However, checks and clarifications can take quite a long time. If the noise from your neighbors is unbearable, consider how to protect your apartment from outside noise.
Apartment renovation - what does the law say about this?
When asked what to do if neighbors drill every day, lawyers answer as follows - use the current legislation.
Attention! In the Russian Federation, back in 1999, Law No. 52-F3 “On the sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population” was adopted.
Many edits have been made to it, but it still protects the peace of Russians during the day and at night.
Repair work on weekdays
According to the law mentioned above, during the daytime the permitted noise level should not exceed 40 decibels, and at night - 30 decibels.
The time when nighttime quiet occurs differs for each area.
For example, for the Leningrad region, noise is allowed from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm. In this case, continuous repair work is limited to one hour, unless a larger amount is agreed upon with authorized persons.
Some areas have also taken care to ensure that neighbors do not drill very noisily during lunchtime. Specific hours vary. For the Moscow region, the daytime silence regime is limited to the time frame from 13.00 to 15.00.
On weekends
The same rules apply to repairs on weekends as on weekdays. But the beginning and end of the hours allowed for construction work are set separately for each area.
Attention! New Year's Eve is the only holiday that is not subject to silence. No one is prohibited from making noise at this time.
✅ Responsibility for the violator
Article 6.4 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation provides for administrative liability for violation of sanitary and epidemiological requirements (including the law on silence). Initially, the violator receives a warning, and for subsequent violations he will face a financial penalty. The size of the fine depends on the legal status of the offender.
| Subjects of administrative law | Individuals | Officials and entrepreneurs operating without the formation of an individual entrepreneur | Organizations (legal entities) |
| Amount of fine | From 500 rub. | From 1 thousand and suspension of activities for 90 days | From 10 thousand and suspension of activities for 90 days |
Each subsequent violation is punished more severely. The given figures may be changed by regional authorities - the exact information is displayed in the Code of the locality on administrative penalties. For example, the lower limit of the fine for individuals/officials/organizations is respectively:
- in Moscow – 1 thousand/4 thousand/40 thousand (Article 13 of Moscow Law No. 45);
- in the Krasnoyarsk Territory - 500 rubles/5 thousand/10 thousand;
- in St. Petersburg – 500 rubles/5 thousand/25 thousand;
- in the Penza region – 1 thousand/2.5 thousand/20 thousand.
✅ How to deal with a violator and where to turn?
What to do if neighbors:
- they drill every day - if on weekdays they comply with the established hours and noise level requirements, then residents will be able to file claims only with the onset of a holiday or weekend (repairs cannot be carried out on Sunday);
- repairs are made on weekends - if this happens on Saturday at the agreed hours, then there is no question of a violation (unless otherwise specified by the regional code), Sunday is considered a day off, so neighbors have every right to express their indignation and take the necessary measures.
