I Hear How Often My Neighbors Have Sex” - A Riga Woman Complains About Thin Walls 0 20

The woman who contacted the editorial office admits that the sense of privacy in her home has completely disappeared. Evenings that were once meant for relaxation have turned into a nerve-wracking wait to hear the details of someone else's life, from which it is impossible to escape even in her own bedroom.

“I live in a Khrushchyovka building in Jugla. I can no longer tolerate what is happening with my neighbors. I hear everything – how often they have sex, how their child misbehaves, what they argue about. I also hear when something falls and breaks. During the day, while I am at work, I don’t mind, but in the evenings, it’s impossible to fall asleep when the bed creaks next door. I understand that people are not to blame, but living next door can be very difficult sometimes,” the reader admits.

The woman asks what to do in such a situation – whether to “complain” to someone or, if there is no other option, to save up money and soundproof the walls herself.

LA.LV contacted the head of the public relations and marketing department at SIA “Rīgas namu pārvaldnieks,” Inita Kabanova, to find out how residents should act in such situations.

Kabanova notes that poor sound insulation is characteristic of both Khrushchyovka buildings and many other Soviet-era projects, as there were no specific standards for building acoustics at that time. She explains that residents must coordinate any renovations with the Department of Urban Development of the Riga City Council.

Renovations that affect common property must be agreed upon with the management, for example, if an apartment owner wants to replace radiators that are part of the building's central heating system. In turn, cosmetic repairs remain the responsibility of the apartment owner.

The representative notes that the management should only intervene if the noise is caused by any common utility devices – a heating unit, cold water pump, or elevator. In such cases, residents should report this to the management so that technicians can resolve the issue. Daily household noises that disturb residents are recommended to be addressed in another way – by contacting the police.

The legislation does not define specific “quiet hours” – noise cannot disturb neighbors at any time of day, Kabanova reminds.

Speaking about complaints of this nature, Kabanova acknowledges that such cases do occur: “Residents report noise from neighbors, but this happens infrequently. In such cases, we recommend contacting the police, and the noise level can be checked by the Health Inspectorate.