A noisy neighbour: what to do first, step by step

Key rules

• Order: Go in this order: a polite word, then the president or administrator, then the Policía Local, keeping evidence along the way.
• Community fines: A community of owners cannot fine you for noise; fines come from the town hall, and the community can only send a formal warning and, after a vote of the owners, ask a court to order the noise to stop.
• Police: Officers can report noise they hear themselves, even without a measurement.
• Evidence: Dated, written records of every step make each later complaint stronger.

Start with a polite word

Talk to your neighbour first. Many people do not know how far their noise carries. A calm chat keeps things friendly and often ends the problem in one go. Administrators also expect you to have tried this before you come to them.

If talking does not work, leave a short, friendly written note. Keep a copy or take a photo of it. If you rent, your landlord can also be involved, so tell them if the noise continues.

Start your evidence log from the first night. The checklist below shows what to write down.

Then write to the administrator or president

If the noise goes on, tell the community administrator or the president (the owners' elected head) in writing. Date the letter and keep a copy. Include what you have already tried.

Here is what they can and cannot do:

• They can send the neighbour a formal letter (a requerimiento) asking them to stop and warning of legal action.
• If the noise continues, the owners can vote at a meeting to ask a court to order it to stop. This is a slow route.
• A court can order the noise to stop and award compensation. In serious cases it can remove the neighbour's right to use the property for up to three years, or end a tenancy.
• They cannot measure noise. The fines rule is in the key rules above.

Then call the Policía Local

Call the Policía Local while the noise is happening. Officers can come, ask the neighbours to lower the noise and warn them. They can also write a denuncia, a formal report of what they saw and heard.

• Many forces carry a noise meter and can measure inside your home or at the source. This depends on your city and how busy the force is.
• Without a measurement, officers can still report noise they hear themselves, such as shouting, music or parties. Their report counts as strong proof of what they saw.
• They cannot enter a home without consent, a judge's warrant or a crime in progress.
• They cannot set the final fine. The town hall decides that.

Complain to the town hall

Send a written complaint to your town hall with your log. The town hall may send technicians to measure the noise inside your home. Procedures differ between towns, so ask your town hall how it works.

Keep evidence at every step

Keep every dated letter, note and report. Ask other affected neighbours to confirm what they heard. Recordings help, but measurements count for more. If the case goes to court, an expert acoustic report is valued highly. Talk to a lawyer before starting legal action, as the procedure and thresholds are detailed.

The documents list, the warnings and the FAQ below cover what each office wants to see and the common mistakes.

Documents you need

• Police report (denuncia or acta) from an officer who attended and recorded the noise. This is the strongest proof, and the police issue it.

• Written complaint to the town hall, together with your log of incidents. The town hall may then send technicians to measure the noise inside your home.

• Dated written complaints to the administrator or president, with a record of your attempts to settle it, such as your note to the neighbour.

• Expert acoustic report (informe pericial) from a qualified acoustic expert. Courts value it, but you only need it if the case goes to court.

• Written statements from other neighbours who heard the noise. Courts value them.

• Recordings of the noise. They help, but measurements count for more.

What to record before you escalate a noise complaint

Build a noise log that holds up

• Write down the date, start time, end time and total duration of every noise episode.

• Describe the type of noise, such as music, shouting, stomping or appliances.

• Note where the noise comes from and the room where you hear it.

• Describe how strong it is and how it affects you, for example sleep disturbed or a room you cannot use.

• Note whether the noise has happened before, and mark each repeat.

• Write down each step you took, such as talking to the neighbour, calling the police or filing a complaint, along with any reference numbers.

• Make recordings and photos with timestamps, only from inside your own home and only of the noise reaching you.

• Avoid recording private conversations you are not part of, and never place a device in someone else's property.

• Write each entry at the time it happens and keep going for several weeks.

• Ask the police to attend and write up the noise, and ask your town hall whether a technician can measure it inside your home.

What to watch out for

• Expecting the president to punish the noise: The president can send a formal requirement to stop, but cannot fine or measure noise. Court action needs a vote of the owners' meeting, so it takes time. Start with a polite word, then write to the president or administrator with dated details. Go to the town hall for fines and noise measurement.

• Going to the police first with no evidence: Policía Local cannot enter a home without consent, a warrant or a crime in progress. They cannot impose the final fine, and without a measurement they can only report what they hear themselves. Call at the time of the noise so officers can hear it. Keep your evidence log and ask for a copy of any report.

• Skipping the friendly steps: Many noise problems come from neighbours not realising. Jumping straight to formal action can damage relations, and administrators generally expect a polite word first. Speak politely, leave a friendly written note, then notify the president or administrator in writing.

Frequently asked questions

Can the community president fine my noisy neighbour?

No, the community president cannot fine or measure noise, because those powers belong to the town hall. The president can send a formal requirement (requerimiento) telling the neighbour to stop and warning of legal action.

What can a court order against a neighbour who keeps making noise?

A court can order the noise to stop and can award compensation. In serious cases it can bar the neighbour from using the property for up to three years, or end a tenancy if the noisy person is a tenant. The president needs the owners' meeting to approve going to court.

Can the police come into the flat to stop the noise?

No, Policía Local cannot enter a home without consent, a court warrant or a crime in progress. They can attend, ask the occupants to lower the noise, warn them and write a formal report (denuncia). The town hall, not the officers, decides any final fine.