Noise complaints among neighbors living in multistory complexes increase drastically during wintertime due to increased time spent indoors, a report showed Thursday.

Seoul City analyzed 1,097 cases of noise complaints since 2014, when it launched a team to mediate conflicts among neighbors.

Starting with 47 complaint cases in October 2014, the number increased to 48 in November and 55 in December, then to 65 in January 2015. The number continued to rise in the following two months before declining in April, the report said.

Of the reported cases, 850, or 77.5 percent were complaints of noise created by those walking or running above them. 

Others included noise coming from moving furniture, hammering and closing of doors (10.8 percent) and sounds of home appliances such as vacuum cleaners and washing machines or someone playing a piano (5.9 percent). Nearly 5 percent were about the noise of dogs barking.

The consulting team run by the city has been playing various mediation roles, such as by providing on-site consultations, analyzing noises, assisting the complexes in coming up with regulations and offering guidance, the city officials said.

“When a problem occurs, it is better to use the management office or contact the call center at 120 to consult with a mediator for noise complaints, instead of facing emotional confrontation or directly visiting neighbors in person,” said Jung You-seung, the city’s Housing Construction Bureau chief.

By Park Su-sie (khnews@heraldcorp.com)
Intern reporter