straita

Owners Rights

What can I do about a noisy neighbour in strata?

Short answer

Most schemes have a by-law against unreasonable noise or nuisance, backed by the Act’s rule that owners and occupiers must not interfere with others’ peaceful enjoyment. If a neighbour is unreasonably noisy, raise it with them, then report it to the committee or strata manager, who can issue a notice to comply, and the owners corporation can escalate to NCAT if it continues. Whether particular noise is a breach turns on the facts.

The difference between annoying and actionable

Not every noise is a breach. Normal household sound is part of apartment living. The by-laws and the Act bite where noise is unreasonable — sustained, excessive, or at hours that stop neighbours enjoying their homes. That’s a judgement on the circumstances, which is why a clear record of what happened and when matters so much.

Your escalation path

  1. Speak to the neighbour first where it’s safe and sensible.
  2. Report it in writing to the committee or manager with specifics.
  3. Breach notice — the owners corporation can serve a notice to comply for a by-law breach.
  4. NCAT — if the breach continues, the owners corporation (or an affected owner) can seek Tribunal orders, which can carry penalties.

Other avenues that may apply

Depending on the situation, ongoing disturbance can also involve the local council or the police — for example late-night noise or one-off serious incidents. These sit alongside the strata process, not instead of it.

Turning complaints into something enforceable

Committees often struggle to act on noise because it comes as scattered verbal gripes. In a self-managed scheme run on Straita, each report and any notice issued is recorded together, so the committee has a documented history to act on — and to rely on if the matter ever reaches the Tribunal.

Primary sources