With the help of SPECTRI's accredited noise measurements, another client of ours was able to defend their rights to acoustic comfort in court.
The case was the following: Our client and her family were subjected to continuous noise harassment from a not cared for dog in a neighbor's yard. At our client's property the noise level exceeded 50 decibels at night (normally 30 decibels) due to the barking of the dog. Living in such conditions for 7 years had an adverse effect on the sleep, physical and emotional health of the client and their family.
There was no sign of understanding from her neighbor, which is unfortunately a common situation.
When our client turned to us, SPECTRI specialists organized the measurement of the dog's barking noise and prepared a protocol to serve as an official document (evidence) of the measured levels.
Using our measurements as a basis, our client proceeded to legal action to protect their rights to acoustic comfort. The process was not short and was accompanied by numerous attempts from the other side to hinder the resolution of the case, but... The result is here.
The violator of acoustic comfort was ordered to build a sound-absorbing fence on his property at his own expense, so that the dogs that live in his yard could not be heard. In addition, he was ordered to pay BGN 4,000 with interest to our client for the fact that from 2011 to 2018 he did not take measures to prevent his dogs from interfering and thus caused her harm. Over BGN 2,300, paid as costs in the case, are also on his account.
For more information – see here .
Resolving such cases is possible and SPECTRI is happy to be part of the solution. It is important to us that noise nuisance is increasingly found and stopped. The acoustic environment in which we live and work is an invisible but integral element that affects our health.
Our private clients often come to us unsure if they are within their rights to seek a less noisy environment. They are often dissuaded that noise is a 'subjective' factor, that they 'feel', that they are 'imagining' or that they are paying 'too much attention' to it.
But acoustic comfort is protected by law and an absolutely key component of the healthy life of a modern European citizen.
If you are interested in additional information or wish to consult with us - we would love to hear from you!