Can they stop noise?

Q.- Can you tell me what the law is regarding noise from neighbours working (hammering) at certain times of the day or can they do it at any time? I live in Mijas Costa.

J G (Costa del Sol)

A.- Standardly the general rule all over Spain is that noisy work cannot start before 8am and must end before 10pm. The rules for each individual municipality are set by the town hall. You can find these rules by going to the Mijas website and searching for Ordenanza Municipal Reguladora de la Emision y Recepcion de Ruidos y Vibraciones. This should tell you what times noise is allowed and what intensity is permitted.

The rules in Marbella, for example, state that noise levels as heard inside your building with the windows closed must not exceed 30 decibels during the day. However, before you start measuring decibels, you should speak with the people doing the hammering.

You may find them willing to help. Perhaps they can muffle the sound in some way. If you live in a community and they are hammering directly on your wall, you can ask your president to speak to them. Finally you can go to court. There are various laws to prohibit noise.

Send your questions for David Searl through lawyers Ubeda-Retana and Associates in Fuengirola at Ask@lawtaxspain.com, or call 952 667 090