Consumer disputes|The tenants demand a discount from the noise nuisance of the nearby construction site. The Consumer Disputes Board sided with the landlord.
The Consumer Disputes Board did not support the tenants’ demand for a rent reduction due to the noise nuisance from the nearby construction site.
The tenants demanded a 15 percent discount on the monthly rent of 1,009 euros, because the construction work in the vicinity caused noise and vibrations.
The board concluded that anyone moving into an apartment building should be prepared for noise, and that the work did not cause unusual inconvenience.
Tenants were outraged by the construction noise heard from the courtyard of the apartment building and demanded a rent reduction.
The landlord denied the claim because no part of the apartment was out of use due to the work.
The case was taken to the Consumer Disputes Board, which gave his solution just before the turn of the year.
Tenants moved into a 53-square-meter apartment in the spring of 2022, and construction work started near the apartment the following fall.
In its public decision, the board does not specify the location of the event, but according to the document, the regulations of the city of Helsinki have been followed at the site.
According to the tenants, the work caused noise, vibration, blocking of passageways, spoiling of views and health hazards. They were also bothered by the fact that the builders could see directly into the tenants’ apartment.
The residents paid 1,009 euros in rent per month and 20 euros for water per person. The tenants are demanding a 15 percent rent reduction and later interest on the amount.
The tenants could have avoided the eyes of the construction workers by buying blinds.
Lessor replied to the board that the additional construction work was entirely limited to the outside of the apartment.
The residents were informed about the arrangements, and the deviating routes were clearly marked on the site’s guide board, according to the landlord.
The tenants could have avoided the eyes of the construction workers by buying blinds. According to the landlord, their purchase belonged to the tenants.
Board assesses that the tenant has the burden of proof to demonstrate the deficiencies for a rent reduction.
“When moving into an apartment building, the tenant should, in principle, be prepared for the fact that, for example, due to other apartments or renovation work, sounds may be heard in the apartment. In the matter, it has not appeared that there was a separate agreement on the quietness of the apartment during the day,” the board writes in its decision.
According to it, the work has not been shown to cause unusual harm. The board specified that the lease does not apply to the yard area, i.e. its removal due to work does not entitle to a rent reduction.
The board unanimously decided not to recommend a discount. The board’s decisions are not legally binding, but they are generally followed.