Condominium owners and tenants are becoming more aware of noise. The recently established Condominium Authority Ontario adjudicates noise disputes between residents and between residents and condo management.
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In most jurisdictions (including Ontario’s Condominium Authority Tribunal, for example), only condo unit owners and condominium corporations have the legal standing to file cases with the Tribunal. Tenants, occupants, or guests generally do not have that right directly.
So, if a tenant is experiencing issues such as noise disturbances, smoke, pets, or other rule violations, the proper steps are:
Notify the unit owner (landlord) in writing about the issue.
The unit owner can then raise the issue with the condo corporation (or the property manager).
If the issue remains unresolved, the owner or the condo corporation may bring the matter to the Tribunal.
How to complaint about noise
The Condominium Authority of Ontario published a step-by-step guide on how to deal with noise complaints.
Noise from Neighbours
Noise from neighbouring units is one of the most common sources of concern in multi-residential communities. However, not every reported case reflects a construction defect or a building performance issue. Some level of background and neighbour-generated sound is inherent in shared living environments.
Absolute silence is neither achievable nor realistic in multi-unit dwellings. Building codes and acoustic standards are designed to provide a reasonable level of acoustic privacy and comfort, not complete sound isolation. Recognizing these practical limits helps distinguish between genuine noise disturbances and the normal sounds of daily living within a shared community.
A long-running dispute between a resident and her upstairs and downstairs neighbours did not end well for the complainant. A B.C. woman who sought $5K from a neighbour over noise was ordered to pay $50 for nuisance - CTV NewsUnreasonable noise complaint
In rare cases, a complaint may be just made up. A client of mine, a condo manager, recently sent me a video recorded by a complaining tenant. The footage showed a chandelier swaying due to noise above the ceiling. Upon close review of the video, I noticed that the chandelier started to sway a second or so before the noise appeared. Also, the noise sounded like someone was banging something close to the microphone. The recording looked like someone was trying to record a fake noise complaint demonstrating it with a swaying chandelier.
From time to time, residents contact me requesting that I record or document noise disturbances from neighbouring units. Unfortunately, I must decline these requests. Because noise issues are often intermittent and unpredictable, it is not practical for me to remain in a unit for extended periods waiting for the sound to occur.
It is more effective for the resident experiencing the disturbance to record the noise at the time it occurs and submit that evidence, along with a written complaint, to the condominium management. If the complaint appears reasonable and substantiated, management is responsible for investigating and taking appropriate action in accordance with the condominium’s rules and policies.
More about these issues is in my other article. This article discusses the most common source of complaints, impact noise.
Reducing noise from neighbours
If you find that normal household sounds common in multi-residential living continue to bother you, and you are the unit owner, I can provide professional guidance on soundproofing your space.
Please note that this is a paid consulting service, and you will need to hire a qualified contractor to carry out any recommended modifications. Effective soundproofing solutions require proper materials, design, and installation — there are no “quick fixes” or low-cost shortcuts that can fully eliminate everyday noise transmission.
