Apartment Etiquette

One in ten Australians now calls an apartment home. If you’re one of the lucky ones, you may be aware that there are some unspoken rules to keep the peace with your neighbours. 

A sense of community is one of the best aspects of living in an apartment building, especially when there’s a culture of respect and privacy. 

Here are three things you can do to establish and maintain a friendly relationship with your neighbours.

Keep noise to a minimum

It’s no surprise that this one tops the list.

No one wants to be kept up to all hours of the night or woken up during a Sunday sleep-in. So help your neighbours out by keeping noise to a minimum. 

Simple actions like keeping your music down to reasonable sound levels – will go a long way. Barking pets or the sound from your new TV surround-sound system can also travel further than you might expect. 

Also, keep an eye on the time of day. What sounds fine during the day can be ear-piercing in the dead of night. If you have a function, consider holding it in the community spaces of the development or give your neighbours the heads-up about the celebration so that they can make plans to go out that night. Or consider inviting them.

You shouldn’t feel like you have to tiptoe in your apartment; some noise is inevitable. However, if you’re a shift worker or work from home – consider having a friendly, non-confrontational discussion with your neighbours about keeping noise levels down within certain hours. 

You may find that they’ll be more than happy to oblige. 

Be friendly

You’ll be seeing your neighbours regularly, so take care to be kind. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you need to swap your life stories or become best buds, but a quick wave or ‘hello’ won’t go astray. 

You can show kindness to your neighbours by holding the lift, giving them right-of-way in the car park.

You never know when having a neighbour on your side will come in handy.

Be a savvy pet owner

Be a savvy pet owner. While most people will be thrilled to cross paths with your puppy in the hallway, some may have reservations. 

Keep your dog on a leash while in the common areas, and if you’re entering the lift with another person, make sure they feel comfortable in a confined space with your pet. 

If your dog has a tendency to bark, speak to your vet or a dog trainer to find ways to curb the habit. Your neighbours are more likely to turn a deaf ear if they know you’re taking steps to improve the issue, so drop them a letter to thank them for their patience. 

There you have it – three rules to live by if you call an apartment home. Do you have any suggestions for making life run smoothly with the people next door?

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