Complaints of Sleep Problems Due to Elevator Noise
"Stairs Are Noisier" "Overly Sensitive" Reactions
A notice asking residents to refrain from using the elevator during late-night hours was posted in a building, sparking controversy.
On the 25th, several online communities saw a post from a resident containing a notice inside a building requesting people to "refrain from using the elevator during late-night hours." The notice was printed and laminated instead of handwritten, but it is unclear when and in which building it was posted.
The notice titled "Please" included the message: "Please refrain from using the elevator during late-night hours (12 AM to 5 AM) and use the stairs instead," and "It is very difficult to sleep due to the noise from elevator use. We earnestly ask for your cooperation."
The reactions from netizens who saw this were cold. They commented things like, "So they want us to walk up the stairs?" "The sound of footsteps on the stairs might be even louder," "If you can't tolerate this level of everyday noise, you shouldn't live in an apartment," and "This seems overly sensitive."
One netizen pointed out, "If the soundproofing work was poorly done or if there is a problem with the elevator itself, the noise from the elevator operation could be loud. However, this is an issue to be reported to the management office or the construction company, not a reason to ask residents to refrain from using the elevator." An experience was also shared where an internal inspection found a valve issue after complaints about loud elevator noise.
This is not the first time disputes over everyday noise in apartment complexes have arisen. In June, a post titled "Is showering between 11 PM and midnight prohibited?" also gained attention. The author, Mr. A, expressed frustration that a downstairs neighbor had been filing complaints through the management office for three months, requesting that he not shower late at night because the noise wakes their child. He explained that even before the complaints, he showered as quietly as possible and did not use a hairdryer at all. Mr. A said he had never received noise complaints before the new neighbor moved in and appealed, "I get home around 10:30 PM, but do I have to live so cautiously in my own home?"
According to the "Regulations on the Scope and Standards of Inter-floor Noise in Apartment Complexes," enacted by the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in June 2014, inter-floor noise in apartment complexes is defined as noise caused by the activities of residents or users that harms other residents or users. However, noise generated by water supply and drainage in bathrooms and restrooms is excluded. This is because water supply and drainage are considered part of the building's construction conditions, independent of the user's will. Therefore, noise caused by elevators during late-night hours can also be interpreted as resulting from construction conditions, independent of user intent.
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