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In a recent case in eastern China, a court has ordered a woman to pay 19,600 yuan (US$2,750) to her upstairs neighbor after she took extreme measures in response to what she considered excessive noise from his apartment.
The dispute involved a man, known as Zhang, who owned the upstairs flat, and a woman named Wang, residing on the first floor in Zhejiang province. Zhang sued Wang after she began trying to restrict his basic activities, including using the toilet at night, due to her heightened sensitivity to noise.
Wang, who first raised her complaints in January 2022, alleged that Zhang’s everyday noises, such as brushing his teeth and bathing, were disturbing her. Despite Zhang’s attempts to address her concerns - by wearing soft slippers indoors and carpeting his floors - Wang's sensitivity only worsened. She even demanded that Zhang refrain from using the toilet after 10pm.
Zhang's attempts to comply with Wang’s demands were met with persistent retaliation. Wang would bang on her ceiling with a stick or use a speaker to make noise whenever Zhang engaged in routine activities. Despite police warnings and confiscation of Wang’s speaker and stick, her disruptive behavior continued.
Frustrated, Zhang moved out of his flat in July and began renting a different apartment in the same building. However, his attempts to lease his previous property failed due to prospective tenants being unable to tolerate Wang’s harassment. Zhang subsequently filed a lawsuit claiming 33,000 yuan (US$4,600) in compensation for moving expenses and emotional distress.
Wang argued that her actions were a response to Zhang’s initial noise and maintained that she should not be liable for the costs associated with his relocation. The lower court, however, ruled in favor of Zhang, deeming his noise reasonable and Wang’s retaliatory actions excessive. Wang was ordered to pay 17,600 yuan for expenses and an additional 2,000 yuan for mental distress. Her appeal against the verdict was unsuccessful.
The court ruling has attracted significant attention on social media, with the story garnering over 50 million views on Weibo. The reaction has been predominantly critical of Wang, with many netizens expressing their frustration over her extreme response to minor noise disturbances.
“If you’re this sensitive to sound, maybe you should consider living in a villa,” one commenter suggested. Another pointed out, “If you’re reacting so loudly to his noise, aren’t you also creating noise?”
Source: SCMP
