4 noises you shouldn't make on Sundays

What is allowed on Sunday, what is prohibited? What do you have to consider with regard to your neighbours? What noises are forbidden or to be endured?

During the week, you want to relax after work or have other obligations, so some household tasks have to wait until the weekend. Whether washing machine, vacuum cleaner or lawnmower - since the household is often associated with a certain noise level, the question arises as to whether it is actually allowed to expect such household noises from one’s fellow human beings on Sundays?

What can and can’t you do on Sunday?
This article explains which noises and activities – especially in an apartment building – are prohibited during quiet hours and which things you are allowed to do despite the day off.

Incidentally, the general framework for rest periods is provided by German tenancy law, to which many landlords have adapted their in-house rest periods with deviations of one to two hours. These are:

On Sundays and public holidays, an all-day rest period must be observed.
On weekdays, there is a night’s rest from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Nationwide, there is no law regarding a midday rest, but a quiet period of 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. may be prescribed at the municipal level.
The exact times are best found in the house rules of your rental contract...

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1. Lawn mowing

Just like vacuuming or “carching” the balcony, mowing the lawn is also prohibited during quiet hours. As a general rule, no loud noises may be made in the garden or on the balcony on Sundays. In this case, if someone complains to the landlord or the police, the city can face a fine that is not too small – up to 5,000 euros, depending on the extent of the noise!

So-called robotic lawnmowers, although they often do not exceed the noise limit of 59 decibels, may still only be used on weekdays. However, ongoing court proceedings are to clarify whether the robots are still considered “mowers” or whether a special regulation is possible...

2. Laundry

If you didn’t have enough time to do your laundry the days before, a Sunday afternoon is a good time to do so. However, you should pay attention to the volume of the washing machine. Older models in particular sometimes develop an enormous noise level here. Excessively loud machines should be switched off on the rest day, as they can disturb the peace and quiet of the surrounding neighbours.

However, if it is a quieter model, there is nothing wrong with a load of laundry. Most modern machines comply with the corresponding guideline value of 30 to 40 dB. Some devices even have a “night wash” function, which washes particularly quietly.

3. Drilling...

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Drilling on Sundays is actually not officially prohibited by any law of the Federal Republic. However, you can actually find a corresponding clause on quiet hours in every house rules of rented apartments. It is written there that only noises at room volume are allowed during quiet hours. If this rule is broken, there is a threat of a warning from the landlord and after repeated disturbances of the peace, termination without notice can occur.

4. Vacuuming...

Vacuuming is similar to doing laundry. This is because the noise of the “dust helpers” now rarely exceeds the permitted room volume of 30 to 40 dB and thus does not disturb the neighbors excessively - at least in the legal sense. Only the balcony and terrace should be cleaned of dirt with a broom, because vacuuming outside is prohibited by law on public holidays and Sundays.

Of course, the safest thing to do is to use the remaining six days of the week for your housework. After all, you should relax on Sunday. If in doubt, you should always consult your landlord’s house rules to find out what you are allowed or prohibited from doing in your apartment.