Can you soundproof your home against a noisy neighbour?
A cocktail of preventive design, clear norms and a touch of realism may be the true key to tackling noise disputes.
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Noise accounted for 85 per cent of the 299 Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals claims filed between April 2025 and July 2026.
ST PHOTO: JASEL POH
Samuel Chng and Immanuel Koh
When neighbourly noise across the hallway becomes unbearable, the default advice seems commonsensical at first: close the doors and windows.
But in Singapore’s tropical climate, doing so can leave a home warmer and more dependent on air-conditioning. Keep these open for natural ventilation, however, and sporadic noise from traffic, construction and neighbourhood activity comes back in.
