(TNS)—Q: The house next door was recently sold, and there is construction going on day and night. The workers are loud and have no consideration for our privacy. We have not felt comfortable spending time in our yard due to the noise and being watched. They still have a lot of work to get done. What can we do?
— Gerard
A: While your neighbors may renovate their new home, they must do so in a way that does not ruin your enjoyment of your property.
Like most problems with a neighbor, your first step is to have a polite but firm conversation with them. Ask the work to be limited to specific times and that the workers show more consideration for the folks living nearby.
Since the home was recently purchased, you may need to check your county’s property appraiser website to discover who bought it.
If this approach does not work, or you cannot locate the new owners, try to speak with the construction company’s management.
If you live in a planned community, your association will likely have rules when construction can occur. Contact your community manager to have them step in and resolve the problem.
Most municipalities have rules about when construction work can be performed. It is typically allowed from 8 to 6 on weekdays, with more limited hours on Saturday and no construction at all on Sundays and holidays.
The times can vary by city and even neighborhood, so you will need to check with the building department to confirm your community’s allowed times.
If the construction company is breaking these rules or otherwise misbehaving, you can complain to the building and code department. In my experience, most municipalities are good at dealing with these complaints.
Gary M. Singer is a Florida attorney and board-certified as an expert in real estate law by the Florida Bar. He practices real estate, business litigation and contract law from his office in Sunrise, Fla. He is the chairman of the Real Estate Section of the Broward County Bar Association and is a co-host of the weekly radio show Legal News and Review. He frequently consults on general real estate matters and trends in Florida with various companies across the nation. Send him questions online at www.sunsentinel.com/askpro or follow him on Twitter @GarySingerLaw.
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