How to document neighbor noise before you complain

The usual escalation path

A calm, specific note or conversation — many people do not realize how much sound travels. Mention times, not character.
Landlord, building manager or HOA — leases and building rules often include quiet hours.
Mediation — many cities have free or low-cost community mediation services.
Local authority — depending on where you live, a noise ordinance enforced by the city, or in the UK the local council’s environmental health team, which can investigate statutory nuisance.

Banging on the ceiling or confronting someone at their door usually makes things worse.

Rules and services change and differ by country, city and building. This guide reflects what we could confirm as of October 2026; check your local government, landlord or building rules before acting.

The two-week noise log

Date	Time	Noise	Duration	Effect	Notes
Fri 3 Oct	22:40–23:10	Running, thumping	About 30 min	Could not sleep	Children’s voices too
Sat 4 Oct	07:05	Furniture dragged	2–3 times	Woke up

Name the type of noise — footsteps and impacts, music and TV, and plumbing are often treated differently.
Mark night-time entries — quiet hours and night limits are stricter.
It may not be the unit above — impact noise travels through walls and structure. Write "probably" when you are guessing.
Be careful with audio recordings, which can capture other people’s conversations. Times and levels are usually enough to start.

Example: Korea’s free neighbor noise center

Some countries run dedicated services. South Korea’s environment agency operates a free inter-floor noise center (1661-2642) that offers phone consultation, home visits and, where needed, noise measurement. From April 2026 it also covers multi-household houses and residential officetels.

Supporting the log with the app

Meter screen with the dB reading, Min Avg Max cards and a Start button — Meter screen

Measure while the noise is happening

Put the phone where you normally are, such as a bedside table, and tap Start; stop when the noise ends. Each session keeps its time, length and Min to Max range. Focus Noise Meter only calculates levels and never records audio.

Records screen with session count, overall average dB, lowest average dB and a session list — Records tab

Measure the quiet too

One session in the same spot when it is quiet gives you a baseline. Lowest avg dB at the top of Records is that reference point.

For reference only, not a legal measurement. Phone readings can be off by several dB depending on the microphone and calibration. Official noise assessments are made with a calibrated sound level meter following a standard method. Use phone readings as a personal log of when, how often and roughly how loud.

FAQ

Can my phone log be used as evidence?

It is not an official measurement. A clear log of dates and times still helps explain the situation to a landlord, mediator or authority.

Is there a legal dB limit?

Usually not a single one. See legal decibel limits for neighbor noise.

Focus Noise Meter - dB Sound Level

It never records audio, only calculates dB levels, and your history stays on your phone. Free on Android.

Get it on Google Play