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Pausito · smart living

Acoustics

Where can I go with a noise nuisance?

Short answer

Talk to the neighbours first. Then: in the Netherlands the municipality or environmental agency; in Flanders the municipality, because most domestic heat pumps have no specific Flemish noise conditions.

Explanation

Much household noise has no fixed limit. Neighbour law and mediation then come into play. In the Netherlands the municipality checks the national limit for heat pumps. In Flanders the code of good practice is not binding.

Rules of thumb

  • Note the date, time and duration of the nuisance; a measurement with a phone app is only an indication. (practical tip, not a source value)
  • NL: ask the municipality to check against the 40 dB limit for heat pumps. [SW-S14]
  • Flanders: refer to the code of good practice (45/40 dB(A)) as a basis for discussion. [SW-S15]

Pitfalls

  • This is not legal advice; the competent authority differs by municipality and region. [SW-S15]

By region

Belgium
Mediation via the municipality or justice of the peace; rules differ by region. [SW-S15]
Netherlands
Municipality or environmental agency. [SW-S14]

Search terms

These search terms are in Dutch; only terms that also find a topic in English are links.

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Read also

General information, not personal advice. Check the source and reference date.

Not legal advice. Rules differ by country and region; consult the competent authority.

Sources

  1. SW-S14 Geluid van bouwwerkinstallaties: regels bij nieuwbouw — Informatiepunt Leefomgeving (IPLO, Rijksoverheid) (Reference date 2026-09-27)
  2. SW-S15 Omgevingsaspecten bij warmtepompen en airco-installaties (presentatie) — Departement Omgeving Vlaanderen (N. Maes), via ODE (Reference date 2026-09-27)

Reference date: 2026-09-27 · Translated with AI from the Dutch original.