Loud music? Strange kitchen smells? Enthusiastic and obnoxious sex? We’ve probably all got a few horror stories about the neighbours from hell. 

But what are the most common complaints in Switzerland? A study by real estate portal Homegate looked at the most common gripes in different parts of the country – and how these were resolved. 

Who likes a neighbourly tiff?

As with pretty much everything in Swiss society, the Röstigraben and the Polentagraben play a huge role in whether or not you’re likely to have a fight over the back fence. 

READ: Can I barbecue on my balcony in Switzerland? 

The study found that French and Italian-speaking Swiss are more likely to have problems with their neighbours than those in German-speaking Switzerland. 

But the coast isn’t clear for German-speaking Swiss – in fact, the problems are a little closer to home. 

Residents of German-speaking Switzerland are more likely to have problems with people living in their own household than those in Latin Switzerland. 

Residents of German-speaking Switzerland are also more likely to have disputes with their landlords than those in the rest of the country. 

What annoys Swiss people the most? 

The major source of neighbourly tension in Switzerland is noise. 

More than 50 percent of respondents said that this was their biggest issue. 

The other major issues identified in the survey are disputes over shared laundry spaces, which one third of respondents said was their biggest issue. 

Disputes within households tended to all be about cleanliness, while more than 20 percent of respondents said they had experienced disputes with their landlords – although German-speaking Swiss were far more likely to go to seek legal advice about these issues than those in the rest of the country.