Once there happened something in Poland that confirmed “the good always wins” theory. It is a story that your customers will be happy to hear. Especially those who live in a block of flats will enjoy it. So, here goes the story. A group of next door neighbors wanted to destroy the future of a young pianist. Fortunately, the law protected the art.
Residents of one of blocks of flats in Wrocław brought an action against a music school student. Residents felt disturbed by piano sound when the young piano adept practised in his apartment playing an instrument. The case went to court.
The neighbors tried to reconcile, but they couldn’t find a satisfactory solution. The police was called a few times by the complaining neighbors. Each police visit was difficult for the boy. He felt stressed and it could have influenced his development in a negative way.
The complainants appealed for the prohibition of the piano, or the order to soundproof the room for practice. During the trial the judge used the expertise of specialists who measured the sound intensity in homes of the complaining neighbors. The sound level fluctuated between 29dB and 31,6dB. This can be compared to the volume of a working fridge or whisper. Noise intensity with the window closed in an apartment on a busy street is about 35-40 dB, while with the open window it reaches up to 50 dB. Polish law defines the acceptable level of noise in an apartment as 40 dB. In this case, both the law and common sense were supporting the musican. The neighbors were apparently too sensitive.
Finally, the court adviced to hang thick curtains, put a rug in the piano room, and put vibration isolating pads under the legs of the instrument. Thanks to these the sound wouldn’t be transmitted so intensively to the neighborings’ dwellings. The sentence was justified by the fact that, since the sound of the piano did not exceed the acceptable level and the practice wasn’t a long hours’ process, it was not a factor disturbing the tenants’ peace.
In addition, a socio-economic purpose of housing is not only relaxation, but also the development on various levels. The case was dismissed.
Thus, as piano dealers you can confidently recommend the purchase of a piano to customers living in blocks of flats or town houses. The case shows that the law is favorable for piano music enthusiasts. At least that’s the way it is in Poland. What about your country? Have you ever heard of a similar case?
Inspiration: http://prawo.rp.pl/artykul/1105271.html
