Noise complaints are a common issue in apartment buildings, requiring landlords and property managers to allocate time and resources to address them. Whether it’s loud music, social gatherings, pets, or construction activities, unresolved, recurring noise issues can hurt tenant satisfaction, increase turnover, or trigger formal disputes.
“Multi-residential buildings, especially those located in densely populated areas, tend to experience higher levels of ambient and activity-related noise,” observes Michael Almeyda, Business Development Manager at Axis Canada. “These buildings are ringed by urban life—traffic, public transit, nightlife, and local businesses. From within, residents are also subject to noise from elevators, pipes, creaking floors, and even exterior factors like wind. While a number of these noises are simply a part of the city life, noisier disturbances like booming music, yelling, or barking dogs can generate complaints.”
Sometimes these grievances can be a symptom of a bigger problem like underlying neighbour tensions, design limitations, or policy gaps—all of which can be difficult to assess without objective data.
“In today’s more complicated vertical communities, noise management isn’t just about quiet hours,” says Almeyda. “It’s about better design, smarter policy, and the right technology working together.”
Innovative ways to combat noise complaints
Advancements in technology are bringing more innovative solutions to the table, helping building owners manage noise complaints more equitably and effectively than past systems and protocols could.
“The integration of intelligent audio analytics and event-triggered video surveillance is particularly successful,” Almeyda says. “Intelligent audio analytics can identify disruptive sound patterns, such as shouting, loud music, or other sounds like car alarms or breaking glass. These analytics are designed to detect specific frequency changes—not voices or conversations. This represents a significant advancement in balancing privacy with proactive response.”
When paired with event-triggered video monitoring, property managers and security officers can get a much clearer picture of what’s going on.
“Let’s say a loud argument breaks out near the lobby,” he suggests. “The system would capture it visually and provide the context needed to decide whether action is necessary. It decreases dependence on subjective tenant reports and enables quicker, evidence-based decisions.”
Furthermore, these systems can facilitate trend analysis over time, allowing users to document repeated noise incidents on a dashboard, and in turn enabling various planners to visualize patterns that inform decisions, such as soundproofing targeted areas, updating quiet-hour regulations, or even redesigning spaces to mitigate in-unit noise. Crucially, this enhances operational efficiency through the use of business intelligence.
“In terms of privacy, we understand that tenants are cautious when it comes to surveillance,” he points out. “That’s why it has to be a built-in priority, and not an afterthought. The technologies being used today are designed specifically to avoid intrusion. Audio analytics systems, for instance, do not capture or store conversations – they identify sound patterns without recording speech. Similarly, video surveillance in shared spaces often includes privacy masking, which can blur areas or individuals not relevant to a triggered event.”
But ultimately, the use of technology alone doesn’t earn trust; communication must be central from the get-go.
“It’s important that residents understand what’s being used, where it’s being used, and why,” says Almeyda. “We always recommend clear signage, updates during onboarding, and open channels to explain how the systems work and how data is protected. This level of transparency helps reduce resistance and ensures tenants understand that the goal is to create a safer, more livable space – not to monitor their day-to-day activity.”
And in the end, responsible data management is what ties it all together.
“Footage and metadata are kept only for a short period unless there’s a specific need for investigation, and access is restricted to a few authorized people,” he notes. “When you combine that with transparency, privacy isn’t just a checkbox – it becomes a reassurance.”
Michael Almeyda is Business Development Manager at Axis Canada. Visit www.axis.com for more information.
