What rights do I have concerning my neighbour’s barking dogs? – Rita, NSW

Q: The person living below me has two large dogs. They bark frequently, pretty loudly, and it can happen in the early morning or when I put the children to sleep. The committee tells me it’s a “neighbour resolution” problem, but I believe it is a committee/strata problem because it is disturbing another occupier. What rights do I have?

A: Review your by-laws about keeping a pet, to find out if there’s a section on the behaviour and/or noise levels of animals in the building. Sometimes, the by-law or building rules might only apply to common property, not inside an individual’s lot.

If the dogs barking is in clear violation of the by-laws, any owner can put forward a motion to the next general meeting for discussion by all owners. Outside of your strata property, local council rangers may be able to enforce noise control regulations.

If you would like to learn more about this topic, you can read our article on how to deal with noise in a strata property.