People living in apartment buildings may not disturb their neighbours with household chores, loud music or family rows early in the morning, Italy's supreme court ruled on Friday.
The Court of Cassation delivered its judgement on a case brought by the neighbours of a Neapolitan housewife, Studiocataldi.it reported.
The woman regularly disturbed her neighbours by vacuuming, beating carpets, listening to music with the radio on full blast and having high-pitched arguments with her daughter at 6am, the apex court found.
The top court said the housewife's behaviour was in breach article 659 of Italy's penal code which governs noise pollution. She was ordered to pay 2,000 euros in damages and court costs.
Earlier this year the court upheld a lower court ruling that a man from Sicily had “risked disturbing people's sleep” by playing loud music in his car at night with a 'monster' car stereo with three amplifiers .
The man was stopped by police as he drove along the streets in Messina one night. Although there had been no complaints from residents in the area, a court in Messina ordered the man to pay a 300 euro fine, 1,000 euros in legal costs and impounded his stereo.
The court rulings against the man also cited article 659 of Italy's penal code.
