“The health of our tenants is a top priority for us”
Uppsala University Housing Office respond to their tenants’ complaints about high noise levels from the construction site at Klostergatan 16.
Last week, Ergo published an article about residents at Klostergatan 16, whose living standards have been impaired by heavy construction work going on in the neighbouring building. International student “Mulan”, whose room is facing the construction site, told Ergo the sound levels have reached 100 decibels with the window open when she has measured it with an app.
Some of the tenants have started a petition in hopes of being compensated with a rent reduction, which Uppsala University Housing Office – the housing agency providing the leases – have not been able to grant. They have, however, offered a gift card to the tenants for 400 SEK at Hemköp, a local grocery store.
"We try to exert what influence we have to make sure the project progresses in a way that affects our tenants as little as possible."
Now Uppsala University Housing Office have answered Ergo’s questions via email through their Head of office, Ann Klaar:
– We would like to start off by expressing that we understand some of our tenants have perceived the noise from the construction that has been going on periodically as strenuous. We are sorry for this, but unfortunately a certain amount of noise accompanying the city’s development and growth is unavoidable. However, we keep a tight dialogue with the property owners and the project organisation of the construction site in order to continually inform our tenants of what is happening. As soon as we are informed of any developments connected to the construction work, we communicate this via email;
– Our reception is open Monday through Friday, 13-21 and on weekends 16-21 and you can contact us at info@housingoffice.se. You can also come by our office and talk to us directly if you wish;
– To the furthest possible extent, we try to exert what influence we have to make sure the project progresses in a way that affects our tenants as little as possible. We have, among other things, said no to construction going on before 8 AM.
"Further compensation is not out of the question, but it’s not an option for the time being."
The construction work at Klostergatan 16 seems to have been going on for quite a while now, over a month – wouldn’t it be fair if at least those who were not informed before signing their leases that there would be construction work going on were compensated through a rent reduction for the period they have had to live with the noise?
– We have already decided that they will get compensation in the form of a 400 SEK gift voucher for food. We had a dialogue with the property owners and this is our way of showing to our tenants that we understand certain parts of the construction work that has been going on for shorter periods of time during work hours on weekdays can be strenuous, and a gift voucher for food seemed like something students could have actual need for. Further compensation is not out of the question, but it’s not an option for the time being.
Have you considered lowering the period of notice? Three months is a long time if you manage to find another place and want to move to get away from the noise.
– Presently, we have not considered lowering the period of notice.
According to the Public Health Agency of Sweden’s recommendations on indoor noise, the sound levels should not surpass 45 decibels. The tenants in the rooms facing the construction site have registered levels up to 100 decibels with open windows and 85 decibels with closed windows. I visited one of the rooms myself and the noise well surpassed a volume that I would be able to work in. Have you considered the effects this might have on the tenants’ health?
– We, The Housing Office, are ourselves tenants of this property and keep a continuous dialogue with the site’s project organisation. The loud noise was a result of heavy demolition work, but that part of the demolition project is finished now. We would also like to add that the health of our tenants is, of course, a top priority for us, and as soon as we found out about the noise issues we contacted the construction company to speak with them about it.
A large cinema is under construction at Klostergatan. The owners of the property are Uppsala Akademiförvaltning. (Photo: Lina Svensk)
Have you measured the sound levels yourselves in the rooms closest to the site? If so, how loud was it?
– Presently, we have not measured the sound levels ourselves.
Some tenants claim that they have discovered cracks in the walls resulting from the vibrations from the construction site – have you received reports on this? How are you handling it?
– We have received information and photos of cracks from some of the tenants concerned, and this type of information is immediately forwarded to the site’s project organisation. A design engineer hired by the site takes part in the assessment and monitoring of cracks that appear and these have been deemed safe. Of course, we don’t want cracks to stir unnecessary worry in our tenants and there is room for improvement in regards to the information the construction site conveys to us. Necessary repairs of cracks will be made, but as of right now, we don’t know when this will happen.
How long will the tenants have to live with the noise?
– The part of the construction work that, so far, has been the source of the loudest noise levels ended this Monday (October 25). The construction work will be going on until the first half of 2024. Depending on what sort of construction work is going on, the noise levels may be higher than usual up until then, but we are keeping a tight dialogue with the project organisation in order to prevent this to the furthest extent possible and we continually communicate with our tenants to inform them as soon as possible.
Have you considered offering alternative accommodations to the tenants who are the most affected by the noise levels?
– Unfortunately we don’t have any other rooms or apartments to offer as all the accommodations we administer are rented out.
What is Uppsala University Housing Office?
Uppsala University Housing Office offers apartments to international students, PhD students, university visitors, guest researchers and other international guests with an assignment at Uppsala University. The Housing Office is not a legal entity under Uppsala University, but rather an agency contracted by the University to mediate accommodations. It’s a non-profit assignment.
