When renovation work is allowed in an apartment

What the law says

The Administrative Penalties Law (public order) provides liability for disturbing public order where a person's peace is disturbed. A private individual can be given a warning or fined up to 100 fine units, that is, up to €500.

The law does not tie this to a particular job, such as drilling or chiselling. What matters is the result: whether the noise disturbs other people's peace.

Noise rules in Riga: what the municipal police say

In June 2026, the Riga Municipal Police explained that making noise is not in itself directly prohibited. Liability arises if public order is disturbed, and everyday domestic noise is usually not a violation.

The police do not measure noise levels in residential premises. If a neighbour's noise is disturbing you now, the police advise calling the municipal police so that it is checked on the spot.

In Riga's rules on territory maintenance and building upkeep currently in force (RD-24-270-sn, 15.05.2024), requirements on the time of renovation work or on noise are not set. The earlier Riga rule that required noisy work to be agreed with the building manager is no longer in force.

House rules

The Law on Residential Properties (Dzīvokļa īpašuma likums) allows the apartment owners' association to set house rules and restrictions, and owners must comply with them. They can also include renovation hours. So before noisy work, ask the building manager whether renovation hours have been adopted for your building.

In the Riga region the situation can differ between municipalities. If the apartment is, for example, in Mārupe, Ķekava or Jūrmala, ask the building manager and the municipality what applies to your building.

Renovation work at weekends

At weekends and in the evenings the assessment is the same: whether the noise disturbs other people's peace and whether the house rules contain restrictions adopted by the association.

If it is not clear before the renovation what is acceptable in your building, the safest course is to agree with the neighbours and the building manager in advance rather than argue afterwards.

How to plan noisy work

1. Ask the building manager Whether the building has association rules on renovation hours, how the water is shut off and where materials may be placed in shared areas.
2. Warn the neighbours A notice by the stairwell door or a conversation: which days there will be demolition and chiselling, and how long it will continue.
3. Group the noisier work Demolition, removing old tiles, chasing for wires and pipes and drilling into concrete usually make the most noise. If they are done one after another, the noisy stage is shorter.
4. Respect common property The stairwell is a shared area. The Law on Residential Properties requires careful treatment of common property.

When can you drill? By the same logic: if drilling does not disturb others' peace and the house rules do not restrict it, a separate ban by clock time is not set in Riga's rules. If neighbours ask you to spare them at a certain time, that is usually cheaper than a dispute.

If a neighbour is making noise

• Talk to the neighbour first: it may be enough to find out how long the work will continue.
• Ask the building manager whether house rules on renovation hours have been adopted for the building.
• If the noise is disturbing you now, the Riga Municipal Police advise calling the police so that it is checked on the spot.

Prices of the noisiest work

Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate. Demolition of walls, floors and finishes: from €6/m². Demolition of old tiles: from €9/m². The price is determined by the area, the condition of the walls and floors and what has to be removed. More: demolition.