What belongs in a noise log
Landlords and courts ask for the same details. If one of them is missing, the entry is worth little. For each incident, include:
| Detail | Example | In the app |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Friday, March 14 | automatic |
| Start and end | 23:40 to 1:15 | start and stop, the app calculates the duration |
| Type of noise | music, bass through the wall | six categories: music and party, construction, footsteps and stomping, barking dogs, TV and radio, other |
| Volume | around 55 dB in the bedroom | level measured with the microphone, no audio |
| How it affects you | could not fall asleep | note |
| Witnesses | partner was awake | note |
You can also write this down on paper. What matters is that you do it promptly and record every incident, not just the worst ones.
Why the app records no audio
Many people reach for a voice recorder to prove the noise. That is risky: in Germany, § 201 of the Criminal Code (StGB) makes it an offense to record privately spoken words without permission, and through the wall you often hear conversations too.
That is why the app only stores the level in decibels. There is no recording anyone could listen to.
A phone microphone is not a calibrated measuring device. The dB value shows the order of magnitude and makes incidents comparable with each other. What counts in the log is the time, the duration and how often it happens.
Noise log template or app?
A paper template costs nothing and is enough if you keep it up consistently. In practice, though, the sheet is rarely next to the bed at two in the morning, and entries written the next morning are less precise.
You have your phone in your hand anyway. The app sets the date and time itself, measures the level, calculates the duration and sorts everything by date. At the end you do not copy out a notebook, you get a finished PDF.
| Merkmal | Paper template | App |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | none | free with ads, PDF as a one-time purchase |
| Time | you write it down | the app sets it |
| Volume | estimated | measured in dB |
| Duration | you calculate it | the app calculates it |
| Sharing | type it up or copy it | share the PDF |
What the app costs
no subscriptionbuy once
Free features are the level measurement, manual entries, all six categories, the list of all incidents and notes, with no limit on the number of entries. The free version shows ads. A one-time purchase in the Play Store unlocks the PDF export and removes the ads. There is no subscription.
Common questions about the noise log
How long should I keep a noise log?
No law sets a fixed period. The log should show how often and how regularly the noise occurs. A single evening does not show that, several weeks do. How long it takes in your case is something a tenants' association or a lawyer can tell you.
Do I need witnesses?
Witnesses are not required. If someone else noticed the noise, write their name in the note. That makes the entry more credible.
What does the landlord do with the log?
The log shows when and how often it was loud. The landlord can use it to speak to the person causing the noise or give them a formal warning. For an acute disturbance at night, the local public order office or the police are responsible; there the log shows that it is not a one-off.
Does the log help with a rent reduction?
In Germany, a rent reduction because of noise (§ 536 of the Civil Code, BGB) requires that the use of the apartment is significantly impaired and that the landlord knows about it. A complete log is the basis for that. Whether the reduction holds up and how much it can be depends on the individual case.
Does the app record conversations?
No. It only measures the level in decibels and stores no audio.
Does the app work without internet?
Yes, measuring and logging work without a connection. Your entries stay on your device.
Can I print the log?
Yes. The PDF export (one-time purchase) creates a table of all incidents that you can print or send by email.
This app is made by ReiVi, the app label of Viktor Reinik from Freilassing, Germany. Every ReiVi app does exactly one job and works without an account. Who is behind ReiVi (in German)
View on Google PlayLegal basis (Germany): § 201 StGB (confidentiality of the spoken word), § 536 BGB (rent reduction). This page is not legal advice. If in doubt, ask a tenants' association or a lawyer. Updated on October 26, 2026.
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