Neighbour's noisy spa driving family to move out

A Christchurch woman says her family might have to move out because of the neighbour's spa. Photo / 123RF

A Christchurch family is considering selling their home because of the neighbour's noisy spa.

Burnside resident Sharyl Teh says the heating unit in the spa switches on at random times, day and night, making noise and causing the whole house to vibrate as if there was heavy machinery constantly doing work outside.

Teh says she has filed noise complaints and even sought legal advice.

The Christchurch woman says her husband tried reasoning with the neighbours but she told Fairfax that "obviously didn't work".

"The broken nights sleep isn't funny anymore," she added.

The spa pool is reportedly closer to the Teh family home than it is to the neighbour's house.

Despite having lived there for five years, the homeowner says the family is now considering selling the house and moving elsewhere to escape the noise and vibrations.

However, the decision was tough as the house is well zoned for the children's schools.

Teh says the Christchurch City Council assessed the issue and found the noise to be just under the night time maximum of 40 decibels.

As for the vibration, the Resource Management Act (RMA) does not prescribe limits for it.

"It just makes me want to cry thinking I have to put up with this for the rest of my life," she told Fairfax.