Taiwanese Neighbor Disputes: Court Orders "No Trespass" in Nuisance Case

A New Taipei City court rules against a neighbor accused of land encroachment, surveillance, noise pollution, and air quality violations, protecting a family's right to peaceful living.

A resident of Hsinchu, Taiwan, identified as Mr. Chang, has been ordered by the Hsinchu District Court to cease a series of actions that were deemed disruptive and harmful to his neighbor, Mr. Chen, and his family.

The court's ruling came after Mr. Chen filed a lawsuit alleging a range of grievances, including land encroachment, the installation of surveillance equipment, and various forms of nuisance.

Mr. Chen's complaints included Mr. Chang's encroachment on his land, the installation of surveillance cameras that directly recorded Mr. Chen's property, the hanging of incense burners, the loud playing of religious music, and the operation of exhaust fans. Additionally, Mr. Chang was accused of allowing his dogs to bark excessively, causing significant disturbance to the Chen family.

Mr. Chen stated that Mr. Chang not only encroached on his land but also used surveillance equipment to record his property, potentially infringing on his family's freedom of movement. Furthermore, Mr. Chang was accused of hanging incense burners near the Chen's property, causing smoke to pollute the air and affect their health.

Adding to the disturbances, Mr. Chang was accused of playing religious music loudly and permitting his dogs to bark day and night, disturbing the Chen family's daily life. He was also said to have installed a kitchen exhaust fan, releasing cooking odors and causing pollution, including dog smells and odors from the bathroom.

Despite Mr. Chang's attempt to mitigate some issues, the court found the disruptions continued. The court ultimately ruled that Mr. Chang must refrain from six specific actions that were deemed to be in violation of Mr. Chen’s property rights, the court prohibited Chang from installing surveillance equipment to record the Chen family's property; hanging incense burners near the Chen’s property; allowing dogs to bark and disturb the neighbors; playing loud music; generating noise from exhaust fans; and emitting kitchen odors onto the Chen's property.