A few weeks ago, a new law aimed at limiting neighborhood conflicts came into force, thus changing the rights of all citizens. Newcomers have no say.
When we imagine ourselves living in the countryside, we spontaneously think of large green spaces, nature, animals and the joys of tranquility. In general, life is much less stressful than in the city, and above all much calmer. This is also the reason why more and more French people are settling there. But for some residents, there must be no disturbances, visual, sound or odor, which spoil this haven of peace. Unfortunately, in town and in the countryside, it is not uncommon to notice nuisances, which can lead to real conflicts between neighbors.
It must be said that neighborhood quarrels have increased in recent years in France. At the end of 2023, around 1,300 legal proceedings were launched for conflicts linked to life in the countryside, indicated the Minister of Justice, Éric Dupond-Moretti. The noise of agricultural machines, the sound of the bell tower, the crowing of roosters, the smell of manure or that of farm animals… Some local residents are exasperated by the activity of the farmers in their commune or their neighbors.
To deal with this growing phenomenon, Parliament adopted on April 8, 2024 the bill, proposed by the Renaissance group, aimed at regulating and limiting disputes between neighbors, in particular between farmers and city dwellers who settle in countryside. This new law introduced into the Civil Code, since April 15, the principle of liability based on “abnormal neighborhood disturbances”.
What does this change for residents in the countryside? The individual “whoever is the cause of a disturbance exceeding the normal neighborhood inconveniences is legally liable for the resulting damage”, details thearticle 1253 of the Civil Code. On the other hand, “this liability is not engaged when the abnormal disturbance comes from activities, whatever their nature, existing prior to the act transferring ownership or granting enjoyment of the property or, in the absence of an act, to the date of entry into possession of the property by the injured person”, specifies the law.
In other words, the complainant cannot turn against the author of the trouble if his activity was established well before his arrival. Likewise, liability for abnormal neighborhood disturbance cannot be held if the activity in question complies with the regulations and laws in force.