How to handle guest complaints about neighbors / noise from outside

Category: Guest Communication

By: Nolan Peters

Posted: 2025-12-15T23:29:52.009Z

My property is next to a house that has dogs. Multiple dogs. They bark sometimes, especially in the morning. I've had 3 guests now mention the barking in their reviews. One gave me 3 stars for "location." This is completely outside my control. How do I handle noise complaints about things I can't fix? Do I need to disclose this in my listing?

Reply by Anika Sharma:

Ugh, the neighbor noise thing. I have a similar situation (construction nearby that seems to never end). Here's what helped: Counterintuitive advice: disclose it in your listing. Something like "This is a residential neighborhood — you may occasionally hear dogs, kids, or lawn mowers. We provide white noise machines and earplugs for light sleepers." Guest who would've been annoyed self-select out. Guests who book have already accepted it. And nobody can hit you with "not as described." For mitigation — white noise machines in every bedroom are an absolute game-changer. The Dohm or LectroFan models ($25 each) mask barking surprisingly well. Also throw some earplugs in a bedside basket ($0.50/pair), and if you want to go further, those thick blackout curtains actually reduce noise by 5-10 dB. Weather stripping on bedroom windows helps too and costs like $10. For responding to reviews that mention it, something like: "Thanks for staying! Our property is in a residential neighborhood with typical activity. We provide white noise machines and earplugs in each bedroom, and we've recently added soundproofing curtains. Hope to host you again!" Have you talked to the neighbor? A lot of dog owners genuinely don't realize how loud their dogs are, especially when they're at work. A friendly conversation goes a long way. If the barking is truly excessive, most cities have noise ordinances and animal control will issue warnings. I spent $250 total on 2 white noise machines, a box of earplugs, and 4 soundproofing curtains. That basically eliminated the noise complaints that were dragging my rating down. Best investment I've made on the property honestly.

Reply by James Wu:

The most underrated noise solution: **play background music in common areas.** I have a small Bluetooth speaker (Sonos One, $179) in the living room playing low-volume ambient music. It masks neighborhood noise, creates a hotel-like atmosphere, and guests LOVE it. I set up a Spotify playlist called "[Property Name] Welcome" with acoustic, jazz, and lo-fi music. It's mentioned in my check-in instructions: "Enjoy your stay! We've set up a curated playlist on the living room speaker. To play: [simple instructions]." Multiple guests have mentioned the music positively in reviews. It turned a potential negative (neighborhood noise) into a perceived positive (curated ambiance).