Are you dealing with noisy neighbours, playing loud music or with constant barking dogs? These disturbances can significantly affect your quality of life and create tension in the community.

We asked our readers via our Facebook page if they are affected by by-law breakers and how they think these issues could be handled more effectively?

The result was an animated discussion with 95 comments from a wide range of residents. Here are a sample of the responses.

Darren Nisbet – First and foremost, approach your neighbour in a civilised manner and calmly discuss the situation and come up with a resolution. Failing that, approach your local municipality and consult with them regarding your local by-laws and take it from there.

Tom du Toit – With regards to parties and loud music, the municipality has hours that you can make a noise, and there are people out there that say, “Stuff you George, I’m Ok” and they carry on. Well easy, call Saps and lay a charge of noise pollution if it’s past the cut off times, if you have a case number they have to investigate it.

Vanita Sheriff – A shebeen popped up across my house end of March this year. The noise is horrendous; drunks pissing everywhere, cars revving, screaming shouting all night long, I have been to every avenue and I am being faced by the same thing (nothing is being done because they are paying bribes! I am sick and tired of them. I wish authorities can come and see way they are doing. They just don’t care about us (the working single mothers) we are being abused daily.

Lauren Smith – Barking dogs are my worst. It’s like how can you not hear them! For pets who bark at absolutely everything let them sleep inside at night. It’s like people who don’t mind their seatbelt alarm going crazy when driving?

Neels Prinsloo – If you actually take time to know your neighbour you can just send him a WhatsApp or invite him over for a beer and discuss it.

Se-Anne Rall – We told our neighbours about rats coming over from their yard into ours and they stopped speaking to us, they even stopped their kid from coming over to play. We called in two different exterminator companies who told us the exact same thing and where the rats were coming from.

Mandy Murphy – Should be addressed through KDM’s bylaws. But those are never enforced. One can simply look at the state of the Dolphin Coast to see that.

Brett du Toit – A box of snoekies from the bait shop. Blend, add a little water. Into ice cube tray. Freeze. Randomly dispense a few into said garden and driveway and doors leading out. Repeat daily for a week. Sit back and be entertained.

King Malum’mashekeshe Ngiba – Depending on the place you are staying at but my take is to have community leaders to get each and every or at least the most percentage of households agreeing on same rules regarding noise and when someone breaks them they must be reported as a community to the relevant enforcement. -However the main problem is to banish alcohol and drugs but you’ll wouldn’t do that anyway.

Barry Bowditch – I had that once with a terrible neighbour, so every day I just threw a few eggs on their roof, for say a week and as the eggs rot the smell of sulphur drives them crazy.
Never get mad just get even. The right to peace and quiet is not a luxury it’s a necessity!

Jerusha Naicker – Air bnb’s are a problem in residential complexes/apartments.

Stan Daman – The world is full of anger. Don’t try find more issues to create. Let the people be. My neighbours also party, I leave them to it or join in. And you can’t stop dogs barking that’s what they there for.

Karin Swanepoel – Easy solution – communication goes a long way.

Jayanthi Laldas – In Mandeni, loose dogs are a big problem. Would love to hear ideas on how to get owners to keep them contained.

Beverley Ann Nothling – Barking dogs! How do people just leave their dogs to bark and do NOTHING about it!

Nadia Nads Adam – I’m sure my family and I would agree that we can tolerate all sorts of noise. What we can’t tolerate is a neighbour who brushes their teeth in their home, in their bathroom yet it sounds as though they are in your home, in your bathroom pulling out their intestines with their toothbrush with no consideration of others even though the both houses are far apart from each other.

Natasha Engelbrecht – I think a lot of people are selfish and inconsiderate only think about themselves. As long as they happy they don’t care. And this nonsense you can’t stop a dog barking, if they bark see why they barking and if they barking for nonsense make them quit. But people are lazy and selfish. I respect my neighbours and my dog only bark when its necessary. I get up see why he is barking and at 10pm we quiet. Because there are people with babies, kids and elderly people that would like to sleep.

Judy van der Westhuizen – Bottom line… we’re living “in a bubble” here because laws are still upheld. I do think it’s starting to “slip” though, which is problematic. We have to address problems (no matter how small) and sort out before we become like the other SA towns (e.g. illegal shacks, unruly neighbours, un-kept curbs, fireworks, public disturbance cruelty or abuse of animals etc).

Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news.

Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here or if you’re on desktop, scan the QR code below.