Noisy Neighbours in Malaysian Condos and Landed Homes: Rules and Steps

中文 · Bahasa Melayu · Bahasa Indonesia

By Jason Lim, REN 84424 · IQI Realty · Checked on 10 November 2026

This guide is for owners, landlords and tenants in Malaysia and Johor, including buyers from Singapore, Indonesia, India and China. The short answer: in a condo, the strata by-laws ban using your unit in a way that causes a nuisance and require music and electronic equipment to be kept low after 11pm, so start with a calm word, then a written complaint to management, then the Commissioner of Buildings or the Strata Management Tribunal. In a landed area, the council and the police are the main routes.

Which rules apply to neighbour noise

Malaysia has no single noise law for homes. Which rules apply depends on the kind of property you live in, and more than one can apply at once:

Where you live	Main rules	Who acts
Condo, apartment or serviced apartment (strata)	Standard by-laws in the Strata Management (Maintenance and Management) Regulations 2015, plus the building’s additional by-laws and house rules	JMB or MC, then the COB and the Strata Management Tribunal
Gated landed scheme on strata titles	The same strata by-laws as a condo	JMB or MC, then the COB and the tribunal
Ordinary terrace, semi-D or bungalow on individual titles	Council powers over nuisance, council licensing by-laws (for example, dogs) and the Minor Offences Act 1955	Council and police
Any home	The common-law tort of private nuisance	Civil courts, as a last step

A gated house can be on a strata or an individual title, which decides your route; my strata title guide and gated and guarded homes guide explain how to tell.

What condo by-laws say about noise

Every strata scheme in Peninsular Malaysia, including Johor, is bound by the standard by-laws (undang-undang kecil) in the Third Schedule of the Strata Management (Maintenance and Management) Regulations 2015, made under the Strata Management Act 2013 (Akta Pengurusan Strata, Act 757). The schedule has 30 by-laws in eight parts (Malay Mail, 29 September 2026). For noise, the points that matter are:

• No nuisance. An owner must not use the unit, or let it be used, in a way or for a purpose that causes nuisance or danger to other owners or their families.
• The 11pm rule. In residential buildings, electrical or electronic equipment and musical instruments must be kept at a low volume after 11pm, unless the management body has given prior written approval for a particular event and time.
• Pets. By-law 14 allows pets only if they do not cause annoyance or nuisance or break local laws, and lets management give written notice to remove an animal that does.
• House rules on top. Under sections 32(3) and 70(2) of the Act, a JMB or MC can pass additional by-laws by special resolution, with fines of up to RM200 per breach. Quiet hours, party-room bookings and renovation times are usually set this way, so they differ from building to building.
• Tenants are bound. Additional by-laws bind tenants and occupiers as well as owners (sections 32(4) and 70(3)), and owners remain answerable for how their tenants use the unit.

What the by-laws do not give you is a decibel limit. You do not need a sound meter to complain. A dated log and short phone recordings show a pattern, and that is what management, the tribunal or a court will look at. In a 2019 case, the Court of Appeal ruled for residents who complained of noise from neighbouring condo units used as student lodgings, after the High Court had found their evidence too weak (Chin Moy Yen & Ors v Chai Weng Sing & Ors).

Step by step: a noisy neighbour in a condo

1. Keep a log for two to three weeks. Note the date, time, how long it lasted and what it was (music, footsteps, drilling, a dog). Add short recordings from inside your unit. Do not record inside the neighbour’s home.
2. Talk first, if it is safe. Many neighbours do not realise how sound carries through the slab. Suggest something specific, such as rugs, felt pads or no music after 11pm.
3. Write to management. Email or hand a letter to the JMB or MC (Badan Pengurusan Bersama or Perbadanan Pengurusan) with your unit number, the neighbour’s unit, your log and the by-law concerned. Ask for written confirmation of the action taken.
4. Ask management to enforce. They can issue warning letters, impose fines set in additional by-laws, contact the owner of a rented unit and, for pets, give notice under by-law 14. If they do not act, raise it at the general meeting; my condo AGM guide explains how motions and special resolutions work.
5. Go to the COB. The Commissioner of Buildings (Pesuruhjaya Bangunan) at MBJB, MBIP or MPKu supervises management bodies under Act 757. A complaint to the COB suits cases where management is not enforcing its own by-laws.
6. File with the Strata Management Tribunal. The tribunal (Tribunal Pengurusan Strata) hears claims listed in the Act’s Fourth Schedule, including enforcing by-laws, orders to stop a breach and damages, up to RM250,000. A residential claim (Form 1) costs RM100 through KPKT’s e-TPS system, and an award is binding like a court order. See my Strata Management Tribunal guide.
7. Court, as a last step. A private nuisance claim in the civil courts can lead to an injunction and damages, but it is slower and costs more. Take a lawyer’s advice first.

For late-night loud music or a party, you do not have to wait for the office to open: call the guardhouse, and if it continues, the police (see below). This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Landed homes: the council, the police and mediation

In an ordinary housing estate there is no management body, so the routes are public ones:

• The council. On 26 October 2026 the deputy housing and local government minister told Parliament that councils can issue immediate notices to stop a nuisance under section 82 of the Local Government Act 1976, seize audio and karaoke equipment, and act outside office hours through on-call shifts, in joint operations with the police (Bernama, 26 October 2026).
• MyAduan Johor. Johor’s complaint system covered MBJB from 1 August 2025 and added MBIP, Pasir Gudang (MBPG) and Kulai (MPKu) from 1 April 2026; by mid-September 2026 it had received 16,265 complaints and resolved 13,030 (The Star, 28 September 2026).
• The police. Section 13 of the Minor Offences Act 1955 (Akta Kesalahan-Kesalahan Kecil) makes it an offence to play a loudspeaker or other mechanical or electrical music in a way that annoys or inconveniences people nearby, with a fine of up to RM100 in the published text. PDRM has reminded the public that excessive noise can be reported (SAYS, 8 October 2018).
• Community mediation. The Ministry of National Unity runs community mediation centres at no fee; Bernama reported 10 centres nationwide in August 2026. Ask whether one serves your area before a dispute hardens.

For parking, drains and renovation disputes, see my neighbour dispute guide.

Barking dogs and other pets

• Condos: strata by-law 14 allows pets only if they do not cause annoyance or nuisance, so a constantly barking dog is a matter for management. In the MBJB area, the council said in February 2022 that dogs are no longer allowed in high-rise homes (The Star, 24 February 2022).
• Landed homes: dogs are licensed by the council. MBJB’s rules, as reported in 2022, allow one dog for a terrace house, two for a semi-detached house and four for a bungalow, and the council can seize unlicensed dogs. Complain to the council’s licensing or enforcement unit with your log and recordings.

If you are moving with a pet yourself, my guide to moving to Johor Bahru with pets covers the condo and council rules.

Renovation noise: hours and permits

Renovation noise peaks in newly completed condos, when many owners fit out at once. There is no single national renovation timetable. Hours come from the building’s house rules or additional by-laws, and for landed homes from the council’s permit conditions. They vary, so ask the management office or check the permit before you complain. Get the rules in writing; they are what management and the council will apply.

• Ask management to see the renovation approval, the contractor’s registered hours and the deposit conditions.
• Report work outside the approved hours to the guardhouse at the time, then in writing.
• For landed homes, works that need a council permit must follow its conditions; my renovation permit guide explains what needs approval in JB.
• If the work causes damage, such as cracks or a leak, record it and see my guide to water leaks from the unit above.

Short-stay units and party noise

In the same October 2026 reply, KPKT said homestay operators who break their licence conditions or keep drawing nuisance complaints can lose their licence or be prosecuted (Bernama, 26 October 2026). In a strata building, the owner of the unit is also bound by the by-laws, so complain to management with dates and unit numbers. Whether short stays are allowed at all depends on the building and the council; see my short-stay rules guide.

Tenants and landlords

You are	What to do
A tenant with a noisy neighbour	Tell your landlord in writing and complain to management; the by-laws protect occupiers too. Check the tenancy agreement before you think about leaving early.
A tenant accused of noise	Ask management which by-law or house rule is involved, and fix the cause. Repeated breaches can lead to fines and a breach of your tenancy.
A landlord with a noisy tenant	Act on the first complaint: write to the tenant, quote the by-law and the tenancy clause, and keep copies. In the 2019 Court of Appeal case, owners who let units used as student lodgings were held liable in nuisance alongside the management corporation, where the owners had changed the units’ use and done nothing after being told of the problem.

A good tenancy agreement makes the building’s by-laws part of the tenant’s obligations. See my landlord tenancy agreement guide and, if you rent by the room, my guide to renting out rooms. Tenants new to JB can start with my guide to renting as a foreigner.

Choosing a quieter home before you buy or rent

Many noise problems can be avoided at the viewing stage:

• Which way the unit faces. Units over the pool deck, playground, drop-off or rubbish area hear more activity. Units facing a highway, a rail line or an empty plot that will be built on hear traffic or construction, often on any floor. See my guides on high floor vs low floor and which way your condo should face.
• The layout. A bedroom wall shared with the neighbour’s living room, or a unit next to the lift lobby, refuse chute or M&E rooms, can be noisy. My floor plan red flags guide covers what to look for.
• Visit at night and at weekends, not only on a weekday morning.
• Ask management. Ask how complaints are handled, whether short stays are allowed, and whether there is a renovation season under way in a newly completed block. My condo management checklist lists the documents to request.
• Landed homes. An end or corner unit has one shared wall instead of two; see corner lot vs intermediate terrace. For the wider choice, see condo vs landed vs SOHO.

When I arrange a viewing, I tell you which stacks face the road, the pool or a construction site, and I ask the seller and the management office about past noise complaints, so you can choose before you book.

Where to buy if this matters to you

• Mount Austin: many completed condos and landed estates, so you can compare unit facings side by side.
• Iskandar Puteri: newer high-rises and gated estates; check what is planned on nearby empty plots.
• Tebrau, Setia Indah and Molek: established landed areas and condos near the main roads.
• Permas Jaya and Senibong: older and newer condos on the east side.
• Bukit Indah and Gelang Patah: landed homes and gated schemes in the west.
• JB Sentral and Bukit Chagar: city-centre towers near the CIQ and the RTS Link station; check the road and rail side.

Compare them on my JB property map.

More Johor living guides: Condo parking disputes · Fire safety and lifts in condos · Maintenance fees and sinking fund · Home security for landed homes in JB

Frequently asked questions

Is there a quiet hours rule in Malaysian condos?

Yes. The standard strata by-laws require electrical or electronic equipment and musical instruments to be kept at a low volume after 11pm unless the management body has given written approval. Many buildings add their own house rules on quiet hours and renovation times, so ask the management office for a copy.

Can I call the police about a noisy neighbour in Malaysia?

Yes. Section 13 of the Minor Offences Act 1955 makes some excessive noise an offence, such as loud music that annoys people nearby, with a fine of up to RM100 in the published text. Police reports suit late-night loud music or parties; everyday living noise is better handled through management or the council.

Who do I complain to about a noisy neighbour in a Johor condo?

Talk to the neighbour first if it is safe, then write to the JMB or MC with dates and recordings. If management does not act, go to the Commissioner of Buildings (COB) at MBJB, MBIP or MPKu, or file a claim at the Strata Management Tribunal, which costs RM100 for a residential claim.

Can the Strata Management Tribunal stop a noisy neighbour?

It can hear claims about breaches of the by-laws, including orders to stop a breach and damages, up to RM250,000. You file Form 1 online through KPKT’s e-TPS system. Keep a written log, recordings and copies of your complaints to management as evidence.

My landlord’s tenant is noisy. Is the owner responsible?

The by-laws bind tenants as well as owners, and in a 2019 case the Court of Appeal held owners who let their units liable in nuisance after they were told of the problem and did nothing. Complain to management and ask them to contact the owner, who can act under the tenancy agreement.

How can I avoid noisy neighbours when buying a condo?

Visit at night and at weekends, check which way the unit faces (road, pool deck, construction site or rubbish area), and ask management about noise complaints and short-stay units in the block. Ask the seller directly about neighbour problems, and check the AGM minutes for by-law disputes.

Looking for a quieter home in JB?

Tell me the areas or projects you are considering and what matters most: a quiet bedroom, no road noise, or distance from the pool deck. I will tell you which stacks face the road, the pool or a construction site, check the building’s house rules, and arrange viewings at the right times. You can also book an appointment, or a Zoom consultation if you are abroad.

Sources: Strata Management (Maintenance and Management) Regulations 2015, P.U.(A) 107 (copy published by DBKL), in force June 2015, checked November 2026; Strata Management Act 2013 (Act 757), section 32 (JMB additional by-laws), checked November 2026; Strata Management Act 2013, section 70 (MC additional by-laws), checked November 2026; Strata Management Act 2013, section 105 (tribunal jurisdiction), checked November 2026; Minor Offences Act 1955 (Act 336), section 13 (excessive noise), text as published, checked November 2026; Malay Mail, “Buying a strata home? The rules that can govern your pets, parking and even your access card”, 29 September 2026; KPKT, Soalan Lazim Tribunal Pengurusan Strata, updated July 2025; KPKT, Strata Management (Strata Management Tribunal) Regulations 2015, P.U.(A) 103, June 2015; KPKT, e-TPS portal, checked November 2026; MBJB, Info MBJB (Bahagian Pesuruhjaya Bangunan), June 2018; Bernama, “Local Authorities Enforce Noise Regulations Beyond Office Hours – KPKT”, 26 October 2026; The Star, “Johor steps up complaint handling”, 28 September 2026; SAYS, on PDRM’s reminder that noisy neighbours can be reported, 8 October 2018; Bernama, on the Ministry of National Unity’s community mediation centres, 1 August 2026; The Star, “No more dogs allowed in high-rise residences, says JB mayor”, 24 February 2022; Court of Appeal, Chin Moy Yen & Ors v Chai Weng Sing & Ors [2019] 1 LNS 940, decided 2019

Jason Lim, REN 84424, IQI Realty Sdn. Bhd. E (1) 1584/6. General information checked on 10 November 2026, not legal advice. By-laws and house rules differ between buildings, and laws, council practice and court decisions change; confirm with your management office, the Commissioner of Buildings at your council, the Strata Management Tribunal, the police or a lawyer before you act.