Deal with working from home round two – Germiston City News
More people are back to work from home after South Africa reverts to its adjusted level four lockdown as it battles another spike in Covid-19 infections and pressure on hospitals.
Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic at the end of March 2020, more people have been much more at home.
There is a lot more activity near the house, which means more noise, according to Seeff Property Group.
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The need to “stay at home” means there is more entertainment going on at home.
As more people work from home, there could be more visitors and home deliveries will undoubtedly increase.
Neighborhoods and even complexes may not be as peaceful as they used to be.
Loud music, loud get-togethers, barking dogs and cars in the driveway could just be some of the disturbances neighbors have to deal with these days, Seeff said.
It’s important to remember whether or not lockdown, the law still applies.
Everyone has the right to enjoy their property without complaints, and you shouldn’t encroach on your neighbor’s rights or you could face legal consequences, said Gerhard van der Linde, Managing Director of Seeff, Pretoria East.
South Africa has a comprehensive set of neighbor laws dealing with property and neighborhood matters along with local community ordinances and regulations regulating acceptable noise levels etc.
What does working from home entail?
Working from home, especially given the Covid-19 pandemic, is usually not an issue unless the neighbors are disturbed.
However, this does not mean that you can bring your workshop or manufacturing facility into your home unless the zoning of your property and local community codes allow it.
In order to encourage the growth of small businesses, the City of Cape Town, for example, allows small service companies such as bed and breakfasts, hairdressers and the like within limits.
Of course, different rules apply to partial titles and bequests.
Basic rules about noise and the neighborhood
Reasonable noise such as gardening and construction is acceptable between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and party noise until about 10:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
After that, the party noise had to be turned down, said Van der Linde.
Dogs are not allowed to bark continuously.
Talk to your neighbors, they may not even be aware of the problem, but if it persists you can report it to the local police.
Additional rules apply to complexes and estates
Van der Linde said that part of the attractiveness of living in a complex of buildings or a residential complex with sections is that it is well managed and therefore stricter rules often apply when it comes to noise, parking, etc.
While the same rules and curfews apply to loud music and noise, every complex and property has its own code of conduct and owners and tenants must obey or face sanctions.
In the event of violations, there is usually a process that begins with an oral warning, then a written warning and often a fine.
Usually start with a friendly neighborly conversation before escalating it to management or taking legal action as a last resort.
If the problem persists, you need to discuss it with the corporate body and executive representatives.
Contact the editors by email: Marietta Lombard (Editor) [email protected], or (journalists) Busi Vilakazi [email protected]
