Bad Neighbor? these 7 Articles Can Take Them to Court

Redaksi Literasi Hukum Indonesia

06 May 2026 · 04:57 06 May 2026 04:57 WIB 17 minutes reading time: 17 minutes 11 read

Noisy neighbors, indiscriminate parking, trees damaging houses, and illegal speed bumps - get to know the 7 articles of law that protect your rights as a citizen.

Ilustrasi konflik antar-tetangga di lingkungan perumahan, mulai dari karaoke berisik, parkir sembarangan, pembakaran sampah, pohon mengganggu, polisi tidur ilegal, hingga vandalisme. (Source: AI ChatGPT, Redaksi Literasi Hukum Indonesia)

Table of Contents

1. Noisy Neighbor in the Middle of the Night: Up to Rp 10 Million Fine in New Penal Code
2. Neighbor's Trees and Branches that Overhang Your House: Self-Cutting
3. Neighbor Parking Carelessly in Front of Your House
4. Neighbor Burns Garbage Carelessly: Up to Three Months of Punishment
5. Neighbors Build Their Own Speed Bumps: Up to a Year in Prison
6. Neighbors Vandalize or Throw Trash at Your House
7. Neighbor Builds on Your Land or Closes Road Access
When to report to the police, when to sue in court?
Some Articles are Complaint Offenses, Not Ordinary Offenses
Why do so many people stay silent when the law is on their side?
Summary of Seven Articles You Should Take Note of
Cover
Bibliography
Legislation
Books and Journals
Online Source

Section 2/3: 1. Noisy Neighbor in the Middle of the Night: Up to Rp 10 Million Fine in New Pe…

1. Noisy Neighbor in the Middle of the Night: Up to Rp 10 Million Fine in New Penal Code

This is the most classic complaint that is also most commonly asked to legal clinics. The applicable articles are layered and interesting to note.

Prior to January 2, 2026, the legal basis was Article 503 of the old Criminal Code, which provided for a maximum of three days' imprisonment or a maximum fine of IDR 225 - a figure that had been outdated for decades. After Supreme Court Regulation No. 2/2012, the fine can be doubled up to a thousand times, to Rp 225,000. Still a relatively small amount and often no deterrent.

However, since the National Criminal Code (Law No. 1 of 2023) became effective on January 2, 2026, this threat has changed dramatically. Article 265 letter a of the National Criminal Code states that any person who disturbs the peace of the neighborhood by making frenetic or noisy neighbors at night, shall be punished with a maximum fine of category II - the value of which is IDR 10 million. The nominal jump is almost 50 times.

Interestingly, this article does not only reach ordinary household neighbors. Article 265 letter a of the National Criminal Code also applies to commercial businesses that are run in residential neighborhoods and operate into the night - cafes, workshops, home karaoke bars, or shop houses that are still busy during residents' rest hours.

In addition to criminal proceedings, victims can also file a civil suit under Article 1365 of the Civil Code on unlawful act. Four elements must be met: there is unlawful act, there is fault, there is loss, and there is a causal relationship. If the noise causes you to lose sleep and your work productivity suffers, or your child cannot study for exams, the loss can be measured and sued.

How to report in order: report to the neighborhood association (RT/RW), then to the village head (lurah) or village head (kepala desa), and then to the police if the warning is not heeded.