Report a noise nuisance

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No home is soundproof and it's normal for you to hear your neighbour and noise from outside your home.

However, if the noise is persistent and unreasonable and you haven't been able to resolve the issue informally with the person or business making the noise, we can act.

Before reporting a noise nuisance

Before you report a noise nuisance to us, please consider the following.

Speak to the person or business causing the problem

Often issues arise because the person or business causing the problem are not aware that their behaviour is affecting you. If it's safe to do so, talk to the person or business and try to resolve the issue. It's advisable to do this after the event and not while its ongoing when emotions are running high.

If this doesn't work, you don't feel comfortable talking to them or the noise continues you can report it to us.

We will only investigate problems that are a statutory nuisance.

Report an issue to us

If a noise issue is affecting you and you are not able to resolve it informally with the person or business causing the problem you can report it to us online.

When reporting an instance, it helps if you can provide as much information as possible.

Your details will be kept confidential and will not be shared with the person or business you are reporting.

Report a noise nuisance

When you report an issue to us you will be asked to complete a log sheet to help us assess the situation. These sheets help provide essential evidence that will help us take further action if required.

What happens after

Once we have received your complaint we will carry out an investigation and undertake the following:

  1. We will write to the person accused of making the noise. This letter explains the allegations and invites them to contact us to discuss the allegations further. This letter also requests that they take action if they believe that their noise could be causing a problem. If a business is accused of making the noise, we also attempt to contact them by telephone to offer to visit the site to discuss the allegations and suggest solutions.
  2. We will write to you, asking you to complete a noise monitoring log sheet for a period of up to 28 days. This log helps us assess whether we can offer the noise call-out service. It also enables the you to contact us when the noise is happening.
  3. If the noise is unreasonably affecting the enjoyment of a premises, we will normally serve a noise abatement notice on whoever is responsible for the noise. This will normally be done within one working day of witnessing the problem. From this stage onwards, it would be an offence for the accused person or business to cause further noise nuisance.
  4. When we send the abatement notice, we again write to the person creating the noise and invite them to discuss the problem with us further. We are happy to offer help and advice to those who wish to do something about their noise, in order to try and stop the problem. However, if it does continue we would visit you again (at your request) and if the noise abatement notice is not being complied with, we would normally begin prosecution proceedings for the offence.
  5. If there continues to be problems and it appears that the noise abatement notice is being ignored, we will apply for a warrant from the Magistrate's Court to enter the premises of the noise producer and seize any noise making equipment. We do not take this step lightly, but unfortunately in some cases it can be the only way of resolving the problem.