Noise from neighbouring properties is one of the most common issues reported to the police and local councils.
In fact, it’s estimated that noise complaints from neighbours increased by 67% during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, with people confined to their homes for long periods of time.
Unreasonable noise is defined as noise that:
- Unreasonably and substantially interferes with the use or enjoyment of a home
- Injures health or is likely to injure health
In this guide, we explain more about what’s classed as unreasonable noise and reveal what you can do if your neighbours are causing a noise nuisance.
If you’re selling your home, you’ll also find out what you need to do if you’re in dispute with a neighbour.
Types of neighbour noise
Types of noise made by my neighbours that can cause issues include:
- Loud music
- Shouting or arguing
- Noise from dogs or other pets
- Noise from children
- Excessive TV noise
- Power tools or other construction
- Alarms
What is considered excessive dog barking?
There’s no definition in law for excessive dog barking and what’s considered excessive will vary from person to person.
Generally, however, barking for prolonged periods of time that affects your enjoyment of your home would be considered excessive.
What time can my neighbours make noise until?
There are laws in place that define a maximum acceptable amount of noise during ‘night hours’ which are between 11pm and 7am.
After 11pm, permitted noise levels are:
- 34 dBA (decibels adjusted) where background noise is no higher than 24dBA
- 10dBA above the level of background noise if this exceeds 24dBA
However, noise considered a ‘statutory nuisance’ can occur at any time of the day or night.
Can you call the police about noisy neighbours?
The police don’t generally deal with complaints about noise from neighbours unless:
- The neighbour is violent, abusive, or threatening you
- The neighbour is harassing you, or abusing you over your sexuality, ethnicity, or religion
- You suspect, or can prove your neighbour may be committing a crime
There are things you can do about noisy neighbours, however, including contacting:
- Your local council
- Your neighbour’s landlord or housing association
Disclosing neighbour disputes when selling your property
By law, you must declare any disputes you have with your neighbours when you sell your home.
If you’ve previously reported your neighbour to the local authority because of excessive noise, you must declare this on the TA6 property information form when selling.
As well as noise, other disputes you would need to declare include:
- Boundary disputes, such as fences or hedging
- Shared maintenance issues like drainage, gardens, or communal areas
- Issues with parking
- Other anti-social behaviour
How to resolve a dispute with your neighbour over noise
Neighbour disputes over noise can quickly escalate into major problems, so it’s important to try to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
1. Talk to your neighbour
While approaching your neighbour may feel daunting, in some cases excessive noise is down to a lack of awareness rather than a lack of respect.
By speaking to your neighbour about the noise they’re making and letting them know how it’s affecting you, you may be able to nip the issue in the bud without having to take it further.
If you’re worried about approaching your neighbour in person, you could consider sending them a message or email, writing a letter, or taking someone else with you for support when you approach them.
If other people in your street are affected by the noise, ask them if they’ll support you.
2. If the property is rented, contact their landlord
If your neighbour is renting through a private landlord or housing association, you could approach them about problems with noise.
When renting privately, your neighbour’s property may be managed by a letting agent, so try to find this out and approach them to help you.
If your neighbour rents through a housing association, they should have a complaints process you can follow to deal with noise issues caused by their tenants.
3. Suggest a mediation service
If approaching your neighbour or their landlord about excessive noise doesn’t solve the problem, you could consider help from a mediation service.
Your local council or your neighbour’s housing association may provide this, or you can look for a private mediator in your area.
Your neighbour will need to be willing to attend mediation if you go down the private route.
4. Contact your local council
If you believe the noise from your neighbour is causing a statutory nuisance, you can approach your local council for help.
A statutory nuisance is any activity that is unreasonable or excessive and causes substantial interference with the enjoyment of your home.
Local councils are bound by law to investigate statutory nuisances.
Noise abatement orders
If your local council decides noise caused by your neighbour is a statutory nuisance, they can issue them with a noise abatement order.
This is a notice that tells your neighbour what they need to do to comply with the order and outlines what will happen if they don’t.
Fines of up to £5,000 are issued if someone breaks a noise abatement order.
For excessive noise at night, between 11pm and 7am, the council may also issue a warning to your neighbour if the noise isn’t classed as a statutory nuisance.
The council can issue fixed penalty notices with fines of up to £110 or prosecute your neighbour if they fail to pay their fine on time and remove equipment causing the noise.
How to complain about a neighbour to the council
If speaking to your neighbour about excessive noise or working with a mediator hasn’t solved the issue, the next step is to contact your local council.
Providing your council with as much information as possible is key, so you should:
1. Keep records of excessive noise
Each time you’re affected by noise from a neighbouring property, you should keep a detailed record of each incident.
This can help if you make a complaint to your local authority.
You should include:
- The date and time the noise occurred and how long it went on for
- Details of the noise complaint, for example loud music
- Where the noise occurred, for example inside a property or outside
When you make a report to your local authority about noise from a neighbour, you should do it in writing and include other detailed information, such as:
- How the noise issue is affecting your life and enjoyment of your home
- Steps you’ve already taken to tackle the issue, such as speaking to your neighbour or working with a mediator
- Other authorities you have reported the issue to
3. Apply for a Community Trigger
If you report a noise issue to your local authority and either the issue does not go away or you’re unhappy with how it was dealt with, you can use the Community Trigger process to have your case reviewed.
Community Triggers are part of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 and can help to give victims of noisy neighbours more power to have their issues reviewed.
If a Community Trigger meets a certain threshold, your local authority, the police, and providers of social housing (if required) are duty-bound to investigate and review your issues.
The threshold for a Community Trigger is set by the local authority and will factor in:
- How often complaints are being made about the noise
- How effective the response to the problem has been already
- The harm and effect the noise is having on the person who made the complaint
