Noise levels can be a real problem in any neighbourhood and there are many issues surrounding noise pollution in a residential area that are covered by Government Legislation. These include what you can and cannot do, what steps you could take to minimise the problems caused by potentially excessive noise, and what action could be taken against you if you don’t reduce your noise levels.
In terms of the problems excessive noise can cause, most disagreements and arguments between neighbours can often be avoided if they are forewarned about potential ‘occasional’ situations which are likely to result in excessive noise. However, while excessive noise can be the result of a planned situation, sometimes it’s completely unplanned or somewhat out of your control. Even in these situations, there are still some precautionary measures you can take.
Parties, Loud Music and Excessive Noise
Reasonable neighbours are not usually ‘killjoys’ and most of us will want to have a party celebration at some time or another. The best way of avoiding any problems with your neighbours is to tell them in advance that you are Planning A Party, what time it’s going to start and, more importantly, what time you’re planning to end it (or at least the time by which you’ll ensure that they won’t be disturbed by excessive noise – usually related to loud music but also by rowdy conversations and boisterous behaviour).
In terms of the ending time, it’s not unreasonable to expect your neighbours to agree to a finishing time of the ‘noisy’ element to a party to, say, by 11pm or midnight. That’s not to say you can have the volume at whatever level you want, as there are strict laws surrounding that issue. Ending at midnight also doesn’t mean that the party can’t continue beyond that time, but you’ll need to keep the music and the noise down to a reasonable level so as not to disturb neighbours.
You also need to take even greater care and be more sensitive to your neighbours if you’re planning on holding the party outside in the garden, where noise travels more easily and where its impact is felt even greater. Better still, why not invite the neighbours?
DIY Projects
Once again, you should let your neighbours know that you are planning a DIY project where both manual and/or power equipment such as hammers and electric drills are being used. Everybody needs to do a bit of DIY now and then so they should be reasonable enough to understand. Agree working hours with your neighbours. You should be courteous enough not to begin any earlier than 8am and not to finish beyond 8pm. These are reasonable requests to make yet if your immediate neighbours have young children, you might wish to consider only carrying out DIY projects at weekends when the children are off school.
Alarm Systems
Both burglar and car alarm systems can cause extreme noise pollution and can be one of the biggest causes of agitation among neighbours. Most modern alarm systems come fitted with cut off devices these days which silences the alarm after, perhaps, 20 minutes or so.
Obviously, the problems caused by alarms going off usually arise when they are beyond your control. You’re likely to not even be at home to switch the alarm off manually, but there are still precautionary measures you can take, such as leaving a spare set of keys with trusted friends, family members or even other neighbours who can gain entry to a car or house and immobilise the device on your behalf.
If you arrange for this, be sure to let your local council and local police station know the contact details for the people who have been entrusted with this task. Both the police and council do have the authority to immobilise alarm systems themselves by whatever means necessary, and this can incur extra expense to you.
Incessant Dog Barking constitutes noise pollution and this is covered in more depth in another article contained on this website.
Depending on the nature of the noise, the time of day it occurs and the circumstances surrounding it, if matters can’t be resolved and get out of hand, you should contact either the Environmental Health Department of your local authority or the police.
For more information about the law on noise pollution in your area, you should check out your local authority’s website to ensure that you are complying with the law or you could face heavy penalties.
The neighbours at the back of the our factory have complained about the noise from the radios in work,what can we do to keep them on?car
greeky - 25 January 2012 @ 8:56 PM
I live in a development of flats where I have a car parking space which is allocated to me by title deed. The car parking is not marked and people often park in my space. If I see the person I say to them and ask them politely not to park there. If I don't see them I leave a post it note politely advising them the space is legally owned by title deed and asking them not to park there. However, a recent tenant in the building persists in parking there what are my rights to deal with this issue?
S - 14 January 2012 @ 10:48 PM
Our problems started about 2 years ago.Firstly with a deaf, blind old dog that the family next door adopted.They would go out every Saturday and Sunday for hours on end...the dog would be left in the house howling - quite literally from the moment they closed the front door to the minute they came back.This persisted for about 4months...we asked if the dog was OK and even offered to let the dog sit in our house whilst they were out so it wasn't alone.After repeated requests, and not wanting involve the local council so we could at least sort it out amicably, they got rid of the dog - only after I had stated that we'd had enough and would call the RSPCA about the matter if they continued to do nothing.
Since they have got rid of the dog, we have now suffered from the "lady" of the house slamming the front and back doors whenever she goes in and out...including taking a single item to the bin - just to have the excuse to slam the door.
Last July my wife and I had driven from Edinburgh to our home, North Manchester.As you can imagine we were very tired after the journey and just wanted to spend the remainder of the Saturday in front of the telly (we both work during the week).We had not been in for more than 10 minutes when the front door of my neighbours house started to constantly bang.I went around to ask if they could stop it because it was becomnig annoying...to be told that there was "nothing I could do" from my neighbour (the "lady" again!).I even suggested propping something behind the door to stop the banging.I was told that "The front and back doors were open so a breeze could blow through the house...and there was nothing I can do about it".Not even a hint of cooperation.
I escalated matters to my local council.They follow the practice of sending out a letter to the noisy party and a log book to the complainants - which allows me to record incidences for a period of 1 month - they have done this twice.However my next door neighbours go mysteriously quiet during these periods, leaving me with nothing to record.
We hear EVERY cupboard door slam, every footstep throughout the house - including their 8year old son running and jumping everywhere.I'm not a killjoy, but when you hear this from c6am right through to gone 10pm most nights it becomes annoying!My house actually shakes on occasion through the violence of the door slams and heavy "thuds" that emanate through the walls.The "thuds" sound like someone dropping heavy items on an upstairs floor.
My wife and I are at our wits end...
HELP!!
STeaM - 27 December 2011 @ 9:23 PM
@desperately sleep deprived. You need to record the types of noise and when they occur. Keep a diary of this for the next few weeks and then take it along to you local environmental health department. Because it's a public place/licensed club it should be easier for them to take action.
ProblemNeighbours - 20 December 2011 @ 2:43 PM
I live in a rural area. My property, a bungalow, backs on to a green area. About 40 or so yards away from the back of my property is a minor union league Rugby Club. There are regular events going on here, parties and such, where they have live bands performing as well as a DJ.This goes on during the week also. Last night, Saturday 17th December '11 was the latest of these events, where the music went on til 1.30am. As well as the noise from the loud music, there are also the noisy revellers. Men shouting and picking drunken fights, the women cackling, cars revving. I have recently paid out for brand new double glazing at the back of my property to, hopefully, minimise the noise. It hasn't worked. I have a four year old son who I have to drive to school every week day, feeling like I do now, like I'm about to have a heart attack or a stroke. Can someone advise me on what I can do about this? I know there are nose pollution laws but what I have found only seems to refer to private, residential parties. how do I tackle someone with licensed premises, and more than lilkely, permission to hold these noisy events?
Desperately sleep de - 18 December 2011 @ 10:17 AM
the house next door is rented out. it has no carpets & has had the original floorboards restored. i now feel the tenants live in my house. i can hear every noise & have to go to bed when they do, this can be 3am, & then get up when they do. i hear every cupboard being banged, doors being slammed, kids screaming, etc. i have informed the landlady who is now living abroad, but she didn't even bother replying to my emails. i am having this problem with every tenant who moves into that house. its hell as i'm on my own & disabled. i feel like giving up sometimes, i couldn't approach these people neither.
troy - 2 November 2011 @ 3:55 PM
Like neighbour above we too have had trouble for an inconsiderate and ignorant neighbour. She went through a period of two weeks of DIY where she was banging and drilling until after midnnight. We tried to be reasonable but she didn't appear to think her behaviour was at all inconsiderate.When I confronted her one night at 10:30 she just shrugged and said she didn't complain when we had our exension done. I had to remind her we a) informed her in advance and apologised before the event and b) all work started after 8a.m. and finished by 4.p.m. It did eventually cease but not due to our complaints to her - I guess the "project" was completed. She has subsequently been drilling and banging in the party wall on several isioated occasions since, usually starting at around 7 p.m. - great when we are trying to get our young kids to bed. She "didn't realise the time" and "it will only be five minutes" (the latter at 9:30 at nighht !) I don't think she is being intentionallly obnoxious she is just completely ignorant and without consideration for anyone else ! My wife now speaks to her because I am afraid what I might do with her drill / hammer !
GazzaEsq - 13 October 2011 @ 9:03 PM
My daughter plays the drums and is study for a drum examination to be taken next year.She has a drum kit set up away from the house next door to cause the least inconvenience.She only plays them for a short while - 30 to 40 minutes and does so during the day when most people are not it.She normally plays three or four times a week.She has been playing drums for a least four years.Recently our neighbour complained to the council about her playing.They initiallly threatened my daughter with the police.At no time have they ever complained to us about this prior to this. They were asked to complete a disturbance log but failed to do so.Are we being inconsiderate allowing are daughter to practice for her exam at reasonable times and what rights do we have in this matter?We sent the council a lengthy letter putting our side of the argument but have heard nothing back from them.
JJ - 29 August 2011 @ 4:36 PM
Very sadly, some people seem to delight in annoying their neighbours and will do so at any opportunity. Step forward our neighbour - he has now started operating a repair business from a little bedroom using an industrial-type sewing machine. He used to do this work in his shed but, for some unfathomable reason, moved his equipment into the house some weeks ago. These semi-detached houses have thin walls and every sound vibrates. We are not even sure that he can legally do this - they are definitely NOT the sort of people who can be approached about the matter.
Penny - 22 August 2011 @ 6:41 PM
Would be nice if people could show consideration for a child settling down on a school night! My neighbour thought it was ok to drill up to 9pm, despite my pointing out that my daughter had to go to school the next day and he could have waited until the following week and the kids would be all of school but insisted that because it would only take 5 more minutes he would continue?!
neighbour - 19 July 2011 @ 8:58 AM
Anyone had problems with security lighting? My neighbour has a light that goes on and off intermittently but lights up my windows, including my bedroom. I asked the guy to lower it which he did, but then he put it back up again as he thought someome had been messing about by his shed and he refused to lower it. I contacted enviromental health who visited him and he is supposed to have agreed to lower it but didn't. I am really distressed by this and it's affecting my sleep and I feel it's an invasion of my privacy, any ideas?
