What this tool does

This tool helps when a neighbour is running a business from their home and it is affecting yours. It works out which rules could apply to your situation, such as planning, noise nuisance, repairing cars on the street, animal and childcare licensing, or a ban in the deeds or tenancy, and tells you which organisation deals with each one and what evidence they will want to see.

It gives general guidance only. It cannot tell you whether a council will take action.

When to use it

Readers use it for all sorts of home businesses: mobile mechanics repairing customers' cars on the road, builders and paving firms with lorries and skips, people selling cars from the street, locksmiths on 24 hour call out, dog boarding with constant barking and childminders with a stream of drop offs. It suits owner occupied, privately rented and council or housing association homes, because the right route is different for each.

It is also useful before you complain, so you can go to the right team first rather than being passed from department to department.

How it works

You choose the type of business and the main problem, tell us whether your neighbour owns or rents, whether the deeds or tenancy ban businesses, and describe what is happening. The tool picks out the routes that fit and explains them in order, with the evidence to keep. Nothing you enter is saved, and you do not need to give your name or email to use it.

Keep a dated diary from the start. If the situation turns threatening, contact the police rather than dealing with it yourself.