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Noise investigation procedure

Quick checklist

Try our quick checklist

This checklist has been provided to help you quickly decide whether to complain and whether the local authority can help you. 

If you can answer "yes" to all the following questions, there is a good chance that we will be able to help you. If you answer "no" then we may not be able to help you.

If you are unsure about any of the questions you can still contact an officer to discuss your concerns.

Q1 Are you happy to provide your full details?

If "no" please see

Q2 Can you provide full details about the noise nuisance?

If "no" we will not be able to help.

  • See Section 3 What information do I need to provide and
  • Section 6.4 - the following information is required for your complaint to be investigate
    • Where the noise is coming from (exact details including house/flat name or number or site description); and
    • Name of the occupier at the address, and/or person responsible for the noise (if known); and
    • Nature and details of the problem and its history including how it affects you.

Q3 Can you confirm that your complaint is NOT about aircraft, railway, moving vehicle noise?  

This includes car stereos, revving engines etc?

If "no" please see Section 5: What we cannot investigate

Section 5.1 Other agencies are responsible for the following types of noise:

  • Please refer to the list of organisations that can help you with these types of complaints.

Q4 Are you happy for us to contact the person you are complaining about?

If "no" we will not be able to help. See Section 3 What information do i need to provide?  

Section 3.5 contact with the person or persons who are making the noise

  • In order to deal with noise, we will at some point have to make contact with the person or persons who are making the noise, whether this is informally at the onset of a case or by taking formal action if a nuisance is shown to exist. Complainants should bear this in mind, and must understand that if for whatever reason they do not want us to contact the subject of the complaint; we will not be able to do anything in practice to help them.

Q5 Do you understand that those complained about can sometimes work out who has complained?

If "no" please see Section 3 What information do i need to provide?  

Section 3.4 anonymity of the complaint:

  • While efforts will be made to maintain the anonymity of the complaint, this is not fail-safe, i.e. noise makers can sometimes work out who has complained and a complainants name and address may have to be revealed if legal action is taken. If you have any concerns about this issue please feel free to telephone us where we can discuss this issue with you.

Q6 Do you understand that sometimes we will not be able to take action?

If "no" please refer to Section 7 Case decision

Section 7.2 No further action:

  • If we are unable to gather evidence and there remains insufficient evidence for the Environmental Protection Team to act formally no further action will be taken and, the case officer will close the case. We will write to you confirming what we have done and, the reasons why the matter is not actionable formally by the Council.
    We will outline any informal action taken and provide you with advice on how you may pursue the matter as a private action under Section 82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Q7 We may need to take legal action - are you prepared to give evidence in court?

On rare occasions we need to take legal action to deal with a complaint. Are you prepared to give evidence in court if necessary?

If "no" please refer to Section 7 Case decision

Section 7.10 prosecution the most appropriate course of action

  • If we decide that prosecution is the most appropriate course of action, or the subject of the complaint decides to appeal against a notice, you may be asked to provide formal witness statements and may even be required to appear in court. We would also give statements where requested to other agencies such as social housing associations where they may wish to take action to seek possession of a property on the grounds that the nuisance is a breach of a tenancy agreement.