Overview

• Residents are urged to speak to neighbours first because police have no power to prosecute noise offences.
• Persistent problems should be reported to the local authority’s Environmental Health team, which many councils staff around the clock, and there are generally no fixed hours restricting works such as repairs.
• Complainants may be asked to keep a noise diary and, in some cases, councils provide equipment to record disturbances to build a case.
• If a statutory nuisance is found, councils can issue abatement notices or night-time warning notices, with penalties of £110 for homes or £500 for licensed venues if requirements are not met within 14 days.
• Non-payment or continued breaches can lead to prosecution with fines up to £1,000 for homes or unlimited for licensed premises; traffic, aircraft, political demonstrations and armed-forces sites are excluded, and the RSPCA intervenes only where animal mistreatment is suspected.