Noise is one of the big problems of modern living. Most of us accept certain kinds of noise, but other noises irritate us. Noise can cause insomnia, interrupted work, irritability and stress. Some noise is unavoidable, but if a noise is really getting to you there may be things that you can do about it.
Your options depend on who (or what) is causing the noise, how bad it is and what, if anything, you have already tried to do about it. In many cases, the environmental health department can help, or you may be able to find a solution through negotiation or mediation, or by using remedies for antisocial behaviour, such as ASBOs and injunctions.
Before taking action to tackle noise
Before you start complaining about noise, you do need to decide whether the noise is unreasonable. Ask yourself:
What is making the noise?
The ordinary sounds of life (eg talking, children playing, doors closing, cars starting, deliveries to shops) are usually reasonable. But playing music, shouting and using machine tools may be unreasonable, depending on the circumstances.
When does the noise happen?
What is reasonable often depends on timing. Usually noise in the day is more acceptable than at night, but areas and even individual streets or blocks of flats vary. Some areas are quiet after about six to seven pm, others not until 11pm. In some areas, more noise is accepted on a Friday or Saturday night than other nights.
How loud is the noise? What does it sound like?
It can be hard to work out how loud noise is. But compare it to the other sounds in your home and outside to help you decide if it is reasonable. Also some sounds are more intrusive than others - try to work out exactly what the problem is.
How long does the noise last and how often does it happen?
There is a lot of difference between having a noisy party once or twice a year and having one every week. And between playing one song loudly and having the radio on all day.
What is reasonable in your neighbourhood?
Some areas are noisier than others. High streets and city centres are generally noisier than suburbs or villages, but there are quiet areas even in large cities, and there are noisy suburban and rural areas. If you live in student accommodation, late night noise is more acceptable than on an estate where many families with young children live.
If you think the noise is unreasonable, there are also some questions that you need to ask about yourself:
Are there problems in your life that make the noise worse?
If you have mental health problems, problems with alcohol or substance use, or another condition like insomnia, then you may be oversensitive to noise. Get help and support for your condition if you need it. If you are not sure if you are being reasonable, speak to your neighbours - are they as disturbed as you by the noise?
Are your personal prejudices a part of the problem?
Just because you don't like your neighbour's taste in music, or you disapprove of children playing in the street, or you dislike wine bars, doesn't mean that you are suffering from noise nuisance. You need to try to be fair.
Are you making noise too?
If you are quite noisy, your neighbours may think that you don't mind noise. And some may even make noise to drown out your noise, or make a point. Think carefully about your noise, and don't get drawn into a competition to make the most noise.
What can you do to reduce the problem?
Perhaps you can close a window or door when there is noise outside. If noise is coming through the wall, ceiling or floor, you could get sound insulation. You could ask your freeholder or landlord about this.
If you have gone through these questions and decided that you have a problem with a noisy neighbour, there are lots of things you can do. The methods available depend on what kind of noise you are suffering from (see below).
Sources of noise
The options you have may vary slightly depending on where the noise comes from.
Noisy neighbours
Most of us live near other people. We can hear our neighbours, their children, their visitors, their pets, their cars and domestic appliances. Sometimes those sounds are irritating, but what can we do? If our neighbours complain about our noise, how should we respond?
If you have already tried negotiating with your neighbours, or don't feel able to do so, you can report the problem to the environmental health department of the local council (see below for information about how they may be able to help).
Noisy venues
Excessive noise from bars, pubs, clubs and other entertainment venues - particularly those open in the evening or at night - can be a real problem if your home is nearby. Contact the environmental health department to report the problem.
Transport noise
Some noise problems are too big for you on your own to do anything about them, especially background transport noise from aircraft, trains or road traffic. Realistically, no one is going to re-route a motorway or close an airport to suit you. But campaign groups have been successful in reducing noise, for example by getting:
- quieter airliners
- limits on low flying by military aircraft to certain areas and certain times
- controls on use of night-time use of sirens by emergency vehicles in urban areas
- legal controls on car alarms
- trees along main roads to reduce noise.
So if you are suffering from transport noise, get in touch with a local or national pressure group that can help you. Look on the internet, ask at your local library or contact a local councillor, and see what pressure groups are involved with this issue.
Noise from places of worship and community centres
Generally, the people who run places of worship and community centres want to stay on good terms with people living locally. So if you are suffering from noise, it is usually best to speak to someone responsible for the place of worship or community centre. But if the noise continues, you may want to contact the environmental health department.
Noisy building work and road repairs
Building work and road repairs are often noisy. Most of the noise is necessary and you have to put up with it. But there may be:
- noise at unreasonable times - in residential areas, the use of machine tools, deliveries and other loud noises should be confined to the daytime
- unreasonable noise - you should not have to put up with loud music, unnecessary shouting or truck engines left running.
Try sorting things out with the foreman or site manager first. But if the problem continues, you can contact the council's environmental health department (see below) or try to get an injunction.
Road repairs may have finished by the time anyone responds. You can make a complaint to the company responsible for the work, either the building contractor or the employer, which may be a utility company (water, electricity, gas or telecoms) or a public body (Highways Agency, county council or local council). Most utility companies and public bodies have policies to make sure that noise is kept to what is necessary.
Noise from the armed services
Some of the laws about noise nuisance do not apply to the armed services (army, navy and air force), but often the armed services are responsive to pressure from the community. If you have a noise problem, your first step should usually be to contact the officer commanding the facility where the noise is coming from (eg the local airfield) to explain the problem. If the problem is not resolved, the action you can take will depend on what the problem is.
The noise problem may be too big for you on your own to do anything about it - for example noise from aircraft, ships or a firing range. Campaign groups have been successful in reducing noise, for example by getting limits on low flying by military aircraft to certain areas and certain times. So if you are suffering from a big noise problem, get in touch with a local or national pressure group that can help you. Search on the internet, ask at your local library or contact a local councillor, and see what pressure groups are involved with this issue.
If you are suffering from a problem that is specific to you or to a few households, contact your council's environmental health department. They can help with a wide range of noise problems and can advise you what to do about your problem. If the council is unhelpful, get advice from Citizens Advice or a solicitor.
Noise from wind turbines
Some people say that wind turbines cause noise nuisance, although there is a lot of argument about whether this is the case and what should be done about it. Remember that there is a lot of political pressure in favour of the development of non-carbon energy sources like wind farms.
You might get noise reduction improvements or better maintenance, but you probably won't get a wind farm closed. If you are suffering from noise nuisance from wind turbines, the environmental health department may be able to help but you could also consider other options such as:
- contacting the operating company to see whether the noise can be reduced.
- getting advice from Citizens Advice or a solicitor.
- getting in touch with a local or national pressure group that can help you. Search online, ask at your local library or contact a local councillor, and see what pressure groups are involved with this issue.
Noisy landlords
If your landlord is making or encouraging unreasonable noise, this may amount to harassment. But if the noise is not harassment - but is still unreasonable - or if your landlord is in a position to stop someone else making noise, you could consider the options outlined for dealing with noisy neighbours (see above).
Help from the Environmental Health Department
Every council has environmental health officers (EHOs) who can help if there is a noise from premises or a vehicle that is either likely to damage your health or which is a nuisance. If the noise is made between 11pm and 7am, it is called 'night noise', and noises above specific levels are prohibited.
The EHO must always investigate your complaint about noise. If the noise is continuing or repeated, the EHO will send someone to listen to the noise and may come out a number of times to assess and record the noise. Many EHOs have 24-hour services, but they may have to deal with other calls before yours.
Having investigated, the EHO can then help in many different ways, for example:
- giving you practical advice about dealing with the problem
- lending noise measuring or recording equipment
- persuading the person or venue to improve its record on noise or being more considerate about times. Examples of what could be done include reduction of noise levels, building works to contain the sound better, and notices asking customers not to make noise when leaving the venue and placing limits on times when noise is made
- asking the person responsible for night noise to stop making the noise immediately and, if the noise hasn't stopped within ten minutes, giving an on the spot fine, or prosecuting. This method is only available if the noise is coming from a home or from licensed premises
- giving a noisy neighbour or venue a 'noise abatement notice', telling him/her to stop. If the venue continues, s/he may be prosecuted, and/or noisy equipment, eg. sound systems, can be confiscated by the EHO
- closing a noisy venue for up to 24 hours
- working with your landlord to resolve the problem, or making your landlord take measures to deal with noise nuisance (eg installing sound insulation)
- working with the police where trouble or violence is occurring or expected at a venue.
