Noise
We've popped together some information on how we approach noisy neighbours and what can be done to help.
You can report any noise that interferes with what you want to do in your own home e.g. noise that keeps you awake at night or makes it impossible to hear your own TV.
We'll do our best to help you sort out noise problems, but we can only investigate noises that are unreasonable.
Please see the guidance below outlining what is considered reasonable/unreasonable noise:
Examples of reasonable noise that we wouldn't investigate into:
- Children playing during the day
- People talking
- Toilets flushing
Examples of unreasonable noise that we would investigate into:
- Using power tools at night
- Very loud music
- Shouting regularly
- Dogs barking all day
- Is it a reasonable noise at a reasonable time?
- Does my neighbour know it's causing me a problem?
- Could I talk to them about it?
- Do I make noises that make my neighbours think I don’t mind theirs?
There are various ways you can report unreasonable noise:
- Use our Virtual Agent which will ask you some questions and offer some helpful articles, then you’ll be put through to Live Chat with one of our Customer Experience Advisors when we're open. If we're closed you can make a report and our Customer Experience team will be in touch by the end of the next working day
- Speak to your Neighbourhood Officer
- Call us on 0800 652 0898
- Contact your local council's Environmental Health team
If the noise you report is clearly unreasonable noise, we'll contact you within 2 working days. Then we will:
- Talk to you first. We can act fastest if you've left us a telephone number so that we can call you
- We may ask you to talk to your neighbour if you haven't already
- Speak to other neighbours to understand how they’re affected
- Talk to the person causing the noise. Often this is enough to solve the problem
After that we may:
- Ask you to complete a diary sheet. Once completed please send the form back to us on through Live Chat, or upload the document to the case in your Online Account
- Arrange for mediation between you and your neighbour to find a way of resolving things
- Work with the Environmental Health team at your local council
- Ask the person causing the noise to agree to reasonable and achievable terms and sign an 'Anti-social Behaviour Agreement' (ABA)
- The Environment Health team may lend you noise monitoring equipment and ask you to fill out an incident diary form each time the noise happens
- Consider a 'good neighbour agreement'
- Consider getting an injunction
- Apply to court to attempt to evict the person from their home
- Perform activities like washing, vacuuming, and DIY projects between 7 am and 11 pm
- Maintain a reasonable level for your TV, radio, and music, and reduce the volume further during late hours If audible outside your home, it's too loud
- Keep your TVs, radio, and speakers away from walls you share with your neighbours
- Wear shoes with soft soles inside your home
- Try not to bang your doors
- Warn your neighbours in advance if you're doing DIY or noisy repairs that could take a few days, or if you're planning to have a party
- Ask yourself if you’re being reasonable?
- Go to the person calmly and explain the problems you are experiencing (or ask your Neighbourhood Watch contact to do this on your behalf)
- Don’t shout or be abusive as they may shout and be abusive to you and then it can be difficult to move forwards and come to a resolution
- If you don’t feel confident enough to approach the person face to face, try writing a polite note explaining what the problems are and post this through their door. This could also be done anonymously or as a group, e.g. writing "a few of us are a bit concerned..."
If you're afraid of them or they've threatened you, then please don't talk to them, and contact us instead.
