Police explain your rights if workmen are too noisy near your home | UK | News

Ever had your Saturday morning lie-in ruined by the racket of builders working outside? The police have clarified exactly what steps you can take in such annoying situations, and the options may surprise you.

While some might be tempted to ring 999, it may come as a surprise that police officers don’t have the power to prosecute noise-related offences. Instead, Ask the Police suggests reporting serious incidents to Environmental Services, which is connected to your local council.

Its online guidance reads: “As with any complaint of noise, you can report this to Environmental Services at your local authority. It may be possible to serve inconsiderate contractors with a noise abatement notice.

“See the link in related information to find your local authority. There are generally no legal restrictions on the times work may be carried out and sometimes it is necessary to work during unsociable hours for emergency repairs or to avoid traffic disruption.”

If you can identify who is doing the work, such as an electricity company or water board, the police advise contacting them directly first. This is primarily because they may be completely oblivious to the issue and how much it affects you.

Direct contact is similarly advised as an initial approach for situations involving noisy neighbouring televisions, balring music, or even barking dogs. However, for ongoing problems, residents should contact the Environmental Health Department at their relevant local authority.

Most departments function around the clock and can be contacted at any hour. Ask the Police’s online advice continues: “For long-term problems, you may be asked by your local authority to keep a diary of information about the noise, such as when it occurs, how loud it is etc., and in some cases you may be provided with some equipment to record the noise. These two steps are designed to gather evidence.

“If the council then decides that someone is causing a statutory noise nuisance, they must issue a ‘noise abatement’ order (i.e. a chance for them to turn the noise down), which if broken can lead to a fine, although it is likely they will give your neighbour the opportunity to turn the TV/music down without further action. The whole process can take some time to complete.”

Local authorities possess the authority to serve warning notices for noise complaints that exceed acceptable thresholds between 11 pm and 7 am. In severe instances, this can progress to a ‘statutory nuisance’ if particular criteria are met.

Should this happen, a penalty of £110 for homes or £500 for licensed venues may be levied within a fortnight, according to the Mirror.

Those who fail to pay the notice or do so after the deadline could face prosecution and a penalty of up to £1,000 for residential properties, or an unlimited fine for licensed establishments.

It is the council’s responsibility to investigate noise complaints regarding:

• Premises, including land like gardens and certain vessels (for example, loud music or barking dogs)
• Vehicles, machinery or equipment in the street (for example, music from car stereos)

Statutory noise nuisance laws do not cover noise from:

• Traffic or planes (they do apply to model planes)
• Political demonstrations and demonstrations about a cause
• Premises occupied by the armed forces or visiting forces

Councils have the discretion to determine the level of service for addressing noise complaints, including options like having officers on call at night. For more information, head to GOV.UK.