Noise is a normal part of our daily lives, but excessive noise is not. It can be annoying for many people and a serious problem for some. Noise is the biggest single problem that our customers report to Blackpool Coastal Housing (BCH).
A noise nuisance is noise that an average person would find unreasonable taking into account where it’s coming from, how loud it is, when it’s happening, and the length of time it is happening. What may be acceptable at midday may be entirely unacceptable at midnight.
- A television, stereo or a radio being played loud and persistently
- Games console being played at a loud volume
- Regular shouting and/or arguing
- Rowdy behaviour
- Excessive dog barking
- Excessive DIY
- Revving the engine of a motor vehicle or motorbike
- A musical instrument being played loudly or for long periods of time
Normal everyday noise heard next door would not be classed as noise nuisance and we would not usually investigate it. Everyday noise includes, for example, your neighbours:
- Going up and down their stairs
- Walking around in their home, especially if it is a flat
- Talking within their property
- Closing their windows, doors and cupboards
- Watching TV
- Vacuuming
- Flushing toilets
- Using their washing machine at a reasonable time
- Mowing their lawn at a reasonable time
- Babies and young children crying
The sound of children playing either inside or outside is not classed as a nuisance either. On the other hand, an outdoor party or regular short periods of loud music may be classed as noise nuisance.
Each situation has to be looked at individually.
If you are disturbed by noise, the first thing to do is to consider if the noise really is unreasonable. It may be helpful to discuss it with family, friends or neighbours other than those responsible, before doing anything else. If you believe that the noise really is unreasonable, the next thing is to think about how best to deal with it.
Most people don’t mean to irritate their neighbours and are not aware that they are causing a problem. Nearly everyone makes noise from time to time which will be heard by their neighbours.
Think carefully about whether daytime noise which happens for short periods is really a problem. Prolonged loud daytime noise is another matter and, if you are seriously disturbed by it, the problem will need resolving. Generally, less noise is tolerated during the evening than the daytime. Later evening noise can be irritating although you may not wish to make an issue of occasional noise which lasts only a short time. However, noise which prevents or disturbs sleep on a regular basis is unreasonable and few people are prepared to put up with this for more than a very short period of time.
If possible, try to resolve the problem by talking to your neighbour in a reasonable and polite manner. Make it as easy as you can for your neighbour to understand your point of view.
It is likely to help if you are able to demonstrate a willingness to listen to their point of view as well and offer some compromise in reaching a solution, for example, suggesting times when the noise would not cause you a problem. Don’t go round with the intention of giving your neighbour a piece of your mind as this could lead to an argument and will not help. Make a note of when you contacted your neighbour and their response as this may be needed at a later date to show that you have tried to resolve the problem.
We have developed a Good Neighbour card to help you with this which can be posted out to you on request.
While we encourage you to contact your neighbour yourself, we understand that this will not be appropriate or successful in every case. If you don’t feel comfortable contacting your neighbour, please let us know and we will decide what to do next under the circumstances. If you believe that the problem should be dealt with confidentially, we will discuss this with you. However, this may limit what we are able to do or if we can take any action at all. We will try to resolve the problem by writing to your neighbour and making an appointment to visit them. We will tell them what you have reported to us.
In some cases we will recommend independent mediation; this is delivered by an independent organisation and in most cases helps to resolve any problems. While we encourage you to contact your neighbour yourself, we understand that this will not be appropriate or successful in every case. If you don’t feel comfortable contacting your neighbour, please let us know and we will decide what to do next under the circumstances. If you believe that the problem should be dealt with confidentially, we will discuss this with you. However, this may limit what we are able to do or if we can take any action at all. We will try to resolve the problem by writing to your neighbour and making an appointment to visit them. We will tell them what you have reported to us. If the noise is still a problem after we’ve written or visited your neighbour, or you have had mediation, we will ask you to start keeping an incident diary. This is a written record of when the noise happens. It is important that you complete the incident diary.
We will also ask you to use the Noise App if you are able to, as this will enable you to submit sound recording clips to support your case. Once we have established that there is a nuisance being caused from analysing the Noise App, we do have our own equipment that we will consider installing to strengthen our evidence.
If you don’t take these actions, the action we can take is very limited.
We may also work with the local authority’s Environmental Health department to try and resolve the nuisance. If your neighbour ignores our warnings then we will consider taking enforcement action through the County Court.
We may ask you to use The Noise App to support the reports you make to us. The app lets you easily record and report any noise disturbances you’re experiencing at home. It’s completely secure, and you can capture evidence without needing to leave your property.
Your recordings are sent directly to our Neighbourhoods Team, allowing us to review the issue and decide on any reasonable steps we can take. Once you agree to use the app, we’ll send you an invitation so you can get started.
The Noise App is free and lets you record audio for up to 60 seconds on your smartphone.
| Why are we using The Noise App? |
The Noise App allows you to record noise nuisance whenever an incident occurs, giving you a quick and easy way to capture issues in real time and without needing to complete diary sheets. These recordings help us understand the situation and challenge any unacceptable behaviour when necessary. They can also provide valuable evidence if formal action or court proceedings are required.
All your recordings and comments are stored securely in one place. This means we can review everything directly through our system, and you won’t need to send emails or attachments.
| Before using The Noise App |
- Ensure you have the correct address you are reporting
- Inform BCH about the noise you are experiencing
Your Neighbourhood Officer may ask you to use The Noise App as part of their investigation into the issue you’ve reported.
| Downloading The Noise App |
- Download The Noise App 2.0 from the App Store on Apple devices or Play Store for Android devices
- Click the Create an account button and follow the steps
- When prompted, enter the PIN number that will be provided to you by your Neighbourhood Officer
Once you are fully registered you will then be able to submit recordings to us.
Please note: We are unable to use any recordings you submit if you do not have an open noise case with us.
If you require further guidance please watch the below video or contact your Neighbourhood Officer.
You can contact the Neighbourhoods Team to report a noise problem:
Tel: 01253 477900 (choose Option 3)
Email: asb@bch.co.uk
Complete the online form: https://www.bch.co.uk/my-neighbourhood/anti-social-behaviour-asb/report-anti-social-behaviour
If you receive a report about your noise from a neighbour, please treat it seriously. The fact that someone complains means that it is an issue for them. If they approach you directly, please:
- Discuss the problem with them reasonably and politely
- Try to listen to their concerns and discuss ways to resolve the problem
- If you have points you wish to make, please be calm and polite
Please remember that while what you do in your own home is a matter for you, it should not cause a noise nuisance for your neighbours. You must think about how the noise will affect other people, no matter what time it takes place. If we contact you about your noise, this doesn’t mean we agree that it is a nuisance. It is simply drawing your attention to the fact that it has been reported and asking you to think about what you can do to stop it becoming a problem. If the reports continue, we will investigate further.
After you have made a report of noise nuisance, you may be asked by your Neighbourhood Officer to use The Noise App. Below is a helpful user guide video.