Neighbour noise
It is a fact of life that we all make noise, whether through talking to others, playing music, entertaining, driving or just going about our daily business.
In order to prevent noise problems developing between neighbours, follow a simple community code.
do ...
be aware of your neighbours when you are doing something noisy, e.g. playing loud music, having a party, or doing DIY, and let them know beforehand.
mow your lawn at a respectable time.
keep the stereo volume down, especially after 11pm.
remember, if you live in a flat or maisonette, that noise and vibration travel easily through walls and floors.
realise that your pleasure should not lead to your neighbours' distress.
don't ...
carry out noisy DIY after 9pm on any day, before 10.30am at weekends, and if possible never on Sundays.
play music at a level which annoys your neighbours in their own space.
have frequent noisy parties in your home.
leave dogs alone for long periods.
sound car horns, slam doors and rev engines at night - you might wake someone up.
use vacuum cleaners or washing machines late at night.
what to do if you are disturbed
If you are disturbed by your neighbour's noise, try to speak to them about it first.
Explain why it is disturbing you and ask them politely to turn it down.
Try to keep calm and reasonable even though you may not feel it.
If there is no improvement in the situation then escalate your complaint to your local authority (who you pay your council tax to). They are there to help and will have a team that deal with noise complaints.
For more advice, contact our telephone helpline on 01273 823850 or e-mail us at info@noise-abatement.org All calls to the Noise Abatement Society may be recorded for training and monitoring purposes