How do I report a noise complaint in Milton Keynes? When to contact police or council about noisy neighbours

The council’s environmental health department receives more complaints about noise in MK than any other topic – an average of five calls a day, every day of the year.

Over just one year, they dealt with1859 complaints. The biggest problem, affecting 515 of the complainants, was loud music.

The second most popular grievance , prompting 407 complaints was noise from other people, while barking dogs caused 229 complaints and loud plant or machinery upset 131 households.

Other common nuisances included car or house alarms going off at night, parties, vehicles and DIY.

All councils have a duty look into complaints about noise that could be a ‘statutory nuisance’ covered by the Environmental Protection Act. For the noise to count as a statutory nuisance it must unreasonably and substantially interfere with the use or enjoyment of a home, injure health or be likely to injure health.

But there are certain noises that simply do not count under the legislation and these are categorised as “unavoidable everyday sound”.

They include traffic noise, emergency street works, children playing or crying, walking up and down stairs, doors closing, domestic appliances, occasional DIY (depending on time of day) and the sound of car horns.

When someone makes an initial complaint of noise disturbance, the environmental health department will normally ask them to complete a ‘noise dairy’ If officers agree that a statutory nuisance is happening, they will serve an abatement notice ordering the person responsible to stop or restrict the noise.

If the noise is happening at night, between the hours of 11pm and 7am, the council can also issue special warning notices – even is the noise is not defined as a statutory nuisance.

Sometimes the council will prosecute if the noise continues. But to do this, they must measure the noise level from the home of the person who’s complained.

Interestingly, any home owner who makes an official complaint about noise has a legal duty to disclose this fact if they later sell their property. Failure to do this could result in a claim being made against them by the purchaser.

You can report a noise nuisance here.