If you are experiencing a problem with noise you can contact the Council for help at any time through Waltham Forest Direct by calling 020 8496 3000 or using the on-line form. The noise team will follow it up.
Noise affects many people in Waltham Forest, today's environment is increasingly noisy and we all should have some consideration and tolerance for our neighbours.
Noise can be any unwanted sound - pleasant music to one person may be a nuisance to someone else. If you are experiencing unacceptable noise such as:
- Music that is so loud that it prevents you or your family sleeping or relaxing
- Noise from an entertainment venue
- Building sites or factories that start making a noise early in the morning or continue making a noise until late at night. See construction noise
- Noisy alarms. See noisy alarms
- Noisy from home improvement work late at night or early in the morning
- Noisy animals. See noisy animals
The noise team should be able to help you.
The Environmental Protection Act 1990 does not set specific times or levels for noise. It is a subjective assessment that takes into account factors such as:
- Time of day
- Where the noise can be heard
- How it is affecting other people
The noise team cannot normally take action for domestic noises other than loud music. This would include for example: children running about, footsteps and banging. These types of problems may be dealt with through mediation.
Contact the duty noise officer
When you are disturbed call Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000 and ask for the duty noise officer to arrange a visit to your home to enable the officer to establish whether the noise amounts to a statutory noise nuisance. The duty noise officer service is available on:
- Sunday-Thursday 9am-1am
- Friday 9am-3am
- Saturday 8pm-4am
You can also contact us during office hours 9am-5pm Monday-Friday.
At the time of a visit the noise officer may intervene if they decide that the nuisance is excessive and ask that the noise nuisance is stopped or reduced in volume. Intervention is discretionary and the officer will assess each situation and may not be able to intervene at that time for safety reasons.
What happens when a complaint is made?
If it is the first time you have complained to the noise team and the noise is not happening at the time of your complaint a letter will be sent to you and the person allegedly causing the disturbance but don’t worry any information will be kept confidential.
If the noise continues after a letter is sent to the occupier(s) advising them that we have received a noise complaint you can contact the duty noise officer again and we will explain to you how we can help.
In the first instance we will try to resolve the situation by speaking with your neighbours.
Private legal action
To find out more on taking private legal action, how to make a complaint using the online form and what you can expect to happen after you complain see private legal action.
Our service promise to customers
An officer from the noise team will make 92 per cent of all noise visits within one hour of receiving the call.
The noise team operate a priority call out list for residents where there is an ongoing noise problem, a noise abatement notice or where formal action is being taken and will visit 95 per cent of priority calls within one hour of receiving the call.
How did we do?
From April 2009 to September 2009 we have:
- Dealt with 4586 enquiries
- Responded to 99 per cent of complaints within target
- Made 813 visits - 99 per cent of priority visits within one hour of receiving the call
- Issued 60 Noise Abatement Notices for excessive noise
- Served five Fixed Penalty Notices on offenders for breaching Noise Abatement Notices
- Seized all the noise making equipment from one persistent offender
- Successfully prosecuted two repeat offenders, with fines including costs totalling £1211,50
- imposed and collected £720 from Fixed Penalty Notices
Contact
Noise Team
Environmental Health
Environment & Regeneration
Waltham Forest Council
Sycamore House
Forest Road
London E17 4JF
Tel 020 8496 3000
Email wfdirect@walthamforest.gov.uk
