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Report noise or nuisance

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Report noise or nuisance

You can report a problem with:

  • noise 
  • smoke 
  • dust 
  • odour 
  • light pollution 

The easiest way to stop noise and nuisance can be to speak to the person causing it. They may not be aware that they are disrupting other people. 

If there is a threat of violence or harassment, call the police on 999. 

To investigate issues, we run a response service to witness noise or nuisance at the following times:  

  • Monday to Friday day: 9am to 5pm 
  • Monday to Thursday night: 6pm to 2am
  • Friday night: 9pm to 4.30am 
  • Saturday: 1pm to 4.30am 
  • Sunday: 10.30am to 2am

Report noise or nuisance 

You need to sign in or register for a Camden Account to report a problem with noise or nuisance. Your details will be kept confidential.

Report noise or nuisance

What happens next

If the noise or nuisance is not currently happening, or is happening outside our response hours, we will contact you within 5 days to advise.

If the noise or nuisance is happening during our response hours, we aim to return your call within an hour to confirm it is still happening. We will need to carry out an assessment from inside your property.

We can’t attend the site if you do not answer our call.

Depending on the evidence gathered during our assessment - and if it is safe - we may approach your neighbour to resolve the problem.

If follow-up action is required, the noise and pollution team will contact you within 5 days.

Issues reporting online

If you are experiencing issues reporting a noise or nuisance online, call 0207 974 4444 and ask to speak to the noise and pollution duty officer. 

Construction noise

Noise from construction is limited to:

  • 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday
  • 8am to 1pm on Saturday 

No noisy work should take place on Sundays or bank holidays. Exceptional work may be allowed outside of these times, when there is:

  • an emergency
  • a risk to public safety

Contractors must have permission for this.

How we deal with noise complaints

The government has produced guidance to explain how councils should deal with noise complaints.

This includes information on specific types of noise, including construction, alarms, and noise at night.

Read government guidance on how councils deal with noise complaints.

Help for council tenants and leaseholders

If you’re a Camden Council tenant or leaseholder and you've reported a noisy neighbour, we can take action to enforce the Camden Council tenancy conditions or lease. We only do this as a last resort, when other options have been explored.

Contacting noisy neighbours

We usually make contact with the person causing the noise. If we cannot, it may be impossible for us to deal with your complaint successfully.

If your complaint is about low level domestic noise and more due to the structure of the building rather than unreasonableness of your neighbour, we might be unable to take action.  If uninsulated laminated flooring is the cause of the level of noise we can ask that this is replaced.

Sometimes there are complaints about the person who made the original complaint. Where it is not clear who is at fault, or a negotiated agreement between everyone is needed, we may offer mediation which can help this to happen. 

Reducing noise in your home

If someone has made a complaint about noise coming from your home, you can read about how to reduce noise in your home (PDF).

Noise diary

Keep a record of noise incidents using a noise diary for council tenants and leaseholders (PDF).

When noise nuisance continues we may need to consider court action. We need consistent, well-recorded evidence of noise to do this.  

The more evidence we have and the more witnesses willing to give evidence, the better chance we have of being able to take successful action.

Legal action

Formal action might be action against:

  • a tenant for breaking conditions in their tenancy agreement
  • a leaseholder for breaking conditions of their lease

Getting an injunction or an undertaking in court may be the most likely outcome. Breaching one of these can result in a fine or imprisonment. 

For serious noise nuisance cases caused by our tenants we will consider possession proceedings in court which could lead to their eviction. 

Antisocial behaviour support

If legal action becomes necessary you may need to give evidence in court. We can talk about the support available to you if you need it. 

If you need to attend court we can offer support through our antisocial behaviour support service (PDF).