Noise complaints should be made to our 24 hour telephone number 0800 492 452.
When we receive a noise complaint we send out a noise control officer to determine if the noise is excessive. The noise control officer is contracted to Council and we aim for them to be on site within an hour of receiving the complaint.
Noise control officers first task is to assess whether or not the noise is causing unreasonable interference.
Complaints need to be made when the noise is occurring. We are unable to do anything about a complaint concerning noise after it has occurred.
If the noise starts again after the officer has visited, call again and a noise control officer will revisit the address.
Factors taken into account when making the assessment regarding the noise include:
- The activity producing the noise
- The location of the noise source
- Time of day or night
- Duration of the noise
- Noise history – have there been repeat situations
- Noise level
- Potential to stop the noise
- Special audible characteristics.
The assessment is subjective and no noise measurements have to be taken.
If the Noise Control Officer considers that the noise is excessive, the officer or a member of the Police can direct the person responsible for causing the noise to immediately reduce it to a reasonable level. The direction lasts for 72 hours from the time it is issued. If, at any time during the 72 hour period the direction is in force the person responsible for the noise does not comply with the direction, a Noise Control Officer accompanied by a member of the Police may enter the premises and:
- Seize and remove equipment responsible for contributing to the noise
- Render the equipment inoperable
- Lock or seal the equipment to make it unusable.
In these circumstances it is important to understand that there may be delays before the equipment can be seized as the Noise Control Officer must wait for the Police to attend and is therefore dependent on the availability of Police resources.