Noise pollution

Too much noise can be very distressing and affect people's quality of life. Our officers respond to and investigate complaints of noise nuisance at domestic and commercial premises.

We can investigate the following types of noise nuisance:

• Loud music and loud television noise.
• Raised voices
• Noise from pubs and clubs
• Noise from demolition or construction works, outside of permitted hours.
• Burglar alarms and car alarms
• DIY at unreasonable hours
• Loudspeakers on vehicles in the street
• Noise from commercial or industrial premises
• Animals such as barking dogs, cockerels

We cannot take action against normal traffic and aircraft noise, children playing, noise from anti-social behaviour in the street and noise from normal domestic activities. I.E noise generated by domestic appliances and everyday living noise. 

How to make a complaint

You can make a complaint about noise online by completing the noise pollution reporting form.

Alternatively to make a complaint about noise please contact us:

• Daytime: 9am - 5pm 08085 834333
• Evening: 5pm - 3am 024 7683 2222
• Weekend: 9am - 3am- 024 7683 2222

Noise occurring between 3am to 9am, which is outside of our monitoring service hours can still be logged via the online reporting form, by telephoning 024 7683 2222 or email domestic.noise@coventry.gov.uk. Please note our generic email inbox is not monitored out of office hours.

We will need your name, address, telephone number and the address of the premises that you are complaining about. Your details are kept confidential. Please note we can't accept anonymous complaints.

What we will do

We will try to resolve your complaint informally by contacting the person making the noise and giving them advice. You should also begin keeping a diary sheet which can be downloaded on this page.

If the problem continues our officers will need to visit your property to hear the noise for themselves, so it is important that you contact our monitoring service whilst the noise is happening. The officer will look at a number of issues, including the time of day; the nature of the area; the volume, length and frequency of the noise and the activity that is causing the noise.

Formal action is only possible where our officers witness noise that they think is a statutory nuisance. Just because noise can be heard and is annoying does not mean that it is a statutory nuisance. To be a statutory nuisance the noise must be causing serious disruption to your everyday activities, such as watching television or sleeping. We must also prove that the noise happens regularly, for this reason, one-off events are unlikely to be a statutory nuisance.

When we witness a noise nuisance we will first issue the person responsible a warning letter. If the noise continues and our officers witness a statutory nuisance again, generally within four weeks of the first nuisance, then we will serve the offender with a noise abatement notice which means they have to stop making the noise or they will be breaking the law. If the nuisance continues and it is witnessed by our officers, we will prosecute and you might have to give evidence in court.

Investigating noise nuisance can be a long and frustrating process taking several months but we will try to resolve your complaint and advise you of the next step and what you need to do.

Where a noise is not enough to be a statutory nuisance you will be told of our decision and that no further action is possible and we will tell you what other action you can take.

For further information please see our noise advice factsheet.