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NEIGHBOUR
NOISE
What are the neighbour noise laws
Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, ss.40 & 41
These sections give local authorities powers to close
down premises to prevent noise that is causing a public
nuisance. The premises covered by this clause are
licensed premises, such as pubs and clubs.
Under this clause, local authorities can issue a Closure
Order requiring the manager to shut the premises for up
to 24 hours. It makes breach of this order an offence
liable to three months in prison and/or a fine of up
to £20,000.
Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, s.42
This section makes amendments to the Noise Act 1996
that allows all English and Welsh local authorities to
issue £100 Fixed Penalty Notices to help control
night-time domestic noise by removing the adoptive
nature of the 'Night Noise Offence' regime within the
Noise Act 1996. It also allows local authorities to retain
any income from Night Noise Notices for spending on
qualifying functions. Section 82 of the CNEA 2005 amends
the Noise Act 1996 to enable local authorities to set the
level of the Fixed Penalty Notice (between £75 and £110),
with the default level remaining at £100 where an
alternative is not set.
Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005,
ss.69-79
Allows a local authority to designate Alarm Notification
Areas where owners or occupiers must notify the
authority of the details of a ‘key-holder’ for the premises;
failing to do so can result in a fixed penalty fine of £75.
Noise Act 1996, s.2
Gives local authorities a power to investigate complaints
of night noise from dwellings (and, as of October 2006,
from licensed premises) and empowers them to serve a
Warning Notice that the person responsible will commit
an offence if night noise from a dwelling continues above
the level specified in the notice.
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