Here, Louise Whatley, neighbourhood and estates manager, explains more about our processes regarding noise complaints.

“In October 2022, the Housing Ombudsman (HOS) published its spotlight report on noise complaints, “Time to be Heard.” This report brought together findings from assessing the cases of noise nuisance investigated by the HOS.

At the heart of the findings by the HOS was that most noise reports concerning household noise (rather than anti-social behaviour (ASB)) were handled under an ASB policy. This meant that things like movement, intermittent music or the washing machine running at night were considered ASB issues. Having these “non-ASB” reports categorised as ASB and dealt with using the traditional ASB case management process resulted in raised expectations, a lack of understanding about the root cause of the issues and a focus on the wrong solutions. The report called for landlords to focus on practical solutions to noise reports.

Whether ASB or non-ASB, we recognise the impact of noise can be significant to you and your family. We aim to manage reports as effectively as possible, bring resolution as soon as we can, and improve resident satisfaction and well-being. We do this through a three stage approach.

1. Triaging Reports: When a noise report is received, it’s important to assess whether it meets the threshold to be considered ASB. We can do this by weighing several factors, including cause, intention, and frequency.
2. Investigation: There can be a fine balance between whether a report of noise nuisance is ASB or not. It is important that we conduct necessary investigations and evidence-gathering techniques to assure ourselves that the decision is correct. This may mean home visits, asking residents to use The NoiseApp to record incidents of noise disturbance, or speaking with other residents in the community by undertaking resident perception surveys.
3. Action: If a report has been assessed as “non-ASB,” then the focus is likely to be on finding solutions such as ways to reduce noise transference (e.g., recommending slow-release hinges, anti-vibration mats, reviewing flooring, etc.), increasing communication, understanding, and agreement between parties (e.g., via mediation), or seeking support for those whose personal circumstances may affect their tolerance and resilience.

Overarching all of the above is communication and our commitment to ensure any decisions are communicated to the person who is reporting the noise, using plain language and a clear explanation for why and how the matter will be managed.”

You can find out more about ASB and hate crimes including how to report these to us here

If you are concerned about noise in the community where you live you can also report it to your local council. Find out more here.

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