About us

The environmental protection unit (EPU) receives thousands of complaints about noise every year. We have a legal duty to take reasonable and practical steps to investigate noise complaints. All our complaints are dealt with confidentially.

You can complain to EPU, make an enquiry or seek advice during normal office hours as follows:

Telephone: (01904) 551555
Email: environmental.protection@york.gov.uk
Write to: EPU, c/o 9 St Leonard's Place, York YO1 7ET
Call at: 9 St Leonard's Place, York YO1 7ET

You can also complain about noise on Friday and Saturday nights, between 9.00pm and 3.00am, by telephoning our Noise Patrol service on tel: (01904) 551555. We can also investigate complaints outside of the above hours by prior appointment. Please contact EPU for more information.

We will respond to you as soon as possible and in any event within 3 working days. We will need your name, full addresss and contact details, the address you are complaing about and some information on the noise, such as cause, duration, frequency and its effect upon you.

Alternatives to legal action

There are other ways to solve a problem between you and your neighbours; legal action should be the last resort.

You can start by talking to them (if it is safe to do so). Give them time to talk and get their view across. Talk to them about how their actions have affected you. They may not realise the problems they have caused you. In most cases your neighbour will want to put this right. You could take someone with you for support.

In some cases, where banging, shouting or anti-social behaviour is causing a nuisance, let your landlord or local police officer know.
If you feel that the nuisance has not improved a meeting could be arranged between you, your neighbour and a trained mediator.

Mediation

If you are a council tenant, we can offer a mediation service. Early mediation can prevent a dispute from getting worse. Mediation aims to help neighbours involved in a disagreement and sort out the problem as quickly as possible. Mediation services often resolve the problem quicker than legal action.

The mediators listen to both sides and help work out an agreement between both parties. 

Contact Mediation on (01904) 553838

Taking your own action

Sometimes we may not be able to get enough evidence of the nuisance. This would prevent us from taking any further action. However, if you feel there is still an issue you can take your own action under Section 82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

What can I do?

STEP 1
Talk to the person(s) causing the noise.  Explain how it is affecting you and ask your neighbour to try to reduce the noise.

STEP 2
Put your complaint politely in writing to the person responsible for the nuisance. Describe what the problem is, and ask them to reduce the noise. You should also mention that you could take legal action under Section 82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to stop a noise nuisance.  Date your letter and keep a copy for your future reference. Also keep any other letters you may receive.

STEP 3
The letter might have an immediate effect in reducing the noise to an acceptable level.  If it does not, start to keep a daily diary record of nuisance heard. You should keep a record until you have enough evidence to prove that the noise is happening regularly.  Allow at least two weeks for the noise to improve before proceeding to Step 4.

STEP 4
If the noise is still causing you a problem, you must decide if you are prepared to relate your complaint to the Magistrate's Court, to enable the court to consider the issue of an Abatement Order.

For further information, download our self help pack which explains all the steps involved and what you need to do.