More about the noise team

Visit prioritisation guidelines

During a shift it is not uncommon for the officers to received several calls together. Each call can result in the need for a visit leaving the officer with decisions to make on how to prioritise their time and resources.

The types of complaint received on a shift have been ranked below in order of decending priority to assist the officer in making these decisions.

When a visit is necessary, service requests should be ranked and visited in accordance with the priority.

Priority one

Noise nuisance affecting several complainants, e.g. alarms, very loud parties, noisy air conditioning, dusty building works. Immediate follow up action to abate the nuisance including visit to the perpetrators, service of notice by hand is also required, if necessary, work in default and/or seizure and in accordance with health and safety procedures.

Priority two

Random and intermittent noise with duration greater than 30 minutes with a subsequent visit to the perpetrator where appropriate and in accordance with health and safety procedures. (These could be considered higher priority if there were several complainants or the complainant may be old or infirm).

Priority three

Road works and noisy building works outside of permitted hours with subsequent visit to the perpetrator/premises where appropriate subject to access availability and health and safety procedures.

(All cases can be considered priority one if the case history indicates a notice served or a previous prosecution for a similar offence or the Duty Manager has request a proactive visit be made)

The types of complaint listed below are considered to be more appropriately dealt with during a normal working day. Officers are therefore not required to visit but will gather as much of the information as possible to assist the shift on the next working day.

Priority four
Random and intermittent noise with duration less than 30 minutes which the officers are unlikely to be able to witness e.g. banging or slamming doors and sound insulation problems.