Noise, nuisance and antisocial behaviour

Councils have legal powers to investigate issues that could be considered a nuisance or antisocial behaviour. The issue could be classed as a nuisance if it affects you:

at your home or business;
on a repeated basis.

For most situations we recommend you speak to your neighbours to try to resolve the issue first. If this does not improve the situation, or is not possible, then we may be able to help.

Report a noise problem

Report a pollution or nuisance problem

What can I report?

noise from premises or from vehicles, equipment or machinery in the street
smoke from premises (including bonfires)
dust or smells from commercial premises
artificial light from premises
insect infestations from commercial premises
accumulations on premises (for example piles of rubbish rotting or attracting vermin)
premises with substantial numbers of rats or mice

Nuisance and Anti-Social Behaviour Guide (PDF, 1 MB)

What can I not report?

Noise from people in the street
Smells from dwellings
Street lights
Road traffic, aircraft or railway noise
One-off situations unless they are affecting a large number of households
Reasonable everyday activities such a vacuuming or using the washing machine.

What will happen after I make a complaint?

This depends on the type of complaint.

We may contact the people you have complained about
We may ask you to complete a nuisance diary form
Environmental Protection nuisance diary form
Diary record form (Word doc, 204 KB)
We may visit to see or hear the situation for ourselves
We will try to resolve the case without legal action first
We may take enforcement action such as an Abatement Notice or a Community Protection Warning
We will not identify you to the person you have complained about unless you agree for us to do so

What if no action is taken?

If the council decides no action can be taken, you can try:

Discussing the situation with your neighbours to try and reach an agreement.
Visit the West Sussex Mediation service. Trained mediators can help to resolve a variety of disagreements and misunderstandings between people.
Taking your own legal action