Spotlight report on noise complaints – time to be heard

Published in October 2022

Report summary

At the heart of our findings in this report is a fundamental unfairness: most noise reports concern household noise rather than Antisocial Behaviour (ASB), and yet most landlords handle it under their ASB policy.

So, things like movement, intermittent music or the washing machine running at night (more common given the energy crisis) are viewed through the lens of ASB.

It is unfair to both the resident making the complaint and the resident being complained about for the noise to be treated as something it is not; and it is harder for the landlord to make consistent and reasonable decisions if it does not have the right framework for all types of noise reports. 

What is in the report?

This report features:

  • landlord policies and practice 
  • timeliness and communication 
  • modern living 
  • good neighbourhood management 
  • making a complaint 

The featured case studies in this report have been selected to illustrate the range of findings and outcomes and how lessons can be drawn from those to share more widely.   

The full report

Please view or download the full report PDF. 

Spotlight report on noise complaints - time to be heard (PDF)

Further learning on noise complaints

Noise complaints key topics page

Noise complaints are a common issue that residents and landlords face in their daily lives.

Explore guidance, spotlight reports, and training options for landlords and residents to help you navigate through this key topic. 

Noise complaints resources (opens in a new tab)

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