Dealing with noise from neighbours

If your neighbours are making too much noise, speak with them if you feel safe doing so.

You can complain to the council or the police if the noise is ongoing and too loud.

Before complaining about noise, consider whether the noise is antisocial, or if it’s noise from everyday activities.

What counts as antisocial noise

Noise can count as a nuisance or antisocial if it significantly affects you.

Antisocial noise can happen at any time of the day, but the law limits loud noise at night. Noise is more likely to be antisocial if it’s happening between 11pm and 7am.

For example, antisocial or nuisance noise could be:

• frequent parties that go on late at night

• loud music 

• banging on the walls or floors

• shouting or screaming

• dogs barking non-stop

Noise that might not be not antisocial

Not all noise that affects or annoys you is antisocial. Think about whether it’s noise your neighbour can reasonably stop or control.

The council or police will not investigate noise from everyday activities, such as:

• children playing 

• a baby crying

• toilets flushing

• footsteps 

• DIY during the daytime

Try speaking with your neighbour to see if they can do something to reduce the noise levels.

Speaking to your neighbour about noise problems

When deciding how to deal with noise problems, consider: 

• how much the noise is affecting you

• what you feel comfortable doing

• what you’d like your neighbour to do

• if the noise might be from something unavoidable or short-term

Often the best way to deal with nuisance noise is to speak with your neighbour. Only speak to them if you feel safe doing so.

Explain to them how the noise is affecting you, and see if you can agree on a way forward. Keep in mind they might not realise how much noise they're making, and they might not be able to do something about it.

You could ask your neighbour to consider:

• avoiding making loud noise at certain times of the day

• putting down rugs to reduce floor noise

• improving their flooring

• installing sound insulation

Using mediation

If you cannot come to an agreement, you could ask your neighbour to go to mediation. This is led by an independent professional called a mediator.

They’ll help you find a solution to the problem and try to get you both to agree to it.

It’s not a legally binding decision, but it can help you agree on a compromise.

Find a mediator at Scottish Mediation. Some councils also offer mediation services.

Reporting antisocial noise

If speaking to your neighbour does not work, or you do not feel safe doing so, you can report antisocial noise to the council or the police.

Record the noise and keep a diary

You can use this as evidence of the noise problem. 

You could take the recording to your neighbour to show them how disruptive the noise is, or use it to get the council or police to take action.

Report the noise to the council

The council can send someone to your home to measure the noise levels.

They can issue a legal warning notice telling your neighbour to reduce the noise if it's too loud or persistent. If your neighbour does not reduce it, the council can fine them.

Check on your council’s website for the best way to report antisocial noise. Find your council’s contact details on mygov.scot.

Report the noise to the police

If you need a fast response to a noise problem, you can report it to the police. Call them on the non-emergency number 101 at any time of day, 7 days a week.

They should investigate reports of antisocial noise. An officer might visit your home and measure the noise level as part of their investigation.

Contact your neighbour’s landlord

Your neighbour's landlord might agree to speak to their tenant to get them to reduce the noise.

If you and your neighbour rent from a housing association, speak to your housing officer. They should investigate and take action if they find there's nuisance noise coming from one of their properties.

If they rent privately, you can:

• contact the landlord directly and ask them to deal with the noise problem

• contact the council and tell them the landlord is allowing antisocial noise at their property

Most private landlords must be registered with the council. Search the Scottish landlord register to find the landlord's details.