General Information / Advice
The likelihood of individuals complaining to their council about noise depends on the degree of disturbance and the individual’s awareness of the service provided by their local council in respect of noise control. Surveys carried out in Northern Ireland and other parts of the UK reveal that many people do not know who to contact regarding excessive noise and very few people will actually complain to their local council.
As discussed on earlier pages, the district councils in Northern Ireland have the option of adopting the Noise Act 1996. This enables them to issue warning and fixed penalty notices and in certain circumstances seize noise making equipment from domestic premises.
Article 38 of the Pollution Control and Local Government (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 empowers councils to serve Noise Abatement Notices on premises or land where the noise constitutes a nuisance.
Some councils in Northern Ireland have taken action and adopted initiatives in an attempt to actively manage noise in their areas. For instance, Belfast City Council provides a Noise Complaint Service during normal office hours and every night between 8pm and 4am (except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Eve, St. Patrick’s Day and 11 and 12 July) and has established a hotline (028 90 373006) so that individuals can contact Noise Control Officers directly. Coleraine Borough Council operates a joint enforcement initiative, part of which consists of night time patrols between 9pm and 4am on programmed nights. For more information on these initiatives please refer to the Department of the Environment’s Noise Complaints Statistics for Northern Ireland Report 2008-2009 (available at http://www.doeni.gov.uk/index/protect_the_environment/local_environmental_issues/noise/complaint_statistics_for_ni.htm ).
If you are affected by noise the following information will let you know what you can do:
What can you do if you are Bothered by noise? (854KB) 
If you want to know how you can create less noise and be a good neighbour check out the following:
How to be a considerate neighbour
Barking dogs are one of the most complained about noise sources in Northern Ireland. If you are a dog owner and wish to find out to stop your pet annoying your neighbours consult the following information leaflet:
Is your dog barking too much? (188KB)
Other useful information
Department of the Environment noise webpage - http://www.doeni.gov.uk/index/protect_the_environment/local_environmental_issues/noise.htm
WHO Noise -
http://www.who.int/topics/noise/en/
WHO Report on Night Noise 2009 - (PDF 1.72MB)
http://www.euro.who.int/document/e92845.pdf
Institute of acoustics -
http://www.ioa.org.uk/about-us/regional-branches.asp?id=22
Environmental Protection UK – Noise Surveys
http://www.environmental-protection.org.uk/assets/library/documents/National_Noise_Survey_2008.pdf
Noise Complaints Statistics Reports for Northern Ireland - http://www.doeni.gov.uk/index/protect_the_environment/local_environmental_issues/noise/complaint_statistics_for_ni.htm