If you’re concerned about the noise from barking dogs in your area, please contact Animal Control on 07 885 0340. To complain about excessive or unreasonable noise, call the Council on 07 885 0340. If your call is outside normal business hours, it will be diverted to our after-hours call centre.
If you believe your neighbours are in danger or the disturbance is of a violent/anti-social nature, call 111 and ask for the police.
- What happens when you make a complaint?
- The operator will take the details of your complaint
- These will be sent to one of our Noise Enforcement Officers
- They will visit the property and assess the noise level
- If the noise level is found to be excessive, they will issue a notice which prohibits excessive noise for 72 hours
- If it is breached, a seizure of the noise-making equipment (e.g. stereo) may be undertaken.
It is our policy to keep your details confidential, but anonymous complaints may not be acted upon.
Fines for excessive noise
Under RMA regulations, failing to cease making excessive noise carries a maximum fine of $500. If a Council Officer’s direction to cease making excessive noise is ignored, the noise makers are liable to receive an instant fine.
Failing to provide certain information, such as full name and date of birth, when requested to do so by an Enforcement Officer carries a maximum fine of $300.
Noise control - the Resource Management Act
The Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) is partly concerned with controlling unreasonable or excessive noise to minimise its impact on the environment and people.
The aim is to safeguard people from ‘unreasonable’ or ‘excessive’ noise, while also recognising the rights of people and industry to make some amount of noise.
The RMA defines excessive noise as any noise controlled by people that “unreasonably interferes with the peace, comfort and convenience” of anyone. Sections 326, 327, and 328 of the RMA cover excessive noise.