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Q75: A house / business burglar alarm is going off, what can I do?

Answer

The Police will only attend alarms installed in line with the National Police Chiefs' Council's (NPCC) Security Systems Policy. The majority of domestic alarms do not comply with that policy by virtue of the fact they are audible only systems.

The Police will also respond to domestic alarms, when there is some evidence of criminal activity. Should there be an activation and there is evidence of criminal activity or you see something suspicious, please dial 999. It is not advisable to put yourself in danger by making checks yourself.

If it appears to be a false activation, contact the police on their non-emergency number as they may have the owner's contact details on their database.

If it is a persistent problem, contact the local council or see the question in Related Information about noisy neighbours.

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In the first instance we would advise that you approach your neighbour directly in an attempt to resolve the situation. They may not be aware that the volume level is so high it can be heard by others. If you have already tried this you should contact the Environmental Health Department at your local authority - most departments have 24-hour cover so can be contacted at any time.

For long-term problems, you may be asked by your local authority to keep a diary of information about the noise, such as when it occurs, how loud it is etc., and in some cases you may be provided with some equipment to record the noise. These two steps are designed to gather evidence.

If the council then decides that someone is causing a statutory noise nuisance, they must issue a 'noise abatement' order (i.e. a chance for them to turn the noise down), which if broken can lead to a fine, although it is likely they will give your neighbour the opportunity to turn the TV / music down without further action. The whole process can take some time to complete.

The council may also issue warning notices in response to complaints about noise above permitted levels from 11pm to 7am. These warning notices can be used by councils for noise that’s not a statutory nuisance.

See the websites in Related Information to find your local authority and to report noise pollution.

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The police can attend incidents like this and can ask the organisers to reduce the noise. However, the police have no powers of prosecution for noise offences, and it may be necessary for you to contact the Environmental Health Department at your local authority.

See the website in Related Information to find your local authority and to report noise pollution.

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We would advise you to contact the Environmental Health Department at your local authority if this is a persistent problem.

All public houses and clubs are licensed by the local authority, so you should submit a formal complaint to them about this type of problem in the first instance. If property owners take little or no notice of such complaints then they could put their license at risk.

The police have no powers to prosecute noise offences so it is advisable to contact the local authority.

See the website in Related Information to find your local authority.

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You should speak to your neighbour about the problem as they may not be aware that it is happening.

Unless there is any evidence of the dog being mistreated then the RSPCA will not be able to help. If you do believe that the dog is being mistreated, you can contact the RSPCA via their telephone number 0300 1234 999.

The noise could be classed as a noise nuisance so you would need to report it to the Environmental Health department at your local authority.

Please see the website in Related Information to report a noise complaint to your local authority.

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If the car alarm is a false activation and not someone attempting to steal or break into the vehicle it would be advisable in the first instance to speak to your neighbour about the problem as they may not be aware what is happening. If the problem persists you should contact the Environmental Health department at your local council who have powers to deal with nuisance car alarms.

See the website in related information to find your local authority.

If you do see someone trying to break into a vehicle contact the police on 999 immediately.

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Question

Q75: A house / business burglar alarm is going off, what can I do?

Answer

The Police will only attend alarms installed in line with the National Police Chiefs' Council's (NPCC) Security Systems Policy. The majority of domestic alarms do not comply with that policy by virtue of the fact they are audible only systems.

The Police will also respond to domestic alarms, when there is some evidence of criminal activity. Should there be an activation and there is evidence of criminal activity or you see something suspicious, please dial 999. It is not advisable to put yourself in danger by making checks yourself.

If it appears to be a false activation, contact the police on their non-emergency number as they may have the owner's contact details on their database.

If it is a persistent problem, contact the local council or see the question in Related Information about noisy neighbours.
 
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