Councils receive 66 statutory nuisance complaints every hour

• Local councils received more than half a million (577,563) statutory nuisance complaints in the 12 months to 31st July 2017
• Over a quarter of these complaints (28 per cent) were submitted in London
• Most common complaint is for noise pollution, comprising nearly half (48 per cent) of all complaints
• Over 8,000 noise abatement notices issued between 1st August 2016 and 31st July 2017
• Across the UK, the average value of fines issued for broken noise abatement notices was £528
   

Local councils received nearly 580,000 statutory nuisance complaints last year, reveals new analysis¹ from Churchill Home Insurance. An estimated 577,562 complaints were made to councils across the UK, equating to 1,582 complaints received per day, or 66 every hour, between 1st August 2016 and 31st July 2017.  Statutory nuisances, which include noise disruption and rubbish accumulation, impacting a person’s health or causing disturbance to them in their property must be investigated by a council if a complaint is made².

Overall, the number of statutory nuisance complaints has decreased slightly (-2.4 per cent) from 2015/16 to 2016/17. In the year 2015/16, 14,000 more complaints were made, with 591,632 statutory nuisance complaints being filed with local councils.

When looking at the reasons for complaints being made, the most common complaints received by UK councils were for noise pollution (48 per cent) and rubbish (24 per cent).  Complaints about rubbish include the accumulation of rubbish bags and rotting materials that may attract vermin or rats.  

Table One: Most common statutory nuisance complaints across the UK

Source: Churchill Home Insurance 2018
 

Despite the high numbers of statutory nuisance complaints regarding noise pollution, only 8,024 noise abatement notices were issued in the period 2016/17 – a fall of one per cent on the previous year. Two in five of these were issued in London (43 per cent, or 3,471 noise abatement notices issued). This was followed by Yorkshire and The Humber, with 1,044 noise abatement notices issued (13 per cent of the UK total), the South East with 761 notices issued (nine per cent of the total) and Northern Ireland with 663 notices issued (eight per cent of the total).

Noise abatement notices usually require the person who is responsible to stop the activity, or limit it to certain times, during the day for example, to avoid causing a nuisance².  If issued with a noise abatement notice, Brits who fail to comply risk prosecution and fines. Additionally, councils can decide to carry out works to stop or restrict the nuisance by seizing or confiscating equipment, for example, and apply to the High Court for an injunction³.

Some 638 noise abatement notices (eight per cent) were broken last year – with nearly a quarter broken in London alone (24 per cent). On a council level, Leicester City Council had the highest number of broken noise abatement notices at 60 – nearly two thirds of the 93 noise abatement notices issued by the council in 2016/17. Across the UK, the average value of fines issued for broken noise abatement notices was £528.
 

Martin Scott, head of Churchill home insurance said: “It is a worrying indictment of modern society that so many people are failing to take responsibility for their communities, keeping noise and other disturbances to a minimum. Living next to a poorly maintained property, or loud and disruptive neighbours, can not only be a harrowing ordeal but could also affect the long-term value of your home if you were to look to sell.  Council enforcement of environmental regulations is crucial to ensure the actions of inconsiderate individuals don’t blight the lives of others.  Living next to a noisy neighbour can be extremely debilitating and have a serious impact on the mental wellbeing of the victim.”  
 

Regional findings:

Analysing the data on a local basis across the UK reveals that the City of Westminster received the most complaints in 2016/17 with 17,133 statutory nuisance complaints, representing a four per cent share of the national complaints filed. The council is closely followed by Cornwall Council, which received 17,001 statutory nuisance complaints last year.
 

Table Two:  Councils that received the most statutory nuisance complaints in 2016/17

Source: Churchill Home Insurance 2018
 

Londoners file the most complaints about their neighbours as councils in London receive over a quarter of all complaints nationally, with 160,000 complaints, or 439 every day. London councils also comprise half of the top ten councils that receive the most statutory nuisance complaints. Councils in the South East received 14 per cent of all statutory nuisance complaints nationally, with 79,307 filed last year.
 

Table Three: Regional breakdown of statutory nuisance complaints

Source: Churchill Home Insurance 2018

Notes to Editor

• ¹FOI issued to 387 local councils across the UK, of which 324 (89.4 per cent) provided usable content. All figures used are extrapolated to cover the entire UK, based on the populations in each local authority. The total population of the councils that provided usable content accounted for 85.9 per cent of the total UK population.
• ²https://www.gov.uk/guidance/statutory-nuisances-how-councils-deal-with-complaints#what-can-be-a-statutory-nuisance
• ³ https://www.gov.uk/guidance/statutory-nuisances-how-councils-deal-with-complaints
   

For further information please contact:

Claire Foster 

Churchill PR Manager

Tel: 01651 831 672

Email: claire.foster@directlinegroup.co.uk

Antonia Green

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

Antonia.green@citigatedewerogerson.com

0207 282 2967

Churchill

Founded in 1989, Churchill is now one of the UK's leading providers of general insurance, offering car, home, travel and pet insurance cover over the phone or on-line.

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Churchill and U K Insurance Limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.  
 

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