Making a noise complaint
This section has information about making a complaint about neighbourhood noise.
If you have a problem about noise you should start by trying to talk to your neighbour. If talking hasn't resolved the issue, you can make a complaint to your local council or the police. If you are a tenant or live in a strata scheme you may have other options for complaint as well.
If you have tried other options and your noise problem is still not resolved you can apply to the Local Court for a noise abatement order. For more information, see Applying for a noise order.
Complaining to the police
You can contact the police for urgent noise problems.
The police can issue a warning or a noise abatement direction requiring the person to stop making the noise. The police can give a penalty notice (fine) for breaching a noise abatement direction relating to offensive noise.
For more information, see Complaining to police.
Complaining to the council
If the noise is an ongoing problem you can contact your local council.
Council officers can issue a warning, a noise abatement direction, a prevention notice or a noise control notice. If the noise relates to a noisy cat or dog, the local council can issue a nuisance order. The council can give a penalty notice (fine) for breaching a noise abatement direction relating to offensive noise.
For more information, see Complaining to council.
Noise complaints in strata
If you live in a strata scheme premises (with an owners corporation), you may have other options for action.
All strata residents must follow the strata scheme by-laws. By-laws will usually include restrictions on noise and disturbances to neighbours.
For more information, see Noise complaints in strata.
Noise complaints about tenants
If you or your neighbour is a residential tenant, you may have other options for action. All residential tenants and landlords have obligations not to disturb the reasonable peace of their neighbours.
For more information, see Noise complaints about tenants.