ADVICE on how to deal with noisy neighbours is being offered by Environmental Health Officers in St Helens.
More than 700 complaints about noise were made to the council in 1996, the majority of them about neighbours with barking dogs and loud music two most common causes of din.
Over a 10-year period, noisy neighbour complaints have risen five-fold nationally and continue to increase - although research suggests that only 16 per cent of cases are reported to the Environmental Health Departments.
St Helens has a domestic noise policy and procedure for handling complaints, but has limited resources to investigate. Council officers find it difficult to be in the right place at the right time to hear the noise.
People who can't stand the row should first try to make peace by talking to their neighbours. Retaliation can make the situation worse, leading to cases where each household blames the other for the racket.
If all else fails, victims can gather their own evidence and present it at magistrates court.
ADVICE on this course can be obtained from the court itself, a solicitor, the Citizens Advice Bureau, or St Helens Environmental Health Section who can be contacted on (01744) 456338 for more information.
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