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How to make a noise complaint in Manchester

In office hours, report noise to Manchester City Council with its online form. At night and at weekends call 0161 234 5004: the council's Licensing and Out of Hours Team works seven days a week until 4.30 a.m. and will attend noise that is still going on and badly affecting you at home. Fighting or crime goes to Greater Manchester Police on 999.

Last updated: November 8, 2026

How to report noise to Manchester City Council

Reporting routes, from the council's own pages
Route	Details
Online form	The council's "Report a noise problem" form; "During normal office hours please complete our online form to register your complaint."
Night and weekends	0161 234 5004, the Licensing and Out of Hours Team, which "operate 7 days a week until 4.30am"
Fighting, crime or disorder	Greater Manchester Police on 999; criminal antisocial behaviour on 101
Council Housing Services tenants	Housing Services on 03000 123 123, or online

Sources: noise problems, reporting out of hours, the online form and the council's antisocial behaviour policy. The team "will attend incidents if noise is ongoing and having a significant impact on you within your home", and "Access to your property may be required to carry out a noise assessment." The council's pages give two different times for when the night line opens (6 p.m. on the out-of-hours page, 8 p.m. on the main page), so if it is evening, try the number.

What happens after you report

"All new cases need to be logged and a case officer will make contact." From there the council follows the statutory nuisance process: investigation, then an abatement notice if it finds a nuisance. For alarms, its alarms page says a notice will require the fault fixed within a set time, and if not, "we can obtain a warrant to enter the property"; it expects alarms to cut out after "a maximum 20 minutes" and vehicle alarms to have "a 5 minute cut-out device fitted".

Street noise, pubs and what goes to the police

Manchester takes complaints about noise in the street "related to machinery, equipment, people in the street (including buskers) or a vehicle alarm" (noise in the street). It cannot act on traffic, and "if the noise is caused by fighting, brawling or offensive behaviour, contact Greater Manchester Police on 999". For a pub, bar or club, crime and disorder also goes to the police (licensed premises).

Building work hours in Manchester

"Noisy work should normally only take place between: Monday to Friday: 7.30am to 6pm; Saturday: 8.30am to 2pm", and "No noisy work should be done on Sundays or Bank holidays" (building sites). The council's advice is to speak to the company doing the work first. A contractor who needs to work outside those hours should apply for section 61 prior consent at least 28 days before the work begins. These Saturday hours are Manchester's own; the Greater Manchester hours published by other councils end at 1 p.m.

The law behind a noise complaint in Manchester

Noise from homes is a statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which the council must investigate at any hour; there is no daytime decibel limit. From 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. the Noise Act 1996 also lets it act on noise above 34 dBA measured inside your home. The UK guide to reporting noisy neighbours covers the steps, notices and fines, and UK noise laws the hours; for particular noise see barking dogs, loud music and builders' hours. A reading from the free online decibel meter can sit beside each entry in your diary; the council measures with its own equipment.

Sources

Manchester City Council: noise problems, reporting out of hours, noise in the street, licensed premises, alarms, building sites, section 61 consent and the antisocial behaviour policy and procedure, each read on 2026-11-08 from its Internet Archive copy (the live pages refused automated reads); the online form read live. This page is a plain-language summary, not legal advice; the legislation and Manchester City Council's decisions control.

Who do I call about noise at night in Manchester?

Manchester City Council's out-of-hours line, 0161 234 5004. The Licensing and Out of Hours Team works seven days a week until 4.30 a.m. and attends noise that is still going on. Call Greater Manchester Police on 999 for fighting or crime.

How do I report noisy neighbours to Manchester City Council?

Use the council's online noise form during office hours, and the out-of-hours line at night or weekends while the noise is happening. If your neighbour rents from the council's Housing Services, you can also report it to Housing Services on 03000 123 123.

What time can builders start in Manchester?

7.30 a.m. on weekdays and 8.30 a.m. on Saturdays, finishing at 6 p.m. and 2 p.m., with no noisy work on Sundays or bank holidays, under the council's guidance.

UK noise guides and other councils

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