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How to make a noise complaint in Westminster

Westminster City Council's Noise Service runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: report through MyWestminster online or call 020 7641 2000. Parties, alarms, pubs and clubs, and out-of-hours building work are reviewed within one hour; neighbour noise within four working days. Call the police on 999 if a crime is happening or someone is in danger.

Last updated: November 8, 2026

How to report noise to Westminster City Council

Reporting routes, from the council's own pages
Route	Details
Online	MyWestminster, "Report a noise problem"
Phone, any hour	020 7641 2000, the council's 24/7 noise team
Reviewed within 1 hour	Party noise, vehicle and burglar or fire alarms, outdoor events, bars, pubs, clubs and licensed premises, out-of-hours building, street work and DIY noise
Reviewed within 1 working day	Street works, animal noise such as dog barking, commercial businesses, building site, construction or DIY noise
Reviewed within 4 working days	Neighbour and residential noise, pedicabs, loudspeakers in the street, stations, deliveries, ventilation and fixed plant
Westminster Housing tenants	Your housing officer, or the MyWestminster Housing portal
A crime, injury, threats or danger	The police on 999; antisocial behaviour as it happens on 101

Sources: how to report a noise problem, investigating your complaint ("The Noise Service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year."), the leaseholders' antisocial behaviour page, the online form; the Covent Garden Community Association gives the same number and 24/7 cover. Tell the council where you are, where the noise is coming from and what it sounds like. "If you provide your contact details, you will receive a reference number by email"; you can ask not to be contacted, "but this will limit the action we can take".

What happens after you report

"Our officers need to witness the problem to make an assessment. This could include a prearranged visit to your home." You may be asked to keep a noise diary (the council has a diary template) "or have sound monitoring equipment placed within your home". If an officer finds a statutory nuisance, "they may serve an abatement notice on the person responsible", and "Not following a notice is a criminal offence, and could result in formal action, such as the seizure of noise making equipment, or being taken to court." If informal action fails you can go to the magistrates' court yourself, giving "at least three days' notice".

Westminster's own thresholds: parties become a problem if "they are happening late at night (after 11pm)", "the noise levels are excessive" or "they are happening a lot"; alarms are investigated if "ringing for more than 20 minutes" or "on and off for more than one hour"; loudspeakers in the street are not allowed "between 9pm and 8am" (noise problems we can investigate).

What Westminster will not investigate

"Some types of noise are unlikely to be considered a statutory nuisance, and because of this, we cannot investigate." At home: "the sound of footsteps", "slamming doors or cupboards", "dropping objects or moving furniture", "children and babies crying", "children playing (including playgrounds)", "talking or laughing coming from inside a home or garden", and the reasonable use of garden equipment and household appliances. In the street: sirens, essential roadworks, traffic, "anti-social behaviour in public places (this is a police matter)", emergency utility works, demonstrations and "bird noises such as seagulls". Aircraft and helicopters go to the Civil Aviation Authority, and Tube noise to TfL first (noise we cannot investigate).

Building work hours in Westminster

"Building work is only allowed between: 8am to 6pm on weekdays; 8am to 1pm on Saturdays", and "No noisy works is allowed on Sundays or bank holidays unless special permission has been granted." On Saturdays demolition, excavation and piling are not permitted without special permission. Out-of-hours building or construction noise is reviewed within one hour. The council's Code of Construction Practice sets the same normal working hours for major sites. Other boroughs' hours are in builders' working hours.

The law behind a noise complaint in Westminster

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

Westminster City Council: how to report a noise problem (last updated 20 October 2026), investigating your complaint, noise problems we can investigate (26 October 2026), noise we cannot investigate (20 October 2026), leaseholders: report antisocial behaviour (31 July 2026) and the Code of Construction Practice, residents and stakeholders; the Covent Garden Community Association. All read 2026-11-08. This page is a plain-language summary, not legal advice; the legislation and Westminster City Council's decisions control.

Does Westminster have a 24-hour noise service?

Yes. The council says its Noise Service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, on 020 7641 2000 or online through MyWestminster. Party, alarm, licensed-premises and out-of-hours building noise is reviewed within one hour.

How long does Westminster take to deal with neighbour noise?

An officer reviews a report of neighbour or residential noise within four working days. Because officers need to witness the problem, they may arrange a visit, ask you to keep a diary, or place monitoring equipment in your home.

What time can builders work in Westminster?

8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, with no demolition, excavation or piling on Saturdays and no noisy work on Sundays or bank holidays without special permission.

UK noise guides and other councils

← How to report noisy neighbours in the UK