Students

How to deal with noisy neighbours in university halls

Published on Mon 14th October 2019

If you're homesick, stressed about work and trying to maintain a decent social life in a new city, the last thing you want is for someone to stop you sleeping.

But sadly, this can happen all too often – especially in halls. So, what can you do about it? Is it your responsibility to tell noisy neighbours to shut up? And in the meantime, what are the best earplugs? We've got your questions answered:

 

What does the law say about being noisy during the night?

In England and Wales, noise coming from a property at night can been classed as a "statutory nuisance" under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 if it is "prejudicial to health or a nuisance". If someone notifies the council and they agree that the noise does constitute a statutory nuisance, they can serve an abatement notice ordering whoever is making the noise to stop.

The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 could also come into play: it says antisocial behaviour can mean "conduct capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to a person in relation to that person’s occupation of residential premises". It gives councils, police and housing providers the ability to apply for an injunction on the person doing the antisocial "thing", to stop them doing it.

 

Does that mean I can get an injunction on my noisy neighbour?

It's very unlikely to get to that stage. Why? Because there's probably something in the contract you signed for your accommodation that says you aren't allowed to make excessive noise between certain times, usually 10pm to 7am. Therefore, if people are keeping you up at night, they're likely to be in breach of this contract – so they would probably be kicked out of the halls before any injunctions were issued.

 

So, will my halls provider kick them out?

Not immediately. First, they'll probably issue a couple of warnings – after all, it could be that the person up all night watching loud horror films or practising drums doesn't even realise how much of a pain they're being.

Have a look at the complaints procedure for your halls and see who you need to contact to get this sorted. If you're in Unite accommodation, you can use the MyUnite app to make a noise complaint anonymously. They will then go and investigate it for you. Liberty Living and Sanctuary Students also advise students to have a chat with a member of staff if another resident is being too loud.

 

Where else can I get help from?

If your halls provider is slow to sort out the problem, head to your student union's advice unit. They are here precisely for this purpose – to help you with any problems that are affecting your ability to live and study comfortably. If they can't help directly, they will signpost you to someone who can. You may also have hall wardens (or a similar scheme) – these are usually students in higher years who come round regularly to check everything is OK and/or have drop-in sessions for you to come and raise any issues.

 

 

Should I go over there myself and ask them to keep it down?

Only if you feel comfortable to. Most halls providers recommend that you try talking to the person causing the problem first, simply because it could be the quickest and easiest way to get the problem sorted. However, if you think doing this would cause problems, or you feel intimidated by your neighbour, definitely don't feel obliged to do this. You are entitled to feel safe in your home – and if the person is breaking the rules of their tenancy, it is the provider's responsibility to sort this out.

 

How can I sleep better in the meantime?

Once you make your complaint, it's unlikely to get sorted out that same day – so you'll need a few tricks up your sleeve if you want to sleep soundly (ish).

Earplugs are the obvious choice: the most effective ones I've found are the Boots foam earplugs (£2.79 for three pairs). You might still be able to hear a little of what's going on – which is good, because you still need that alarm to wake you up in the morning! – but I find that taking the edge off a disturbing noise is enough to help me drift off.

When you find yourself getting really worked up and stressed, it can also help to keep a diary. When things get bad in the early hours, switch your lamp back on, get a notebook out and write down what's going on – basically, have a right good moan, like you would do to a friend / parent, and see if it makes you feel a little better.

And if you really do need someone to talk to, remember that you can ring your university's Nightline service, if they have one (find out here). Listeners are available 8pm-8am and will be happy to chat confidentially about anything that is worrying or upsetting you. As their website states: "Nothing is too big or small to contact Nightline about – whatever’s troubling a caller, Nightline is there to listen."

 

 

Photos by Damir Khabirov, monkeybusinessimages, Tinatin1
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