Nuisance advice

A statutory nuisance is a legal term that means that someone's actions are seriously affecting your ability to enjoy your property. For us to investigate the nuisance, it must be serious and persistent. Find out how to make a report here.

The most common types of statutory nuisances

Noise

This can include noise from neighbours, businesses, or other sources. Factors that are considered when determining if a noise is a statutory nuisance include the frequency and duration of the noise, the context (such as the location, other noise sources nearby, and the time of day), the volume, and any tonal elements of the noise.

To find out more about how to log a noise complaint please visit out Noise complaints page.

Smoke and fumes

It is illegal to burn certain materials, such as household waste, rubber, painted or treated wood, furniture, tires, and plastic.

Light

Light nuisance is caused by artificial light emitted from premises. To be a nuisance, the light must be disturbing to your life, occur frequently, occur at a time of day when it is not expected, and be caused by malicious or ordinary behaviour.

Unpleasant odours

We deal with complaints of smells which cause a nuisance in your home as a result of trade, industrial or agricultural activities.

Overgrown/rubbish in garden

If your neighbour lets rubbish build up on their land, or allows their garden to become overgrown, it could cause problems that affect you.

Please note that we cannot take action against smells from a domestic property unless it is due to a build-up of waste at that property. Smells from land or muck spreading are usually temporary and pose little risk to health. We would not investigate a complaint about land spreading unless it became a frequent occurrence.

What you can do

Before you contact Environmental Health, we would advise you to discuss the problem with your neighbour. Often, they simply do not realise they are causing a problem.

In most instances, light pollution being the exception, we will request that you complete a nuisance log sheet. 

Guidance on how to complete the sheets and for how long can be found on the log sheet. You must then return the log sheet to Environmental Health. 

Download a log sheet here

To report a statutory nuisance please use the contact information below.

Contact

Environmental Health 

Address

2nd Floor

Municipal Building

Archway Road

Huyton

L36 9FB

Telephone

0151 443 4712

Email

environmentalhealth@knowsley.gov.uk

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