Information

Information
Dear Environmental Protection Team
I would like to make a noise complaint against...
Dog Luv Kennels, Hoopers Lane, Stoford, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 9AE
I will be using The Noise App to make the recordings.
Please could I have an Enquiry number.
Kind Regards

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT 1990

ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, CRIME AND POLICING ACT 2014

Complaint of noise nuisance from Kennels

Thank you for your enquiry regarding noise nuisance from barking dogs at a kennels. If you can provide us with a name and address of the kennels we will write to the business owner advising them a complaint has been received and request action is taken to remediate the situation. Your details will not be disclosed and will remain confidential.

Once we have written to the source of the noise and in the event of the noise continuing, we will need you to record noise incidences over the next two weeks in relation to your complaint. There are 2 options for you to be able to do this:

i) If you have a smartphone you can download the noise app free of charge from our website at this link: https://www.southsomerset.gov.uk/noiseapp

This will allow you to make a short audio recording of the noise that is disturbing you, add some details and comments and the app will then forward this to us. Instructions on how to use the app are at the same link. Please note that you will receive a message saying your submission is awaiting approval. Once we have received your first recording we will approve your use and you can then continue to submit recordings.

ii) We have enclosed noise log sheets which you can use to manually record any incidents of the noise. When the problem occurs, you must record the number of barks over at least a 5 minute duration but longer if necessary. Please return these log sheets when you have completed them.

If you do not use either of these methods to provide us with further details of your complaint we will assume you are no longer being bothered by the noise. We will therefore take no further action on the matter and will close your complaint.

Dogs can bark for a whole range of reasons and we will only take action where a dog is being allowed to bark persistently without control. For example, intermittent playful barking or short duration barking when callers arrive or the owners leave a house may be considered normal dog behaviour and not actionable. Also we cannot take a general personal fear of dogs into account when considering nuisance. If you believe a particular dog may present a danger to you, you can report this on the Council's website www.southsomerset.gov.uk/dangerousdog and we will look into the matter.

The procedures that will be followed are summarised on the reverse of this letter for your information. Please note that in order for us to take formal action we will need to show a statutory nuisance is being caused. For nuisance to be established, it must be shown that an event or series of events is causing you an unreasonable degree of disturbance and materially affecting your enjoyment of your property. For avoidance of doubt, on their own neither the noise app recordings nor the log sheets will be sufficient for us to start formal action but they are very helpful in showing the type and frequency of the noise helping us to investigate your complaint efficiently.