PLEASE HELP!! complaint about nuisance barking been made (uk based)

[soffkay]

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Hi, i have three dogs and have just got a letter thru from the council to advise me a complaint that a noise by a dog barking is causing a nuisance (thats how its phrased).

it mentions it is not known at this stage if the complaint is true or false but complaints of this nature must be investigated. it mentions how i can contact them to discuss this allegation.

it then again mentions that it is the environmental healths departments role to investigate all cases of noise nuisances to asses if the noise complained ist to amounts considered a statutory nuisance.

This person has been requested to keep a diary of dates and times and duration of noise. If complaints continue, council officers will undertake visits and may use noise monitoring equipment to gather evidence of the noise complained of. You will not be informed prior to visits.

If our investigation confirms that a statutory nusiance exists, council it obliged to issue a statutory nuisance abatement notice and if terms of that are breached action can be taken. This would involve a court prosecution and the seizure of any noise equipment in that property that is causing a nuisance.

OK.. Guys PLEASE help me here... what does this mean? what is going to be considered excessive or bad.. it mentions that whoever it is is keeping a diary, what will the council be looking for that means it is "too much"..? If their diary doesnt seem too much noise, will they still visit anyway? put noise equipment outside house etc?
has anyone gone thru this and can explain the exact steps? thanks so so so so so so much for any help, advice!!

 

[Violet Turner]

I don't really know what it means but would definatly make sure you teach speak. Then you can teach quite... Im sure someone else can expand

 

[JudyN]

I've no experience of this but my first step would be to consider whether the complaint is justified. Do your dogs bark, and if so, at what times? If they are left during the day, I would audio-record them to see how much/when they bark.

If they bark outside a lot, then you could keep them in for more of the time. If they bark when left, you could consider whether they have separation anxiety and address this. You could look into dog daycare for them. Or having a dog walker in the middle of the day could mean they're more settled when left.

Do you have an idea who might have reported the dogs? If you have a friendly close neighbour, you could ask them if they ever hear the dogs barking.

Once you know whether the complaint is justified, then you can take it from there.

 

[Mad Murphy]

Contact them .. talk to them quietly ..calmly reasonably.. that way you stand more chance of getting help and advice rather than trouble.
You might want to start keeping a diary yourself ..when youre in when youre out , how long the dogs are alone .. film them if possible and if ( like my dog was) there is a cause making them bark make a note.. In my case everytime my neighbours son visits he bangs on her window instead of ringing the bell... So when she said she could hear Murphy bark I said I know its when Wes visits and bangs on the window.. so maybe if you teach him to use the bell i will teach Murphy not to bark.... She never moaned again! Sometimes people dont realise they are the cause of the barking and the dog is actually responding to their noise not the other way round.. if that makes sense..
But you also have to accept that your dogs might be a nuisance to someone without meaning to be.

Hope you find a suitable solution

 

[Biker John]

The only experience I have is with a friend, she got a similar letter. In her case although she had three dogs at the time they were generally quiet, so she had no idea what started the problem. Eventually her council got back to her and told her that they had used sound measuring equipment and did not find a problem. To this day she has no idea who complained and why they did.

 

[PWDmum]

1) they can not seize your dog,if that. Is what they are classing noise equipment, phone them and ask what it is about and I would keep a diary yourself, if your dogs are outside a lot then try and keep them from barking as much, do you live in council housing this might give them a bit more power, a friend had this happen. She spoke to the relevant department and to be honest it just went away on its own,

 

[merlina]

Agree with all the advice re talking to the council, asking about the nature of the complaint- and maybe who made it? If you have any idea who it might be, hard as it is, I'd approach them in as friendly a manner as you can. I understand it's not always possible and don't put yourself at risk with an aggressive person. I'm the owner of two quite noisy dogs. In the past I've spoken to my neighbours and explained say that we were having work done so dogs needed to be outside for several hours. But it was just a one-off. We get on better because they know they can say to me PLEASE can you take them inside now! And I do.

 

[Nanny71]

My groomer has recently had a letter like this from the council. She has permission to run the grooming parlour from her premises but apparently makes no difference. She only works the allowed hours 9-5, Saturday mornings only and no Sundays. This is causing her great distress, if client don't show up to pick up their dogs on time she will put the dog in her house. She lives in a detached house and this is the first complaint in over three years

 

[Kara 1]

I dont know if it differs with councils but around here (we come under winchester council ) your dogs have to be barking for 6 hrs a day continually. ..they will ask the complaint to fill in a form of when they hear your dogs and how long for ...we used to live in our detached annexe at the bottom of the garden but 2 yrs ago moved into the 3 bedroom semi at the top of the garden so my elderly inlaws could move in the annexe instead of a home ....i know my jack russell howls sometimes as ive heard him and this lasts no longer than 10 mins. ...when we are home they arent allowed to continually bark ...i asked our neighbour who is attached to us and she says she hardly hears them ....her children make far more noise anyway.
Its a shame the person that made the complaint hadnt spoken to you first. ..it would make life so much simpler.

 

[Esther Slater]

Hi,

I also had this complaint from some neighbours. My letter said the diary had to be kept for 3 months, which is fair amount of time to remember to keep track. The letter also said that if the diary shows excessive barking then the Council will install an audio recorder to prove the diary is true. In my experience, it didn't go past the 3 months (I guess they didn't hate my dogs barking enough to put in the effort). I think there may have been a fine if the audio showed excessive barking but mostly it effects property sales in the fact the houses round you will be listed as 'in a noisy neighbourhood'.

However, this was quite a while ago and it might change depending where you live.

Hope this helps

 

[Shalista]

def try to contact whoever made the complaint. my downstairs neighbor filed a noise complaint with my landlord the day after i moved in. he told me who it was and i whipped up a fabulous batch of cookies and brought it over. we visited and chatted and i promised to work on it. i still bring her cookies and she occasionally tells me if bax has been especially barky but i haven't heard a peep from the landlord about noise since.