Noise Pollution – Burglar Alarms
The Environmental Health Division has a set procedure for dealing with audible alarms. This procedure helps to ensure that we use every option available in tracking down the house-holder or premises owner and also demonstrates to a Magistrate that we are not taking formal action lightly.
Most complaints relate to alarms that fail to cut out after 20 minutes of activation or, those alarms that do switch off but then switch themselves back on again and sound either continuously or intermittently for long periods.
Once we have received a complaint about an alarm we try a number of information sources in efforts to track down the premises owner/occupier. This includes our own key holder database, the police and, where there is a number on the alarm box, the installer. We will also ask the person complaining for any information or details that they may have about the homeowner which could be useful to us during this search. There have been times when our search has led us to a mobile phone, holidaying with its owners in Spain!
Where we have not been able to contact the homeowner we will attend the premises and witness the alarm sounding; this has to be for a minimum period of 20 minutes. At the end of this time we are required to serve a formal notice (Abatement Notice) giving a 20-minute period by which the alarm must be deactivated. Of course, if we have been unable to locate the householder previously it is very rare that they arrive home during this period and put things right. During this 20 minute period we often spend our time knocking on doors and asking other neighbours whether they have any information that could help.
After this time we have to approach a Magistrate either directly through the Courts, or if the incident is outside officer hours, at home. We then provide evidence to the Magistrate that allows them to issue a warrant for an officer to gain entry into the property to disconnect the alarm. This does not necessarily mean entrance directly into the house or business, but may involve deactivation at the external alarm box on the wall.
To help us with disconnection we employ the services of carpenters, locksmiths and electricians; whom we call ultimately depends upon individual circumstances. We then take whatever means necessary to deactivate the alarm; we always have to ensure that a property can be suitably secured after our work and also that the person deactivating the alarm is not put under a health and safety risk.
Where it has been necessary to deactivate an alarm in this way, the householder or owner is charged for specialist and officer services; this can be in the region of £200.00.
