Ballymena Borough Council | Environmental Health

The Environmental Protection team is a unit within the Environmental Health Services Department of the Council. The main aim of the team is to prevent and control environmental pollution and investigate complaints in relation to public health.

• Investigating complaints received regarding housing conditions, illegal eviction and harassment etc.
• Investigation of complaints regarding insanitary premises/conditions etc.
• Investigating complaints relating to pollution
• Investigating noise complaints
• Investigation of complaints regarding fly tipping/illegal waste disposal
• Maintaining and operating air monitoring equipment
• Authorisation of prescribed industrial processes under IPC legislation
• Responding to consultations from the Planning Service
• Provision of environmental information

NOISE

Noise can be defined as 'unwanted sound'.

Noise is very subjective i.e. something which annoys one person may be hardly noticed by another person e.g. loud music during the day may disturb someone who works a night shift and is trying to sleep, but may not cause disturbance to others. Similarly, a barking dog at night may not annoy its owner but may cause great disturbance to the neighbours.

Noise can cause irritation, stress, sleep disturbance and disruption of peace and quiet.
Noise complaints are investigated under the Pollution Control and Local Government (NI) 1978. This legislation enables the Council to deal with a noise disturbance if they think it is causing a nuisance to a person, or people living nearby.

There is no specific level of noise that constitutes a noise nuisance. When considering whether or not a noise nuisance exists, the Council will consider the loudness of the noise, when the noise occurs, how often the noise occurs, the effect on the person affected by the noise and the likely reaction of the average person to the noise. If the Council is satisfied that a noise nuisance exists, they will serve a Noise Abatement notice on the person responsible for making the noise, requesting them to minimise the noise. Non-compliance with the noise abatement notice can result in formal action in the magistrate's court.

Council investigation procedure - Frequently Asked Questions:

The downloadable document below answers queries in relation to the investigation procedure for noise complaints received by Ballymena Borough Council

(See downloadable documents below)

For further information and advice contact:

Mrs Sinead Sargent

Senior Environmental Health Officer

Tel: 028 25 660 431

Sinead.sargent@ballymena.gov.uk

Legislation was introduced in 2007 which provides a new structure for the private rented sector in NI. The new system will reward the efforts of landlords who provide good quality housing for their tenants and removes restrictions which would hamper the development of good quality privately rented housing. Protected tenants will retain their security of tenure.

Under the Private Tenancies Order, properties built before 1^st January 1945 whose tenancies commence after 1^st April 2007 must have a fitness inspection carried out unless they already have a certificate of fitness in place or the property is exempt i.e.

Properties will be inspected against the fitness standard in the Housing (NI) Order 1981i.e. the property must:

Application forms which can be downloaded below must be submitted within 28 days of the tenancy commencing and be accompanied by a fee of £50.

Landlords of unfit premises will be issued with a notice of refusal and will be subject to rent control until the property is made fit.

Impact of the Private Tenancies Order on Existing Regulated and Restricted Tenancies

The current registered rent for these tenancies will not increase unless the landlord applies to the Rent Officer for NI to determine a new rent.

a fitness inspection is not required and the landlord can apply directly to the Rent Officer to set a new rent.

If the tenancy does not fall within one of the above categories, in order to maximise the rent that can be charged, the landlord will need to apply to the district council for a fitness inspection using the application form below.

Environmental ProtectionTeam
Environmental Health Department
Ballymena Borough Council
‘Ardeevin'
80 Galgorm Road
Ballymena
BT42 1AB