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Pollution

Burglar Alarms

Many people install burglar alarms within their homes or in commercial premises. These alarms vary greatly in their sophistication – from simple audible alarms which rely on passers-by to react to them, to outwardly silent systems which alert staff at a central control centre. It is usually the cheaper, DIY systems which cause noise problems as they may not be properly installed or maintained, and may be over sensitive.

If you have an alarm on your property, it is a good idea to take some simple precautions:  

i. Buy as good an alarm as you can afford.
ii. Make sure the alarm has a 20 minute cut-off device.  
iii. Make sure the alarm complies with the relevant British Standard (BS 4737).  
iv. Install the alarm as per its instructions – or better still get an electrician to do it for you.   v. Test the alarm after installation and from time-to-time.  
vi. Notify the Local Authority and Police of the key holder for the system (the Environmental
    Health Unit has forms for this).  

Remember: If you are relying on your neighbours to react to the alarm when it goes off for real, make sure you do not annoy them with too many false alarms.
 
If you are disturbed by a continually ringing alarm, the Environmental Health Unit may be able to silence it. You must identify the premises on which the alarm is sounding, if you can. If it is on a neighbour’s property, ask around to see if anyone knows where they might be. Give any information you can to the Officer who contacts you.

The Officer will make their own enquiries and will visit your premises to listen to the noise inside – it must be judged to be a statutory nuisance. If no key holder can be located, the Officer can obtain a Magistrates Warrant to enter the premises and silence or re-set the alarm. Costs incurred will be re-charged to the owner of the premises.

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