TA6 Noise Complaints: How to Answer

Noise complaints are one of the most common issues that sellers need to address on the TA6 Property Information Form. Whether you reported a neighbour to the council about persistent noise or a neighbour complained about your property, Section 10 of the TA6 requires you to disclose the complaint honestly and fully.

Many sellers panic when they reach this part of the form, worrying that any mention of noise will scare off buyers. In practice, the opposite is true: a clear, proportionate disclosure builds trust, while concealment creates far bigger problems down the line. This guide explains exactly what counts as a noise complaint on the TA6, how to word your answers, and how to handle the most common scenarios.

Which TA6 section covers noise complaints?

Section 10 of the TA6 form, titled "Disputes and Complaints" in the 4th edition published by the Law Society in 2020, is where noise complaints must be disclosed. The section asks whether you are aware of any disputes, complaints, or disagreements affecting the property.

Within Section 10, noise complaints can fall under several categories:

• Complaints to or by a local authority — Formal noise complaints made to the council's environmental health team, whether by you about a neighbour or by a neighbour about your property.
• Disputes with neighbours — Noise-related disagreements that may not have involved the council but escalated beyond a single passing conversation.
• Any other disputes or complaints — A catch-all covering noise issues reported to other bodies, such as a housing association, management company, or the police.

For a full overview of Section 10 across all dispute types, see our guide on TA6 neighbour disputes: what to declare. This article focuses specifically on noise complaints.

What counts as a noise complaint on the TA6?

Not every noise-related interaction with a neighbour needs to be disclosed. The key distinction is between a formal or documented complaint and a single casual conversation that went no further. The following table clarifies the boundary.

The practical test is straightforward: would a reasonable buyer want to know about this before committing to the purchase? If the answer is yes, or even possibly, disclose it.

Types of noise issues you must declare

Noise complaints come in many forms. The following are the most common categories that sellers need to address.

Council environmental health complaints

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities have a duty to investigate complaints about statutory nuisances, including excessive noise from neighbouring properties. If you contacted your council's environmental health team about a noise issue — or they contacted you because a neighbour complained — this must be disclosed.

Include the following details in your disclosure:

• The date the complaint was made
• The nature of the noise (loud music, construction work, barking dogs, etc.)
• Whether the council investigated
• The outcome — whether the complaint was closed without action, whether informal advice was given, or whether a noise abatement notice was served
• The current position — whether the issue has been resolved or continues

Noise abatement notices

A noise abatement notice is a legal order served under Section 80 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. It requires the person responsible for a statutory nuisance to stop or restrict the noise within a specified period. Breaching a noise abatement notice is a criminal offence, carrying a fine of up to £5,000 for domestic properties.

If a noise abatement notice has been served in connection with your property — either on you or on a neighbouring property — it is one of the most significant disclosures in Section 10. Buyers and their solicitors treat abatement notices seriously because they indicate the noise was severe enough to cross the legal threshold for statutory nuisance.

Disclose the date the notice was served, who it was served on (refer to the property address), what the noise issue was, and whether the notice was complied with. If the notice was appealed to the magistrates' court, include the outcome of the appeal.

Anti-social behaviour reports involving noise

Some noise issues are reported to the police or council as anti-social behaviour rather than through the environmental health route. Under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, authorities can issue community protection notices or seek civil injunctions in response to persistent noise that causes harassment, alarm, or distress.

If you reported a neighbour's noise as anti-social behaviour, or a neighbour reported your property, disclose the report, any reference numbers, and the outcome. For more on how neighbour disputes interact with the sale process, see our guide on selling due to neighbour disputes.

Housing association and management company complaints

If you live in a property managed by a housing association, residents' management company, or freeholder, noise complaints made through the management structure must also be disclosed. This includes complaints you submitted about a neighbouring flat or house, complaints submitted about your property, and any formal warnings or breach-of-lease notices issued as a result.

How to word your noise complaint disclosure

The language you use in Section 10 matters. Poorly worded disclosures create alarm and generate follow-up enquiries from the buyer's solicitor, slowing the transaction. Well-worded disclosures build trust and move the sale forward.

Follow these principles when writing your disclosure:

1. Be factual, not emotional. State what happened, when, and what the outcome was. Avoid characterising the neighbour, expressing frustration, or using language that implies the situation was worse than it was.
2. Include specific dates. "A noise complaint was lodged with [council name] in March 2023" is far more useful than "there was a noise issue a while ago." Dates show the buyer when the problem occurred and how long ago it was resolved.
3. Identify parties by property address. Refer to "the occupant of [neighbouring address]" rather than naming individuals. This is more professional and avoids privacy issues.
4. State the outcome clearly. If the council investigated and closed the complaint without action, say so. If an abatement notice was served and complied with, say so. If the issue is ongoing, explain the current position.
5. Attach supporting documents where available. A council decision letter, correspondence from environmental health, or a copy of an abatement notice (if complied with and now spent) reduces the number of follow-up enquiries significantly.

Example disclosure wording

Here is an example of a well-worded noise complaint disclosure:

"A noise complaint was submitted to [council name] Environmental Health in June 2023 regarding loud music from the adjoining property at [address]. The council investigated during July 2023, contacting the occupant. The complaint was closed in August 2023 without an abatement notice being served. There have been no further noise issues and the relationship with the neighbour is cordial."

And here is an example of wording to avoid:

"We had awful problems with the neighbour playing music at all hours. We called the council multiple times but they were useless. It has calmed down a bit recently."

The second example is emotional, vague about dates and outcomes, and leaves the buyer's solicitor with more questions than answers. It will inevitably generate additional enquiries and may concern the buyer unnecessarily. For more general guidance on TA6 disclosure wording, see our guide on common mistakes sellers make on the TA6.

Resolved versus ongoing noise complaints

The TA6 asks about complaints that have existed at any time, not just those that are currently ongoing. This means you must disclose resolved noise complaints as well as active ones.

Disclosing a resolved noise complaint

A resolved complaint is actually one of the easiest disclosures to make. State what the complaint was about, when it was made, what the council (or other body) did, and confirm that the matter is now closed. If there have been no further issues since, say so explicitly.

A resolved complaint with a clear narrative arc — problem, investigation, resolution — is far less concerning to a buyer than a vague reference to "some noise issues." The resolution demonstrates that the system worked and the problem was dealt with.

Disclosing an ongoing noise complaint

If a noise issue is genuinely ongoing, do not pretend it is resolved. State the current position honestly: what the noise issue is, when the complaint was made, what action the council has taken so far, and what the next steps are. Misrepresenting an active complaint as resolved is precisely the kind of dishonesty that leads to claims under the Misrepresentation Act 1967.

If you are selling specifically because of ongoing noise problems, our guide on selling a house with noisy neighbours covers how noise issues affect the sale process and what practical steps you can take.

What you do not need to declare about noise

Not every noise-related interaction requires disclosure. You generally do not need to declare:

• A single, polite request to a neighbour about noise that was agreed to immediately and never recurred
• General neighbourhood noise that does not involve a specific complaint, dispute, or formal action — such as the fact that you live near a busy road or a school
• Noise from temporary works (road resurfacing, building projects on other properties) where you had no personal involvement in any complaint
• Internal thoughts about noise levels that you never acted upon or communicated to anyone

However, the line between a passing annoyance and a disclosable complaint is not always clear-cut. If you are unsure, err on the side of disclosure. A brief, factual note is always safer than an omission. For an in-depth look at what honesty requires on the TA6 and the legal consequences of concealment, see our guide on what happens if you lie on the TA6.

How noise complaints interact with local authority searches

One of the strongest reasons to disclose noise complaints proactively is that they can be discovered independently through the conveyancing search process. Local authority searches carried out by the buyer's solicitor may reveal:

• Noise abatement notices served on the property or neighbouring properties
• Environmental health investigations connected to the address
• Records of statutory nuisance complaints
• Community protection notices or other enforcement action in the area

If the buyer's searches reveal a noise complaint that you failed to mention on the TA6, the inconsistency will immediately raise alarm. The buyer's solicitor will raise further enquiries, potentially delay exchange, or advise the buyer to reconsider. In the worst case, the buyer may withdraw from the transaction entirely.

By contrast, if the searches confirm information you already disclosed, they reinforce your credibility. The buyer's solicitor can see that your TA6 answers are consistent with the official record, and the transaction proceeds smoothly.

Legal consequences of concealing noise complaints

The legal framework behind Section 10 disclosures is the Misrepresentation Act 1967. When you complete the TA6, you are making representations of fact to the buyer. If any of those representations are false or misleading — by stating something untrue or by omitting something material — the buyer may have grounds for a claim after completion.

The three categories of misrepresentation apply:

• Fraudulent misrepresentation — You deliberately concealed a noise complaint you knew about. This can result in damages, rescission (the sale being reversed), and potentially criminal liability.
• Negligent misrepresentation — You failed to disclose a complaint carelessly, without taking reasonable steps to check your answers. The burden of proof shifts to you to show you had reasonable grounds for your belief.
• Innocent misrepresentation — You genuinely did not know about the complaint. The buyer may still be entitled to rescission, though damages are more limited.

The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs) may also apply if the omission is deemed a misleading commercial practice. While the CPRs primarily target businesses and estate agents, a private seller who deliberately conceals noise complaints could also face scrutiny.

Practical tips for sellers

Based on common conveyancing practice, here are the most effective steps you can take when dealing with noise complaint disclosures on the TA6:

1. Gather your records before completing the form. Check your emails, letters, and any council correspondence for details of noise complaints. You may have forgotten the exact dates, and accuracy matters.
2. Contact the council for records if needed. You can submit a subject access request or a Freedom of Information request to your local authority to obtain records of complaints you made. This ensures your disclosure matches the official record.
3. Disclose in both directions. If you made a complaint about a neighbour and the neighbour also complained about you, disclose both. Omitting one while declaring the other creates an incomplete picture.
4. Ask your solicitor to review your wording. Before the TA6 is submitted to the buyer's solicitor, ask your own solicitor to review your Section 10 answers. They can help you phrase disclosures in a way that is accurate, proportionate, and unlikely to generate unnecessary alarm.
5. Do not wait until you are asked. Proactive disclosure is always better than responding to buyer enquiries. If you volunteer the information upfront, it shows transparency. If the buyer's solicitor has to chase it, it creates suspicion.

Sources

• Law Society of England and Wales — Property Information Form (TA6), 4th edition, 2020
• Environmental Protection Act 1990, Part III (Statutory Nuisances) — legislation.gov.uk
• Misrepresentation Act 1967 — legislation.gov.uk
• Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 — legislation.gov.uk
• Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 — legislation.gov.uk
• GOV.UK — Statutory nuisances: how councils deal with complaints
• Citizens Advice — Noise nuisances: what you can do

Frequently asked questions