Council cracks down on noisy neighbours in high-rise flats

Housing officers, CCTV staff, wardens and the council's anti-social behaviour team will work together to reduce noise problems - one of the most reported issues facing tenants in multi-storey blocks of flats.

Staff linked up with police officers, wardens and anti-social behaviour officers to visit several high-rise blocks where this nuisance had been reported.

It was part of a special noise action week run this month that saw officers carry out further proactive work to deal with the problem.

Councillor Syeda Khatun, deputy leader and cabinet member for neighbourhoods and communities, said: "Noise problems can be extremely distressing to tenants particularly if they face this nuisance on a regular basis.

"This initiative was devised to get the message home to people living in these blocks that noise nuisance will be dealt with – and to give assistance to tenants who want to report regular noise abuse around their homes."

Jason Flannagan, CCTV and concierge manager, said: "Through information gathered by the council's CCTV control room we identified several blocks where we had received recent noise complaints.

"We arranged an event where a team went out and knocked tenants' doors to discuss noise nuisance.

"We discussed with tenants what can and can't be reported as noise nuisance so that tenants are better informed as to when to contact us.

"We also took the opportunity to remind them of the council's CCTV and concierge control room and the concierge access they have to which they can report issues 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"We also targeted some of our reported perpetrators to remind them of their tenancy conditions.

"This effort involved the police, wardens, ASB officers and the council's CCTV team in a proactive joined-up approach to what is one of the most reported issues in high rise blocks."

An £11 million facelift to three high-rise blocks in Smethwick was completed in March.

Tenants living at Ashcroft, Birchcroft and Elmcroft in the Cape Hill area saw their homes transformed over a two-year period.

The completion of The Crofts brings the total of refurbished high-rise blocks in Sandwell since 2006 to a total of 33.

The project is part of a wider £75 million investment by Sandwell in its council housing which includes spending £50 million on a package of internal improvements which is upgrading 6,000 council homes.