Cardiff Council Pollution Control is using Noise Action Week (23-27 May 2011) to raise awareness of the impacts of noise in Cardiff, particularly sounding property alarms.
By their nature alarms are intended to be loud and annoying but Cardiff Council’s Pollution Control team receive numerous complaints every year about audible intruder alarms which are often sounding as a result of a power cut or just too sensitively set, rather than a burglary.
During Noise Action Week, Pollution Control Officers are advising residents to register keyholder details in order to minimise noise nuisance, an unwanted bill and potentially being locked out. This can be particularly important during holiday periods when people can be away from home for long periods.
The Council’s keyholder database will ensure someone is easily contacted if your alarm sounds and will avoid disturbing your neighbours and the expense of deactivating the alarm.
Should an alarm constitute a noise nuisance and no keyholder can be found to disarm it, officers from Pollution Control may take steps to deactivate the alarm at any time of day or night to prevent disturbance to nearby residents. Council officers will arrange for an alarm engineer and a locksmith to carry out the works and the householder will incur costs. The average cost for deactivating an alarm is currently £185.
To minimise the number of false alarms it is advisable that alarms are regularly maintained. All alarms should have a cut-out device which would automatically stop sounding after approximately 20 minutes. It is also helpful if residents advise local neighbours of a keyholder so they can be contacted if the alarm sounds while they are away.
Chair of Cardiff’s Public Protection Committee, Cllr. Ed Bridges said: “It is important that residents and businesses who use intruder alarms register property keyholder details with Cardiff Council.
“The keyholder should be someone who can be easily contacted if the alarm sounds. The information held by Cardiff Council is a confidential record and will only be used for this purpose.
“It is a simple process which can help to prevent disturbing your neighbours whilst also saving you an unwanted expense whilst you are away.”
If you wish to register your details online please visit the Website or alternatively contact the Councils’ Pollution Control Team on 029 2087 1650.
