Elmbridge Council is urging people who suffer from the perennial headache of noisy neighbours to consider trying mediation to resolve their disputes.

With no downturn in the number of complaints the council receives from people affected by noise pollution, it has decided to use Noise Action Week, which ran from Monday, May 18, to Friday, May 22, to highlight the positive impact mediators can have in arguments between neighbours.

The council’s environmental health and licensing division teamed up with Mediation North Surrey to produce a short video of a professional mediator explaining the process, as well as featuring 10 top tips on its website to help residents consider their neighbours.

Tony Deag, head of environmental health and licensing, said: “Persistent noise, whether it’s from barking dogs, alarms, DIY or loud music, can cause not only irritation, but also stress, sleep disturbance and conflict between neighbours.

“Although the council has powers to control serious noise problems, I would encourage all residents having noise problems with their neighbours to consider mediation, at least as a first step. It really does work and seems to provide a lasting solution.”

John Brookes from Mediation North Surrey, based in Cobham, said: “We always have two mediators on each case, which helps because they can see the problem from slightly different angles.

“The key is to get in early - the longer the problem wrangles the more complex it gets. By the time the mediator comes on the scene, they spend a long time picking through the strands of it to get to the core.

“The essence of a good mediator is someone with infinite patience - someone who can put into simple words what the complainant is trying to say.

“Even when mediation doesn’t get started, the person who complained still gets some relief from having someone who will listen to their problem. Mediators do a wonderful job in the community.”

Elmbridge Council said mediation was a preferred option to getting the law involved in a dispute because once this happens people can become entrenched in their own view of the problem. This route can also be expensive and time consuming for the complainant.

Naim Mayahi, a resident from Walton, used mediators to successfully resolved a dispute he had with a noisy bar near his house.

He said: “In the first meeting, the mediation created a scenario for my neighbour to see what I was going through.”

For more information on Mediation North Surrey, visit mediate.me.uk/ or to view the video, visit elmbridge.gov.uk/noise.

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