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As a licensee, you must ensure your premises do not get too rowdy. If it does, we may be called in to deal with it. This can lead to problems for you.

Complaints about noise

Complaints about excessive noise from licensed premises can be lodged with us at any time of the day or night. Noise control officers investigating the compliant will take action when the noise is of such nature as to 'unreasonably interfere with the peace, comfort and convenience of any person'.

Following a complaint, a noise control officer will visit the premises concerned and judge whether the noise is unreasonable or not. This judgement is subjective and allows for some flexibility. For example, noise at nighttime is considered slightly more serious than noise during the day.

If the noise source is considered to be excessive, the noise control officer will request the premises manager to reduce the noise to a more reasonable level.

Noise can affect your licence

In cases of repeated or on going noise problems, an abatement notice under the Resource Management Act may be issued to management, which will formally require the noise to be reduced to a more reasonable level.

Failure to comply with an abatement notice may result in prosecution under the Act and may also result in licensing inspectors recommending that the hours of operation be cut back or the renewal of the licence be declined.

As well as lodging noise complaints at the time the noise occurs, objections based on noise problems can be lodged by the public against new or renewal licence applications.