Our officers investigate a wide range of offences and regulatory issues. Their main aims are to stop harmful behaviour, enforce the law, ensure problems are corrected, educate those responsible and monitor compliance to prevent issues from happening again. We also work closely with neighbourhood enforcement officers, taking on more complex cases so they can remain focused on front line patrols.
Environmental crime
Environmental crime includes activities that damage the local environment, such as:
- fly‑tipping or leaving waste on streets and private land
- burning commercial waste
- failing to correctly dispose of business waste
- businesses not keeping two years of waste transfer notes
- households giving waste to unlicensed waste carriers
When investigating waste crime, we may also take action if landowners fail to manage their property. This can involve issuing notices requiring them to clear waste or secure their land. In some cases, the council may carry out the work and charge the landowner.
Noise and other statutory nuisances
Statutory nuisances are issues that cause significant interference with someone’s home life or may harm health. They are defined under section 79 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. We can act only when the nuisance is unreasonable and persistent.
Noise
Common examples of noise complaints include:
- loud music
- barking dogs
- shouting or arguments
- building or DIY noise
- persistent alarms
Everyday household sounds such as appliances, children playing, doors closing or footsteps. Are not considered statutory nuisances.
We cannot investigate noise that is irregular or unpredictable, firework noise from unknown locations, or most traffic, aircraft or railway noise.
Advice sheets are available for residents and businesses on issues such as construction noise, fireworks and noise from food premises.
Smoke
Smoke issues include:
- domestic bonfires
- domestic chimneys
- illegal burning of builders’ waste or commercial waste
We cannot investigate smoky vehicles, but lorries and buses can be reported to the DVSA.
Dust, steam, smell and effluvia
These can only be investigated when they come from commercial or industrial premises. Residential smells cannot usually be addressed unless linked to waste or poor animal keeping.
Animals
We can investigate issues related to how animals are kept, such as:
- smells or mess from pigeon lofts
- rats attracted by poorly managed chicken coops
We cannot act on issues involving wild animals or pets, such as cats, where owners cannot reasonably control their behaviour.
Artificial light
Light nuisance often involves poorly positioned security lights shining into neighbouring homes. Some sites—such as airports, railways and bus stations—are exempt from enforcement.
Business practices and regulation
We work with specialist teams, including Trading Standards, Environmental Health, Food Safety, Private Sector Housing and Licensing, to ensure businesses meet legal requirements. This includes:
- dealing with vehicle sales or repairs carried out on the street
- checking that businesses are managing their waste responsibly
- providing basic advice to businesses during visits
- making sure businesses are registered correctly for business rates
- passing serious cases to specialist enforcement teams
Other nuisance and detrimental behaviour
We can take action when someone’s behaviour is:
- detrimental to others’ quality of life
- ongoing or continuous
- unreasonable
Criminal activity, such as drug dealing, must be reported directly to the police. More serious issues affecting individuals may be passed to the Priority Anti‑Social Behaviour team.
Issues with properties
We deal mainly with problems on the outside of properties, such as:
- blocked drains or damaged guttering
- waste and hygiene issues
- rats and mice
- insecure buildings
- invasive plants such as Japanese knotweed
Internal property conditions are handled by Private Sector Housing, and food‑related issues by Environmental Health Food. High hedges are managed by the planning service.
Priority anti-social behaviour team
This joint team includes officers from Luton Council, Bedfordshire Police and partner agencies. They assess reported cases by looking at the seriousness of the behaviour and any vulnerabilities affecting the victim.
Referred cases
Some reports may be passed to another service, such as:
- local police teams
- mediation services for neighbour disputes
- private legal advice for boundary disputes
- Environmental Health for domestic noise
Allocated cases
If your case is taken on, you will be assigned a case manager who will:
- keep you updated throughout the investigation
- explain your options
- work with you and other agencies to reduce or stop the behaviour
Evidence is required and may include witness statements, CCTV or information from ongoing police investigations. Some cases take time to resolve, and we will manage expectations throughout.
Resolving issues
We work with a wide range of partners, including housing providers, social care, mental health services and highways teams. Enforcement is used only when appropriate, and all alternative solutions are considered first.
Email: communitysafety@luton.gov.uk