Noise and anti-social behaviour
Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield expect students to be respectful of their neighbours and local communities.
We stress to our students that they live in mixed communities which include residents of all backgrounds and at different stages of life and that no area in Sheffield should be considered as exclusively for students.
However, the universities have no statutory powers to prevent or stop students from making noise nuisance in their private rented accommodation. As with all other private rented accommodation in the city, this power lies with Sheffield City Council and, if activity is illegal, the police.
How to deal with a noise or anti-social behaviour issue.
- Speak to the students directly
If you feel safe in doing so, we would recommend attempting to speak to the students directly in the first instance. They may not realise the impact they are having and direct contact may be the quickest way to solving the issue. You may also wish to ask for a contact number so that in the future you can let the student residents know if they are making too much noise,without having to physically visit the property.
We understand that this might not always be possible and we would never expect residents to put themselves into a situation where they feel unsafe or threatened.
If you do manage to speak to the students directly, make a note of the time and date and their attitude towards you and to being asked to reduce their noise. This is useful information for the council and universities for possible future discussions about their behaviour.
2. Contact the landlord or letting agent
Landlords have a responsibility under houses of multiple occupancy (HMO) licenses to ensure their tennants are not causing nuisance to their neighbours.
If you know the landlord or letting agent for the property you are experiencing issues with contacting them directly will alert them to the issue and allow them to speak to the students informally.
If you feel the landlord or letting agent is not taking the issue seriously you can contact Sheffield City Council's Private Housing team.
3. Contact Sheffield City Council (private residences)
Statutory powers to deal with excessive and unreasonable noise from private residences, including student properties, lie with Sheffield City Council. The Council has a number of legal options available to deal with properties which are repeatedly causing noise nuisance to their neighbours.
When noise nuisance first occurs you should report it to the Environmental Protection Service (EPS) team. The EPS team deal with both general noise nuisance between houses and in specific addresses. When a property is reported to the team they are able to open a case and issue a 24-hour helpline number for if the nuisance occurs again. This can then trigger a response from the team to visit the property.
The team can only respond to calls about properties which are already logged with them.
4. Contact Sheffield City Council (public spaces and parks)
If the noise or anti-socail behaviour relates to a public space or park, this should be reported to Sheffield City Council's Anti-Social Behaviour team. This team works with the police and has a number of powers to tackle anti-social behvaviour in public spaces.
5. Contact South Yorkshire Police
Noise should only be reported to the police if it is linked to a crime, such as domestic abuse or antisocial behaviour that has spilled into the street.
If this is the case, you should call 101 or 999 if it is an emergency.
You can also report non-emergency incidents via South Yorkshire Police's online portal.
6a. Contact Sheffield Hallam University (if you believe the students attend this university)
While there are always exceptions, Sheffield Hallam students tend live in the areas around Bramhall Lane, Sharrow, Ecclesall Road and the Botanical Gardens.
If the issue is with a property in these areas, you should contact Sheffield Hallam in the first instance to establish which universities the students attend.
6b. Contact the University of Sheffield (if you believe the students attend this university)
While there are always exceptions, University of Sheffield students tend live in the areas of Broomhall, Broomhill, Crookesmoor and Crookes.
If the issue is with a property in these areas, you should contact the University of Sheffield in the first instance to establish which universities the students attend.
The University of Sheffield operates a 24-hour security helpline which will respond to calls from local residents with concerns about student behaviour in the community. The team will visit student properties and request that noise is turned down, windows closed etc, and where possible take the details of the residents.
However, unlike Council officers, our security teams have no official authority when operating off campus. They can make requests of students, but they cannot force compliance. They will also gather impartial evidence which might be used in future disciplinary action.
The security team works across our campus and residences, so response times may depend on what other incidents are occurring on University property. The team can only respond to properties where Universtiy of Sheffield students are known or suspected to live.
Contact the Security Helpline (24/7): 0114 222 4085
You can also report specific incidents or ongoing issues to the University of Sheffield using our reporting form which will be answered by our team within one working day: