We can respond to complaints of odours and smells which cause nuisance to a person in their home.
For an odour or smell to be classed as a statutory nuisance, it must seriously affect an individual's use or enjoyment of their property. It must be more than instantaneous and be a frequent problem.
We are unable to take action on short-lived smells, or infrequent smells, or where an individual's use or enjoyment of their property is not affected.
Responding to non-domestic smells
We can respond to smells from trade, industrial and agricultural activities. This covers odours from businesses like restaurants or takeaways and chemical smells from trade or industrial processes.
For gas odours, please contact the National Gas Emergency Service at 0800 111 999.
Responding to domestic smells
We can respond to the following smells:
- bonfires
- domestic fires using non-smokeless fuels
- agricultural waste or refuse on private property
- smells associated with animal waste from pets
- dirty or verminous premises, including pests or rotting food and waste
However, we can't respond to these smells:
- odours from domestic cooking
- issues with blocked or defective drains and sewers
How to report odour issues
If you're experiencing nuisance smells, report them using our air pollution online form:
