We all like to think of our homes as our private castles, so when noise intrudes from next door, it can drive us to distraction. If the noise continues, it can become a serious issue, having an impact on our sleep, health and general well-being.

One in three people in the UK now consider noise from neighbours to be a problem and for one in twelve it is a serious one. Neighbour noise can take all kinds of forms from arguments to recurrent car alarms, barking dogs to crying babies. And why does it always seem that your neighbouring resident always wants to want to get handy with the power drill at 8am on a Sunday? Of course, what annoys one person may not affect another, but if the average person would find the noise "unreasonable" then, in the eyes of the courts, it is a statutory nuisance. What to do Court should only be necessary in the most extreme cases - the first thing to do is to have a friendly chat with your neighbour. Calmly approach them and explain the problem, but time it carefully - unless you know them well, avoid going round late at night as this can be seen as confrontational. Wait for a quiet time when you can discuss it properly. Often, they simply won't have realised that they were causing you a problem. If the noise continues, make a record of the times that they disturb you. Next, try to think of a third party who might be able to help you resolve the issue. If no other neighbour fits the bill, you can find someone to mediate through Mediation UK on 0117 9046661 or through your local authority. If your neighbours ignore you and carry on with their noisy behaviour, you can make an official complaint to your local authority, who may send an environmental health officer to investigate. If they agree that there is a problem, they can take various steps under current legislation. If the noise occurs at night, for instance, the 1996 Noise Act gives them the power to enter the house and seize equipment. Severe noise offenders may face fines of up to £5000 or even eviction, although recently the government has also come up with a scheme whereby nuisance neighbours receive visits from support workers to help tackle the problem from the inside. Whatever happens, don't suffer in silence (or rather noise) - take steps to resolve the problem as soon as possible and make your home a haven once more. For further help, see the government website on Noise Nuisance and Neighbour Disputes. Have you had to suffer with a noisy neighbour? What did you do about it? Share your story.