Noisy neighbours top the list of Britain’s most annoying sounds, new study finds
According to a new survey, the most annoying interruption for Brits is noisy neighbours. And people aren’t suffering in silence: over 4 in 10 say they go straight to the source to complain, while nearly a fifth take it even further and file an official complaint.
Loud music, shouting, stomping feet, and banging doors—while these are everyday sounds to some, they’re a living nightmare for others. A new survey reveals that nearly 6 in 10 (57%) Brits find noisy neighbours to be the most irritating sound nuisance out there.
The study, conducted by electronics and tech retailer Currys, surveyed 2,000 people across the UK to uncover the nation’s biggest noise-related grievances. Right after noisy neighbours on the “top annoying sounds” list comes snoring in second place, with more than half (53%) of Brits finding it irritating. Interestingly, snoring actually topped the list of annoying noises for British women, with 61% finding it bothersome, while men placed it fourth—after noisy neighbours, screaming children, and car alarms.
Top 10 most annoying sounds to Brits
| Rank | Sounds | % of Brits that find it annoying |
| 1 | Noisy neighbours | 57% |
| 2 | Snoring | 53% |
| 3 | Children screaming | 52% |
| 4 | Car alarms/House alarms | 48% |
| 5 | Construction sounds (e.g., jackhammers, drills) | 47% |
| 6 | Loud chewing | 46% |
| 7 | Other people’s music (e.g., from phones or headphones in public) | 42% |
| 8 | Dog barking | 40% |
| 9 | Slurping | 38% |
| 10 | Slamming car doors repeatedly | 36% |
Screaming children came in third overall (52%) but ranked second for men (51%), while women placed it fourth, after snoring, noisy neighbours, and loud chewing.
Other top offenders include loud chewing, slurping, construction noise, and even the sound of car doors slamming repeatedly.
Over a quarter say their mental health is impacted by excessive noise
The findings highlight a serious issue: over a quarter of Brits (26%) believe noise levels around them cause stress and anxiety, while a staggering 83% believe it also negatively impacts their physical health.
Brits aren’t simply suffering in silence. More than 4 in 10 (43%) admit to asking a neighbour or local business to “keep it down,” while nearly 1 in 5 (17%) have gone a step further by filing an official noise complaint with their local council.
In fact, the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health (CIEH) recorded 356,367 noise complaints across 144 local authorities in England in its most recent study—an average of 149 complaints per 10,000 people.
Too loud to sleep, read, or even watch TV
According to the survey, 73% of Brits believe noise has a definite negative impact on their mood.
Unsurprisingly, sleep disruption is the most frustrating consequence of noise (61%), as interrupted sleep can lead to increased heart rate, heightened stress, difficulty falling back asleep, and reduced focus the next day.
Beyond sleep, 39% of people say they hate noise interruptions when they’re trying to read, 33% when watching TV, and 32% when at the cinema.
Noise also affects productivity, with 16% of respondents saying it disrupts studying and exams, while 13% report that it interferes with work.
You can find more about the study here: https://www.currys.co.uk/techtalk/audio/headphone-tips/noise-nuisances.html