Who can help?

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It can be challenging to determine who is best suited to address your neighborhood concerns.

To help you find the right organisation or resource, please start by selecting the category that best matches your issue below, or use the search function to explore possible solutions.

7 Result(s) Found

Animals

Barking dogs

All dogs make noise on occasion. However, if you are concerned about the level of noise a dog is creating, the first step towards resolving the issue is to speak with the owner in a non-threatening manner and try to reach a compromise.
Often the dog owner is unaware that their dog is causing a nuisance as they may not be at their property when the barking occurs.
We have provided a letter template that you can print and give to your neighbour as a first step to resolve the issue.

If you have attempted to resolve the issue with your neighbour, and the situation has not improved, then you can notify us and read the full complaint process on our website.

 

Concerns on the wellbeing of a neighbours animal

Concerns on the wellbeing of animals held in a private property need to be reported to the RSPCA. The RSPCA have the authority to enter private property to investigate any issues or complaints relating to the wellbeing of any animals within private property.

Reports can be lodged online or if it is an emergency, the RSPCA ask you to call them on 1300 477 722
A full list of the services that the RSPCA can attend is available on their website

Birds and Poultry

The City of Unley has a set of poultry guidelines and bird keeping requirements to ensure that any poultry or other birds that are kept on private property are in the best possible conditions for their comfort and that of your neighbours.

If you have a concern or complaint about poultry being kept on private property, you can report the issue to us Online, via Report it or call us on 08 8372 5111, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm.

Bee Keeping

The City of Unley supports the keeping of bees for non-commercial purposes and understands the important environmental value and role that bees play in any healthy ecosystem. There have been a small number of instances reported where the keeping of bees has become a potential nuisance to neighbouring properties. For this reason, Council recommends to all residents that if they wish to keep bees for non-commercial purposes, they first consult PIRSA and comply with any requirements they may have for the safe keeping of bees.

If you have a concern or complaint about bees being kept on private property, You can report the issue to us Online, via Report it or call us on 08 8372 5111, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm.

 

 

 

Behaviour

People behaviours

Any disruptive people behaviours from neighbours that include
  • Excessive or unusual noise or smell
  • Threats or offensive behaviour
  • Noise and disturbance from domestic arguments
  • Late night party music
  • Dangerous driving
Can be reported to SAPOL either on 131 444 or online

There is also further information on disruptive neighbours on the SA Government website

General activities, sports, swimming pools

General people noise associated with ‘normal daily life’ at home is not classified as a nuisance, and therefore Council is unable to investigate.
The following is not considered a local nuisance, and therefore Council is unable to investigate. These types of noise are 
  • General playing in the yard (children)
  • Noise from home sporting, such as basketball, soccer, netball etc
  • General garden maintenance noise, lawnmower, trimmers
  • People noise from swimming pools and spas 

From a venue

  • Noise or other nuisance from sporting or associated activities at sporting venues
  • Noise from activities carried on in the normal course of a school, kindergarten, child care centre or place of worship, other than noise consisting of amplified music 

Illegal activities

If you believe there are illegal activities happening in your local area, you will need to make a report to SA Police for investigation. Council are not able to assist with any investigations on private property.

You can make a report with SAPOL on 131 444 or online 

 

 

 

Development

Noise from building

Construction activities which generate significant levels of noise should only occur within the hours of 7 am to 7 pm, Monday to Saturday, unless they have an exemption (please see the list of current exemptions for the City of Unley).

For more information, including a list of agencies and authorities that also regulate and monitor activities that impact the environment, visit the EPA website.

For further information and times of allowed neighbour noise, please see the Noisy Neighbours Brochure on the Legal Services Website

Dust and air pollution

Demolition or excavation is generally when residents and neighbours will experience the highest amount of dust in the air from a development. All development sites should be taking the appropriate steps to mitigate dust when works are occurring. This is generally done by wetting down the dirt as the works are happening. 

If you feel this is not happening, you can report it to council and a building inspector will be in contact with the site, to remind them of the requirements.

You can report an issue to us

Concerns on what is being built

If you have concerns or questions about a neighbouring property and their current development, you can view the application on the Plan SA register and view the ‘Map’.

If you would like to be notified of a new development application for your street (or neighbouring streets) you can register on Plan SA and ‘Subscribe to Notifications’.

Not all development applications need to be publicly notified. If you would like to view the list of current public notices, you can do so here on the Plan SA website.

If you have any questions about the applications on Plan SA, you can contact council’s Development Department via

Asbestos concerns

Majority of asbestos enquiries and reports need to be lodged with Safe Work SA or by calling 1300 365 255

If you have concerns about homeowners removing asbestos on their property, our Environmental Health Department can assist and determine if it falls within a Public Health concern, or if it needs to be passed on to Safe Work SA (Note, unlicensed persons can remove up to 10m2 of asbestos from their property without needing a license)

If you have concerns about a contractor or a commercial site removing asbestos, you can contact Safe Work SA or call them on 1300 365 255

If you would like more information on Asbestos please see some helpful links listed below

 

 

 

Fencing

Replacement or changing of existing fencing

Changes or replacement of an existing residential fence may need development approval.
Generally, this is required when
  • The new fencing will be a greater height than 2.1m in height
  • The new fencing is a masonry fence greater than 1m in height
  • The fencing is a brush material

Our planning team will be able to advise you if an application is required. To help with the enquiry, they will ask
  • The property address (to determine the zoning of the property)
  • If the fence is at the front, rear or side of the property
  • If you are replacing like-for-like, or what changes you would like to do

Call us on 08 8372 5111, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm to discuss

Installation of new fencing

New residential fencing may need development approval.  
Generally, this is required when
  • The new fencing will be a greater height than 2.1m in height
  • The new fencing is a masonry fence greater than 1m in height
  • The fencing is a brush material
Once appropriate approvals have been granted (if required) then you can begin installation. 

 

If the fence is a shared fence, then the neighbours should be consulted prior, as fences should be regarded as a joint asset between neighbours. The Fences and The Law booklet from the Legal Services Commission is a good resource for approaching neighbour conversations. In this booklet, you will also find the following forms to notify neighbours
  • Form 1 – Notice of intention to erect a fence
  • Form 2 – Notice of intention to perform replacement, repair or maintenance work

You can also call the Legal Services Commission’s Helpline on 1300 366 424 for free legal advice Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:30pm.

Damages to fencing

Damages to fencing from Private trees or works
Damages to fencing from private trees or works is a Civil issue and the Legal Services commission has resources available on their website as well as an information booklet, Fences and the Law, which answers the majority of the issues neighbours have with fencing between private properties, including the repair or replacement of damaged fencing.
 
You can contact the Legal Services Commission’s Helpline on 1300 366 424 for free legal advice Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:30pm.

Damages to fencing from Council trees or works
If you believe that there has been lifting or damage to your fencing from Council owned street trees, please contact us on 08 8372 5111, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm. Our Customer Experience team will organise for an inspection of the tree with our City Arborists.

If a private fence has been damaged by a Council tree, for example a fallen branch landing on a fence, please email us at pobox1@unley.sa.gov.au with the incident details and photos of the damage. The report will be sent to the Local Government Association (LGA) where it will be independently assessed, and you will be contacted regarding the outcome.

 

 

Noise

People noise, music

Residents can have a gathering or party at their premises if it is within reason. If you are having issues with people noise, including music and voices from domestic premises. You will need to make a report to SAPOL by calling 131 444.
 
SA police have the authority to request noise be reduced or events to cease if they are causing a disturbance to neighbouring properties.

 

Machinery noise, such as, pool pumps, air conditioners

Council can investigate the below local noise issues if they are causing disruption to neighbouring properties 

  • Noise coming from things like an air conditioner, air compressor, swimming pool pump, lawnmower and power tools
  • Dust and activity noise from development and construction sites – building or maintenance and repair work
  • Noise coming from indoor venues or outdoor events.
  • Filthy or neglected premises that present a risk of rodent infestation or emit offensive odours or material.

You can report an issue to Council
Online, via Report It
Call us on 08 8372 5111, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm
Via email at pobox1@unley.sa.gov.au 

Development noise

Construction activities which generate significant levels of noise should only occur within the hours of 7 am to 7 pm, Monday to Saturday, unless they have an exemption (please see the list of current exemptions for the City of Unley).

For more information, including a list of agencies and authorities that also regulate and monitor activities that impact the environment, visit the EPA website.

For further information and times of allowed neighbour noise, please see the Noisy Neighbours Brochure on the Legal Services Website

If there are construction activities or noise outside the hours listed above, or any dust from a construction site, these can be investigated by Council and you can report it to us
Online, via Report It
Call us on 08 8372 5111, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm
Via email at pobox1@unley.sa.gov.au 

 

Animal noise

If you're experiencing disturbances from animal noise on your property, explore our guidelines and suggested actions below.

Native Birds or Animals
The Department for Enviroment and Water are best placed to assist you with noise or issues relating to native or wild animals. In alot of circumstances, the animal species will be protected by the Animal Welfare Act and you will need to engage a certified officer for the relocation of the animals. 

Dogs 
All dogs make noise on occasion. However, if you are concerned about the level of noise a dog is creating, the first step towards resolving the issue is to speak with the owner in a non-threatening manner and try to reach a compromise.
 
Often the dog owner is unaware that their dog is causing a nuisance as they may not be at their property when the barking occurs. We have provided a letter template that you can print and give to your neighbour as a first step to resolve the issue.
 
If you have attempted to resolve the issue with your neighbour, and the situation has not improved, then you can notify us and read the full complaint process on our website. 

Birds or Poultry
The City of Unley has a set of poultry guidelines and bird keeping requirements to ensure that any poultry or other birds that are kept on private property are in the best possible conditions for their comfort and that of your neighbours.
 
If you have a concern or complaint about poultry being kept on private property, you can report the issue to us Online, via Report it or call us on 08 8372 5111, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm.

 

 

Parking

General parking issues on the public road

Council can investigate and take reports on the following
  • Vehicles over staying time limit parking zones
  • Vehicles parked in permit zones without a permit
  • Vehicles parked on or across a driveway or footpath
  • Parking within 10m of an intersection

Council cannot however expiate or investigate a car that is legally parked, even if that car is directly in front of your house.
Ownership of the property does not extend to the area on the road or public parking space in front of the house/land. 
For immediate action on illegally parked cars, you can call Council on 08 8372 5111, who can issue an expiation but Council are not able to remove cars immediately. If you are unable to exit your property due to a vehicle blocking you in, you can contact SAPOL on 131 444, they will attempt to contact the owners of the vehicle to move it. 

Over sized vehicles parking on the street

If you are concerned with a large vehicle parking on the street and causing a safety issues, Council officers can attend to confirm is the vehicle is overside. 

An Oversized vehicle is defined as
  • A heavy vehicle is defined as any vehicle with a GVM (gross vehicle mass) of over 4.5 tonnes
  • A long vehicle is defined as any vehicle that is 7.5 metres in length, including any load  (e.g attached trailer)

The driver of a heavy vehicle or long vehicle is only permitted to stop on a length of road in a built up area for 1 hour unless:
  • there is a parking control sign that allows the vehicle to stop for longer than 1 hour, or
  • with the exception of a bus, the driver is engaging in the dropping off, or picking up goods.

For example-
If the parking control sign is for a 4-hour zone, then the oversized vehicle can stay for 4 hours.
And, an oversized vehicle may stay for the duration of the time it takes to unload goods (e.g removalist van could stay for 4 hours in a 2-hour zone if removing goods for the duration)

You can report this to us

Shared access and parking

Private laneways or shared-access driveways generally do not fall under Council responsibility and is also not authorised to monitor or expiate any vehicles parked on private laneways or shared access driveways, as it is private land.

You can check your Certificate of Title with landservices to see if you have any ownership of a connecting driveway or laneway. The maintenance of shared access driveways falls with the owner/owners of the land, not Council. You are not able to park in a location that obstructs an access point on the laneway or shared driveway.

For more information on Shared Driveways, Strata Date has a comprehensive list of requirements.

Abandoned Vehicles

If you believe a vehicle has been abandoned (either because it has not moved for a few weeks, or it doesn’t belong to any of the neighbours on the street) you can lodge an Abandoned Vehicle report with Council. You will need to provide a location of the vehicle, and vehicle details (e.g. registration number, make and model). 

Please be aware that vehicles cannot be towed away simply because they are causing an inconvenience to other road users. Vehicles will only be impounded as a last resort after all avenues to locate the owner and have them remove the vehicle have been exhausted.

You can report this to us

 

 

 

 

 

Trees and Vegetation

Tree overhanging your yard from a neighbouring property

Any issues of trees overhanging from private property into another private property is a Civil matter and the Legal Services Commission is best placed to assist you with this issue.

There are resources available that can assist you in the first instance, under Trees on the Legal Services website, there is also the Trees and the Law booklet that has information on the most common issues faced with trees and vegetation on private property. This booklet includes what rights and responsibilities you have as a property owner and what steps you can take to resolve the issue.

You can also call the Legal Services Commission’s Helpline on 1300 366 424 for free legal advice Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:30pm.

 

Tree or vegetation overhanging onto public land

Trees and vegetation overhanging into public land, for example vegetation growing into the footpath area from someones front yard. Is something that the City of Unley can attend to as your local Council. Inspectors will attend and correspond with the property owners to organise the cutting back of the vegetation to ensure a clear and safe walking area.

You can report an issue to us 
  • Online, via our Report it page
  • Call us on 08 8372 5111, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm 

 

 

Cutting and maintaining of private trees

The cutting and maintaining of private trees that are not significant or heritage listed is a Civil Matter, so if you are unsure about what you are or are not allowed to cut for a neighbours tree that is over hanging your property, or concerned about the cutting of a tree in your property, please see the Trees and the Law handbook, or call the Legal Services Helpline on 1300 366 424 for free legal help Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:30pm.  

There is also further resources and information on the common issues faced with trees within private property and what steps you are able to take to resolve the issue. available that may be able to assist you under Trees on the Legal Services website

 

Concerns on significant trees

If you have any of the below concerns for a significant tree in the City of Unley, please contact the City of Unley
  • Removal of a significant tree without approval
  • Damaging activities or poisoning of a significant tree
  • Clarification on if a tree is significant

Please contact the City of Unley, You can report an issue to us Online, via Report it or Call us on 08 8372 5111, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm. If possible, please include the tree species (eucalyptus, willow etc) when you make the report.

If the issue you are experiencing is relating to the cutting or maintenance of a Significant tree that has overhanging branches between private properties, please see the Legal Services information Trees and the Law as it is a Civil Matter.

 

 

 

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