Complaints

Food Complaints

Our Environmental Health Officers investigate complaints made in relation to food and food premises including poor food handling practices, food poisoning, food adulteration and unclean food premises.

In cases where suspected food poisoning has occurred, contact our Environmental Health Officer on 9747 7200 to discuss further.

We will ask:

have you been to your GP on the day/s following your illness?
did you present a faecal sample to your GP?
have you supplied us with a food sample?

Hoons

Melton City Council and Melton Police encourage the community to report hoon drivers and non-compliant vehicles by contacting the Crime Stoppers Hotline on 1800 333 000.

Please ensure that you have the registration details of the vehicle, the time, date, location and information concerning the driving that you are reporting. This information will be forwarded to the Melton Highway Patrol and the information will be acted upon by Melton Police.

Nuisance and noise complaints

Noise and Smoke

Noise nuisance, such as loud music, air conditioners, or other disruptive sounds, may be classified as an unreasonable nuisance under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008. Environmental Health Officers assess these complaints by evaluating factors such as the intensity of the noise, the duration of the disturbance, and the extent of the interference it causes to individuals or the community.

Similarly, air emissions, including smoke from wood heaters or other sources, can also be considered a nuisance under the same Act. These emissions may affect public health and contribute to environmental degradation. Environmental Health Officers investigate such complaints by examining the severity, frequency, and overall impact of the emissions on the surrounding environment and public well-being.

Both types of nuisances are taken seriously, as they fall under the broader responsibilities of environmental health to protect and promote public health standards, considering the degree of interference, duration and intensity.

The Environmental Protection Regulations 2021 regulates noise from residential premises – find out more about noise time restrictions.

Please note: once-off events such as house parties are not regarded as unreasonable, it is recommended if you are affected by these events, the police should be contacted.

Odour

Offensive odours that affect residential areas may be classified as a nuisance under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008. These odours can significantly impact the comfort and well-being of individuals and the broader community.

Environmental Health Officers are responsible for investigating complaints related to offensive odours. Their assessment considers factors such as the source of the odour, its intensity, frequency, and duration, as well as the extent of interference with everyday activities.

It is important that a source of the odour is identified before a complaint is made to the council.

To report a nuisance that falls under these regulations, contact our Environmental Health Officer on 9747 7200.

If you have another complaint you would like to lodge with Council, contact our Customer Service team on 9747 7200.

Residential noise and approaching noisy neighbours

Dealing with noise can be difficult, especially when the noise is something you do not expect or have never experienced in your neighbourhood.

If you are experiencing ongoing and unreasonable noise in a residential area, there are several ways to fix the problem before submitting a complaint to the council.

Speak with your neighbour
It is best to speak with your neighbours about your concerns before submitting a complaint to Council. This will often help you to resolve the matter quickly and maintain a good relationship with your neighbour.
If you are having trouble speaking with your neighbour, the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria can provide advice and may be able to assist with mediation services.
Talk to your Owners' Corporation (body corporate)
If you live in a body corporate or apartment, you should speak with the manager of the Owners Corporation.
Consumer Affairs Victoria has more information about how to complain to your Owners' Corporation.
Making a report about ‘ongoing’ residential noise
If the noise is still a problem, or you are uncomfortable confronting your neighbour about ongoing residential noise, you can report the issue to Council.

Council investigates noise complaint in accordance with the provisions outlined in the Environmental Protection Act 2017 and the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008.

Check the EPA (Residential Noise) Regulations 2021 to find out the time when you can use specific types of equipment.

When assessing noise complaints, Council will aim to balance the needs and reasonable expectations of all residents within the scope and limits of relevant laws.

For Council to investigate ongoing noise, you will be asked to provide the following information:

where the noise is coming from
who or what is making the noise
how long the noise can be heard
how often you can hear the noise
what the noise sounds like
where you can hear the noise, and
how the noise is affecting your health

You will also be asked to complete a noise log diary for a minimum period of two (2) weeks. This will greatly assist us in being able to better understand your noise issue, how it is impacting on you and what can be done to resolve it.

Once the two-week diary has been submitted, Council will use the details to provide a response on the next steps in the investigation.

Please note:

Council’s involvement in residential noise that is annoying or noise that is impacting on outdoor areas will be minimal. This must be dealt privately or taken to Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria
it is important to understand that Council is unable to investigate noise reports that are submitted anonymously and where no contact details are provided to discuss and verify where the noise is coming from. If you do not provide your contact details (anonymous complaint) Councils’ response to these requests will be limited
Council do not interfere or intervene in civil disputes
one-off events are not regarded as unreasonable

Investigation
When investigating the issue, Council officers will assess if the noise is unreasonable by taking into account:

the volume and intensity of the noise
what the noise sounds like - its character
the duration
time and place and circumstances
how often it occurs

Council may take several different actions to help resolve the issue. The initial step will be to provide education and advice to the person making the noise, so they are aware of the rules to resolve the issue. Often, they may not be aware that they are making unreasonable noise.

Examples of type of noise issue and who can help:

my neighbour is playing loud music and it’s the middle of night or after hours: contact your nearest Police Station
my neighbour is having a party, people are yelling and singing and it’s late: contact your nearest Police Station
my neighbour practices playing drums every afternoon: contact Council
barking dog: contact Council
my neighbour is running a business from home and the noise is unreasonable: contact Council
my neighbours air conditioner is noisy and runs all night, it keeps me awake: contact Council
noise issue associated with an industrial, commercial or trade premises: contact EPA