I would like to outline the services offered by Brighton and Hove City Council for dealing with nuisance car alarms.

The council operates a 24-hour advice line to deal with this problem. This service can be accessed during office hours by telephoning either 01273 292400 for Brighton or 01273 292424 for Hove.

Outside office hours, the emergency officer can be contacted on 01273 292229. If someone suspects a crime has been committed, the police should be contacted on 0845 6070999.

The council's procedure for dealing with car alarms is set down by legislation. Detailed information about the make, colour, licence plate number and location of the vehicle is required and, before any legal action can be taken, it must be established the noise is a "statutory nuisance".

A legal notice can then be issued and the details of the registered keeper of the car gained from the police.

The council then has one hour to contact the keeper to switch off the alarm. If the keeper is not available, a contractor is called to gain access to the vehicle and silence the alarm. If this is not possible or the car cannot be adequately secured, the vehicle will be towed away.

If a contractor has been called to silence an alarm, costs of approximately £100 will be paid by the owner.

If the vehicle has to be towed, the cost could be in excess of £200 plus a daily charge for storage. In addition, the council may prosecute for the offence, which could result in a fine of £5,000.

-Paul Hart, Director of City Services, Brighton and Hove City Council