The government have issued a code of practice called the Control of Noise (Code of Practice on Noise from Audible Intruder Alarms) Order 1981 (SI 1829).
The code gives guidance on reducing unnecessary disturbance caused by audible intruder alarms.
It is not, in itself, an offence not to comply with the code.
However, in legal proceedings regard may be had to whether the code has been complied with - firstly in order to prove a nuisance but also, importantly from the perspective of those responsible for alarms, to defend an action. It is therefore important.
The code also says that the alarm owner should notify the local authority of the existence of the alarm and notify the police of two or more alarm key-holders.
The key-holders should be well versed in operating and silencing the alarm, be telephone subscribers and be able to get to your property relatively quickly, ideally within 20 minutes.