Parties at home
Having a party at home for an occasion such as an engagement, anniversary or birthday sounds like a good idea, but it can cause a noise disturbance to your neighbours.
This information will help you prevent your party becoming a noise nuisance and inform you about the law surrounding noise. If noise from one property is disturbing the enjoyment of another residential property then this is considered an offence and could result in prosecution. If the council is satisfied that noise from a property is causing a nuisance, a formal notice asking for the noise to be turned down can be served on the owner/ occupier or person responsible for the noise. Failure to comply with such a notice can result in any noise making equipment being seized and the person responsible being prosecuted. Noise from a one-off party can be a nuisance at any time of the day or night to nearby residents and the council can take action.
The council responds to complaints made to the police from residents being disturbed at night, during weekends and bank holidays. We will take legal action if there is a statutory nuisance.
To stop your party becoming a noise nuisance follow the advice below:
- avoid using a PA system and microphones
- switch off any music playing outside by 11pm
- monitor the noise from your party every hour by standing in your street and in the street behind you. If you can hear the music clearly then so can your neighbours. Turn it down.
- put a card through the letter boxes of people in your street and the streets behind your property stating: the date and reason for the party, a name and contact number, and the time you intend to finish.
- consider where guests are going to park their cars. Is this going to restrict access to other properties or cause difficulties for vehicles driving up and down the street?
- consider your neighbours, especially if you are having a party in the garden. It may only be a one off but it can still cause a noise nuisance
- consider holding your party in a community hall.