Parties

A party can be an enjoyable way of celebrating anything from a housewarming to a new baby. You can even have one just because you want one! Nobody objects if it is well organised and well run. Sadly, it seems that the nuisance caused by noisy and frequent parties is increasing and ‘all nighters’ are more common. Modern sound systems mean that one noisy party can annoy a lot of people, especially in blocks of flats.

The Council accept that people have a right to enjoy their homes, to enjoy their choice of music and to have a good time. The law does NOT allow the Council to be ‘party poopers’, and we do not want everyone to be totally quiet. However, people do NOT have the right to destroy other people’s enjoyment of their homes by having noisy parties late into the night, causing distress, loss of sleep or even illness. We all need to be considerate.

What it comes down to is consideration for others. So have a good time – but remember the neighbours!

This guide explains how you can enjoy your party without annoying anyone else:-

• Tell the neighbours – But don’t leave it until the day you’re having the party. Give people about a week’s notice, in case they want to make any arrangements. Don’t just tell your immediate neighbours – think about anybody who might be affected. If you’re in a flat, you will need to consider the people above and below you, as well as those on the same floor. Tell them to knock on the door if they have any problems.

• Give a finish time – Tell people what time you expect the party to finish, and try to stick to this time. Make sure your chosen finish time is reasonable!

• Check the noise level – During the evening, go outside from time to time to check the noise levels. The volume should go down quite a lot after midnight at weekends (earlier during the week) and things should carry on getting quieter from then on. If you’ve been in a room with loud music, you may not hear as well as usual, so make allowances for this when you’re checking.

• Position the speakers carefully – Think about where they are and how this will affect the houses or flats next to you. Keep them away from party walls and don’t point them towards windows. Don’t stand them on the floor if people live underneath you, and don’t have the bass control too high. If you live in a high rise block you’ll have to be extra careful – because of the way these buildings are constructed, sound travels more easily.

• Keep windows closed if possible – Try to contain the music in one room. As things warm up, it’s useful to have a spare room away from the music where windows can be opened, and people can cool down.

• Don’t let it spread – The party is at your place – keep it there. Don’t let it overflow onto the balcony, the landing or onto the street. All the effort you’ve made to organise things properly will be wasted if this happens. If you are using your garden, be extra careful about noise out there.

• Have guests leave quietly – If it’s the early hours of the morning, ask your quests not to shout their goodbyes. If they are driving away, get them to do it as quietly as possible, without slamming car doors or sounding horns.

• Know your guests – Make sure you know the people at your party, and can trust them to enjoy themselves without causing disturbance to others.

Remember that you are responsible for the behaviour of your guests, and that any legal action for noise nuisance would be taken against you, not against them.

The Courts can impose a maximum fine of £5,000 for serious noise nuisance. In some cases, the Council and the Police have got together and taken away people’s stereo systems on the night.