People face £5,000 fine for breaking '8am to 1pm' rule on Saturdays
As the summer season draws near, Brits are being reminded to be mindful of noise laws as they spend more time in their gardens and host outdoor gatherings.
UK households could face fines of up to £5,000 for breaching '8am to 1pm' noise restrictions on Saturdays. Yet nearly half (48%) of UK citizens remain unaware of these household noise laws designed to prevent excessive disturbances.
Under current UK regulations, noise levels must be kept to a minimum between 11pm and 7am to ensure peace during night time hours.
This restriction covers a wide range of common noise sources, including loud music, parties, barking dogs, vehicle noises and machinery sounds such as lawnmowers and even washing machines. For more property stories sent to your inbox twice a week sign up to the property newsletter here.
There are also laws that regulate construction work to limit excessive noise disruption between 8am and 6pm from Monday to Fridays, 8am to 1pm on Saturdays and prohibit any works on Sundays, reports the Daily Record.
If you break any of these rules, you could end up with an abatement notice - essentially an official warning requiring the offender to stop the noise disturbance.
Ignoring this could result in court action and a fine of up to £5,000. These measures aim to maintain community peace and ensure that noise disruptions are kept under control.
(Image: Getty Images)
According to the specialists at Toolstation, a statutory nuisance is defined as noise, pollution (such as light or air), or any other disturbances that seriously and unreasonably interfere with a person's enjoyment of their home or potentially harm someone's health.
If you're causing a noise disturbance and fail to adhere to the rules, your local council has the power to issue a formal warning notice.
This notice provides an opportunity to address and rectify the problem.
(Image: Getty Images)
However, if you fail to resolve the issue after receiving the warning - and cannot provide a valid reason for the disturbance - you may be issued with a fixed penalty notice.
This notice carries a fine - up to £110 for a residential property, or up to £500 for commercial premises such as pubs or clubs. Once issued, individuals have a 14-day period to pay the fine.
If the fine isn't paid within the specified time limit, or in some instances, if the council decides to bypass the penalty notice altogether, they can escalate the matter to court. If found guilty, the financial penalties can increase significantly.
Homeowners can face fines of up to £1,000, while businesses - particularly licensed venues - can face unlimited fines depending on the severity of the offence.
In more serious cases, authorities also have the power to seize noisy equipment, such as loudspeakers or sound systems, to prevent further disturbances. For more homes and property stories join our Amazing Welsh Homes Facebook group here.
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