It's a long story so I'll write a shortend version down.

I'd never been in trouble for noise when I had a flat of my own but I've had to move back with my mum and dad and now use headphones.
So the problem isn't me.
Yet the new nabours have reported the house to the police for noise polution and we are now haveing steps taken against us.
(We are up to the stage where equipment is being fitted next door to monitor sound levels)



Basically what are people's rights when it comes to sound produced in residential areas?


I live in England so uk help for me
but infomation on other contries may help other people in the future

I can't find anything other than the big papers that describe the laws them selves and their not makeing a very interesting read.




So far have read that noise of people liveing dosen't count, for example snoreing, baby's crying and stuff.
I've also read that the police will confoscate and equipment that may be produceing the offending noise.
(my speakers are now at my sisters house for safety)
I live in england as I said so this may not count for everyone.

Please help, if not for me then just to make it a bit more helpful for others

 

I had to leave the UK after spending about 6 years because of the music!
Because the hell of playing music in my room...and things were always really bad for this.
I worked at a bookshop in London and I received a warning from the council threatening with a fine of £20000 because of the music
I mean, the customers were very fond of it!

 

@ Zalbadar,

Not sure that the following images can fully help you, but we never know...

Try to inform you through the police or the proper authorities around your place of residence to get the exact number of decibels permitted at a given time (day, night, weekend,... ).









Here you'll find an interesting article about your topic and also some suggestions about some materials that can perhaps help you...

Sound Proofing – How Sound is Measured --> How We Can Help You ?

 

You must have your headphones too loud!!!

I thought it was the local council that was in charge of noise pollution, not the police? Have the police told you this or your new neighbours?

Check you local councils website for further information, below is link from my local council with links to further info, may help (see Neighbour noise)

http://www.warwickdc.gov.uk/WDC/Health-social-care-and-safety/Crime+and+law+enforcement/Nuisance/Noise.htm

Noise Pollution falls under The Environmental Protection Act 1990. (statutory nuisance as defined by the Environmental Protection Act 1990).

 

This has nothing to do with laws

This has to do with the common respect and courtesy between neighbors
the people around where you are living now ,have probably lived there a long time.
when are they going to get a chance to disturb you the way you have disturbed them

the odds are that you did use your speakers to begin with and switched to headphone after they complained
I would keep a record of when you do your music, because now if they hear something that is loud they will
assume you are doing it.

over the years, they all say the same thing, What does the LAW say, economy busting corporations and banks
polluters that dump toxins , leaders that destroy there own people

when someone asks me what does the law say, I ask, well what are you doing that is disturbing there life , or screwing up
there environment, you will be around for a little while till you move on ,they will suffer through your disturbances
you should have to suffer though some disturbance they can cause you

you should buy a really good set of headphones, go talk to the neighbors they will probably tolerate a couple of hours a week
good people will usually do that,far more understanding than the people that cause the disturbance

understand bass frequency and its ability to travel through walls , ground etc. you know like the car with sub super bass turned up
you feel and hear it in your car 15 feet away louder than in the car that produces it. structures can funnel and amplify sound, so some
guy who has watched the news for 20 years in peace, now has some thump in the background from you

redo the room you live in with sound proofing

Any enhancement substance, to get into the creative mood, usually dampens the ability to judge sound levels,
out partying, tunes on in the car, go out the next day start car , music is so loud it blast you out of your seat

But you do not need this, you need , What the LAW says

 

have read through this it might help

http://www.environmental-protection.org.uk/noise/environmental-noise/noise-pollution/

 

You need to find information about 'Statutory Nuisances' with regard to noise, and 'Section 79 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990'.
This might help you

Code:

http://www.ambervalley.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/pollution/statutory-nuisance-noise.aspx

In a nutshell, noise levels (including noise from music equipment) could be considered a statutory nuisance if levels/time-of-day/duration are in excess of what a 'normal' person would consider acceptable. Whatever that means. LOL.

Contact your local Council about it. Make sure to voice your concerns about being wrongly accused. There might be differences in how the law is applied from Council to Council.

 

yup that one

well in my country we can do noise from 9AM to 7PM very loud if we can but wend i lived in my parents house i asked my neighbors what time i could do my stuff and that includes other buldings arround.. i found out at the time the only pepps that was against was some old people on other building like 3 way from mine, lol...

all this just to tell you that is common sence talk with your neighbors you will find a agrement with them..

 

I hope this covers everyone's responses, thanks for the help so far. Once I have a pritty good understanding I'll try to sum the hole thing up. That may not happen for some time as I'm a slow reader and I'm still working my way threw the first paper I started reading (Neighbourhood noise policies and practice for local authorities 2006).

as for what you've all said

Rolma Sorry to hear that happend to you. Hopefully we can understand these laws to protect ourselves and others

Studio 555 Thanks but I've seen similar before. They might help some one else but not me. I read some where I was allowed up to 114dB between 8am and 10 pm but I haven't found a second source to conferm it. If I am allowed that much that opens a hole new set of questings, like what noise was that loud?

SirSillySausage Your absolutly right, councils do but they send te police to deal with incidences. Environmental Protection Act 1990 did cover it till they made changes and in 2006 so each area seems to have differant policies now. Waricks councils websites nice, I can't find one for North tyneside don't know why I end up with the computer illiterate council.
Also My headphone may be too loud but that'll just damage my ears.

korgrog I've never had speakers in the house since I moved back in, the new neighbours move in to their house after I moved back in. I'm not allowed speakers till I get the sound proofing refitted on my bedroom so they've diffinately never been plugged in.
The noise complaint isn't about me being here, it's some one else in the house. Yet some how I doubt that'll stop my equipment being confoscated if this gose as far as being prossicuted for noise.
I want to know what the law is so I know how I stand.
Headphone wise I use a set of KRK KNS-8400 and a set of sony referance headphones that I forgot the model of. Are they good enough?

Lukie Thanks http://www.environmental-protection.org.uk/noise/environmental-noise/noise-pollution/ is helpful, it's more on the side of how to complain, but still helpful.

Feridan Thanks http://www.ambervalley.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/pollution/statutory-nuisance-noise.aspx Your most likely right but I think it may have been revised in one of the new laws the set up round 2006 or 2008

eskimo The people who complained are in thir late 20's early 30's, in the ajoined house.
They first compliand about the bird feeder to the enviromental health, who sent threatning letters. When they finally came out to look at the property, they appologised and said there was nothing wrong with the thing.
Someone said Dad was working, which he really wishes he could, to the council. He got loads of threatning letter, money cut and then one intervew, at which point they relised how wrong they where at assumeing he could work.
They seem to like to complain to the council about things as they've also complaind about vehicals, smoke, mass gatherings and other small thing.
If there really is a noise problem, I have the feeling that when they removed the chimney breast from their house they also removed the inner leaf of the wall. So the sound problems are because they made the walll only 1 brick thick.
I am very close to gettins every speecker cabnet I own and pointing all 16 of them at their bedroom and seeing if I can get the chimney to fall down on them.
I'm not evil just rather fed up with them
To prevent me doing that I'm looking at the laws as no music website as a summarised guide or any guide or help.

Thanks eveyone and I'll summarise when I've read the
Neighbourhood noise policies and practice for local authorities 2006
Human rights act of 1998 (since they keep refering to it)
and statutory nuisance noise (as what I've read of it Feridan sounds right)
I will read what you suggest as anything is easier than reading a leagal document.

So far I have learned that the Land lord isn't responsable for in adiquate sound proofing in flats if people where living in the sourrounding appartments before you moved in. If they wheren't then they are required to supply it (in London for definate) me and my family live in a house we own so its no help to us