Somelocal authoritiesnow haveemergency response teams to deal with urgent noise problems
Taking LegaL acTionyourseLf
If forwhatever reasons the local authority does nottakeaction, of if youdonot wish to involve them, you can complain about a noise problem direct to amagistrates’ court. Themagistrates’ courtwillneed to be persuadedthatthe noise problemamounts to astatutory
nuisance.It is importantthatyou keepawritten record of thedates,times anddurationofthe noise as well as adescription of itsnatureand the distress it causes you. Before youcomplain toamagistrates’court
youshouldseekadvicefrom Citizens’ Advice,a solicitor, or theclerk at thelocalcourts. There is no legal aid for such cases.
LaTe nighT
musicand parTies Somelocalauthorities nowhaveemergency response teams to deal with urgent noise prob- lems. They can issue warnings, seize equip- ment andissuefixedpenalty notices of £100 (Noise Act 1996).
Barking dogs Incessant barkingmay be classedasa statutory nuisance and so can be reported to the local authority.
Flat Living Autumn2011
Theleasemaynot contain aclause
Local authorities have thepower to gain entry... to stop noise
BurgLarand car aLarms
Localauthorities have thepower to gain entry to premisestostop noisewhichcan be used to stop misfiring alarms. The Noise and Statu- tory Nuisance Act1993gives localauthorities’ power to disconnect burglar and car alarms.
WhaTcanyou expecT fromyour
LandLord or agenT? Many lesseesbelieve that agents have abig stick to wave at noise nuisance in blocks of
flats.Thisisnot
so.Most leases will contain covenantswhich sayleaseholders shallnot causenuisanceand annoyance to neighbours. Theremay be morespecificrestrictions such as no loudmusicbetween,say,11pmand 7.30amor that floors should be carpeted. Theseclauses areall well andgood butin
practice difficult to enforce for several reasons. Themeaning of thecovenantshouldbeclear before
consideringenforcement.Any benefit of the doubt over themeaning will always be given to the lessee.
that requires the landlord to enforce thecovenants;ifitdoesnot thereisno obligation on thelandlord to take any action. Even if the lease does contain a clause requiring the landlord to enforce the covenantsagainst otherlessees (amutual enforceability covenant)there is usually acatch;the catchisthatthe complainant leaseholder suffering the noise will have to pay the landlord’s costs of enforcing the covenant. So howdoesthe landlord enforcea
covenant againstsay noise or onethat requires carpetsnot laminatedfloors?A reminder letter to theoffendinglesseemay work.Ifitdoesnot, then thelegal remedies open to thelandlord areaninjunctionor forfeiture. Injunctionsare costly butcan be applied
for with or without forfeiture. Also the aggrieved lessee can apply for an injunction andmay well be moresuccessful if he/she does.●
For furthersources of help andinformation, you can download the full version of LAN06
Noisefromthe FlatLivingwebsiteat
www.flat-living.co.uk
AssociationofResidentialManagingAgentsLimited (ARMA) 178BatterseaParkRoad,LondonSW114ND Tel02079782607 Fax02074986153 Email
info@arma.org.uk Websitewww.arma.org.uk
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