In the summer months its very common for residential properties to have garden parties into the early hours of the morning becoming excessively loud, and the general public are powerless to do anything about it. It's not always safe to visit the property and ask them to turn the noise down as you are faced with people who are likely intoxicated or worse, and in high numbers, but currently there is no legislation in place with the local councils or the Police which states that they have a mandatory obligation to address the problem that night, or even at all!

The Noise Act 1996 states that councils have to address excessively loud music/noise after 11 pm directly with the offending resident and can issue a warning and demand the noise is stopped. However Councils are able to refuse implementation of this legislation.

The Environmental Health department adhere to the Environmental Protection Act 1990 which states they will only deal with noise which is classed as a "statutory nuisance" the definition being: - "noise emitted from premises so as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance", "unreasonably and substantially interfere with the use or enjoyment of a home or other premises". So according to the Environmental Protection Act 1990 Councils should still take action on random summer parties that are a statutory nuisance, but this is not the case as they ask you to fill in a diary which is a waste of time if it doesn't happen on a regular basis....so the council refuse to address the problem as they "don't deem it a nuisance" even though noise from parties has become so loud that neighbours are not able to hear their TV, get their children to sleep, get enough sleep themselves to deal with duties for the following day then ultimately be driven out of their own home to stay with friends or relatives to enable them to enjoy their evening.