Noise Advice for Students

Advice on preventing complaints being made about students

Student Noise Picture

Noise from everyday living

Please take account of who your neighbours are. Some may lead lives very different from yours and may keep very different hours.

The elderly may go to bed very early and families with children will be very unhappy if the kids are woken up by you playing music late at night. Remember that a room you use for living, working and socialising in may be next to one your neighbours sleep in. This, of course, cuts both ways. There are times you might be disturbed by neighbours whilst you are trying to work or revise for exams.

It is always worth getting to know your neighbours so that you can understand each other better and iron out difficulties as they arise.

Parties

Advice if you are having a party:

1. Tell all your neighbours well in advance – you could invite them

2. Suggest that they let you know if they have any problems whilst the party is on.

3. Tell them what time the party will end (or at least when the music will be turned right down). Make sure you stick to this time.

4. Control noise levels as much as you can. Position speakers carefully. Keep windows closed if possible.

5. Control your guests – particularly at the end of the party. Don't let the party overflow into the street.

6. If you get a visit from the Police or Environmental Health Services, please do as they ask.

Noise in the street

Please be thoughtful as you go home after a night out. Laughing and talking in the street at night when everything else is quiet causes a lot of distress to some residents.

It is easy to wake people up, but harder for them to get back to sleep. Some people who live on routes between pubs and clubs and areas of student housing are very long suffering.

The Law

Noise is a very subjective thing, and affects people in different ways. At the moment there is no legal level at which noise becomes a "nuisance". Any noise which is loud or obtrusive enough to affect someone else's enjoyment of their property can be a nuisance.

If Environmental Health Services has evidence that you are causing statutory nuisance a legal notice may be served on you under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. If you carry on in breach of this notice you can be taken to court and fined up to £5000. Your sound equipment can also be confiscated.

The University and the Guild of Students work closely with the council and the police and are anxious that students are good neighbours.