Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Family threatened with £5,000 fine over noises four-year-old son makes in garden

A couple have been threatened with a £5,000 fine following a complaint their little boy is too noisy playing in the garden. Simon and Pippa Lansdell have been sent a letter by Hull City Council warning if further complaints are made about their four-year-old son Alfie, they could be served with a noise abatement notice. They could then be fined up to £5,000 and have to pay a further £500 a day if the noise still doesn’t stop. Mr Lansdell, 35, said: “When I first opened the letter I was shocked, then I was absolutely fuming.



“We are not sure who has made a complaint. The neighbours we have spoken to are absolutely disgusted about it. Alfie can be noisy and boisterous, but he is just a normal 4-year-old playing in the garden. It’s the summer holidays, for goodness sake. Children need to play outside.mI can’t believe the council took this complaint seriously. I think it makes them look very stupid.”

The couple, of the Avenues area in west Hull, were sent the letter by the council’s environmental health team. It states the allegation of “noise nuisance” relates to a “child screaming/playing in garden”. The letter asks the couple to consider if Alfie’s behaviour could be a nuisance to others. It reveals if further complaints are made, his behaviour could be monitored with digital equipment.


YouTube link.

It also states the complainant, who is not identified, has been asked to keep a record of dates and times when Alfie’s playing causes a nuisance. Mr and Mrs Lansdell are warned if Alfie is found to be too noisy, they could be issued with a noise abatement notice. The letter states: “Failure to comply with such a notice can lead on conviction to a fine, not exceeding £5,000, together with a daily fine of up to £500 for each day the nuisance continues”. It also contains advice on how to keep the noise down in different situations, but does not offer any specific advice on dealing with children.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think sticking the kid in the back yard to burn off whatever energy he has is usually ok, but that stuff he is playing with is crazy loud. And what about taking him to a park? I've have ahole neighbors that were loud too. It makes you a hostage in your own home. What about my enjoyment of my back yard? These are the parents that will get him a drum set next.

Unknown said...

I get the feeling this kid shrieks and it was left out of the video.

mavis said...

He's 4 years old ffs .................in my opinion there is nothing nicer than the sound of a child or children having fun. Some people need to lighten up a bit. The complainers should try living next door to my grandchildren when they have their friends in the garden. That's real noise..........but its still children playing and having fun and nobody should begrudge any child that.

Anonymous said...

Some people don't want kids, or their noise. Your argument is that we should all just love kids and all the noise they produce. Sorry I just don't buy it. If I go to a place like mc donalds and bitch about kids that's different, but in my own back yard I'd like some piece and quiet.

Some people don't like the noise your kids make, sorry you had to HEAR that.

Barbwire said...

Judging from the expression on the kid's face, he's not exactly into cooperating. I love kids. I have three of my own, and 7 grandchildren. But there are a couple of kids in the complex where I live who for years would just run everywhere in the complex shrieking at the top of their lungs. It sounded like someone was being tortured. Oh, that's right. The rest of us in the complex were being tortured.