Woman's summer 'ruined' as selfish neighbours stop her using garden

We all want to make the most of the warm weather in our gardens, but rude neighbours can quickly put a dampener on things. Anyone fortunate enough to have outdoor space at home will undoubtedly have spent much of the past week basking in the sunshine and embracing the summer spirit.

But with millions of UK households rushing outside to enjoy their gardens while the sun shines, some are finding that their neighbours are far from thoughtful towards those around them. One woman on social media has claimed her summer experience has already been "spoiled" by her selfish neighbours, as a habit they repeatedly indulge in has left her wanting to retreat indoors.

In a post on TikTok, the woman shared a clip of herself looking thoroughly fed up while seated in a garden chair. In the background, the song Internet Girl by Katseye could be heard blaring out of speakers in her neighbour's garden, as they soaked up the sun themselves and "ruined" the woman's peace in the process.

She wrote on her video: "Another day spoiled by noise pollution neighbours."

And in the caption, she added: "I miss hearing the birds."

Responses to the post were divided, however. A number of commenters sympathised with the woman's predicament, saying they too had noisy neighbours who were putting a dampener on their enjoyment of the sunshine.

But many others argued that the woman had no right to dictate how her neighbours use their own gardens, pointing out that playing music loudly is perfectly acceptable, provided it does not breach noise regulations.

One person said: "I feel your pain. My neighbours think it's acceptable to let their kids out in the garden at 6:30am, and they scream! Don't get me wrong, I love kids, I've had two. But you have to teach them consideration."

Another added: "The constant low-level stress that bad neighbours cause is so detrimental to your well-being. I feel for you."

However, one commenter countered: "I get it, but also, you can't stop people from listening to music in their own garden. If you have a problem with how loud it is, then do the adult thing and go ask them politely to just turn it down a bit. If they don't listen and continue, then make a noise complaint to the police, instead of complaining about it on TikTok.

"Everyone enjoys the sunshine differently. Personally, I sing along to all my neighbours' music, and I have five different gardens surrounding mine."

What are the laws on noisy neighbours?

In the UK, councils must look into complaints about noise that could be a "statutory nuisance" as defined by the Environmental Protection Act 1990. For the noise to count as a statutory nuisance, it must do one of the following:

• Unreasonably and substantially interfere with the use or enjoyment of a home or other premises
• Injure health or be likely to injure health

Councils are responsible for looking into noise complaints from things like loud music and barking dogs, but statutory nuisance laws don't apply to noise from traffic, planes, political demonstrations, or premises occupied by the armed forces.

Noise laws are stricter at night, and councils can issue warning notices for any noise above permitted levels between 11pm and 7am, even if it's not a statutory nuisance. If someone doesn't comply with a warning notice without a reasonable excuse, councils can give a fixed penalty notice for a fine of up to £110, and even prosecute them.

In order to find out how to file a complaint about your noisy neighbours, you will need to visit your local council's website.