Households could face £5,000 fine for breaking '8am to 1pm' saturday rule

THE LAWS WERE PUT IN PLACE TO MAINTAIN COMMUNITY PEACE GEORGIA BURNS and CATHERINE SHUTTLEWORTH 15:30, 20 May 2025 UK households are being cautioned that they could face fines of up to

£5,000 for breaching a largely unknown law, according to the Daily Record. As the weather warms and the days lengthen, many of us are spending increasing amounts of time in our gardens with

loved ones. However, what may seem like harmless fun could land you in hot water if you're not aware of the laws surrounding noise in public spaces. Almost half (48%) of UK residents

are unaware of the '8am to 1pm' noise restrictions on Saturdays, which are designed to prevent excessive disturbances. Under current UK regulations, noise levels must be kept to a

minimum between 11pm and 7am to ensure peace during night time hours, reports Bristol Live. This restriction covers a wide range of common noise sources, including loud music, parties,

barking dogs, vehicle noises and machinery sounds such as lawnmowers and even washing machines. There are also laws that regulate construction work to limit excessive noise disruption

between 8am and 6pm from Monday to Fridays, 8am to 1pm on Saturdays and prohibits any works on Sundays. Households that break these rules could face an abatement notice, an official warning

that requires them to stop the noise disturbance. If the warning is ignored, you run the risk of being taken to court and slapped with a £5,000 fine. These laws were put in place to maintain

community peace and keep noise disruptions under control. According to specialists at Toolstation, noise, pollution (including light or air) and other disturbances are considered a

statutory nuisance when they seriously and unreasonably interfere with a person's enjoyment of their home. Your local council has the power to issue a formal warning notice if you cause

a noise disturbance and fail to adhere to the rules. This notice provides you with an opportunity to address and rectify the problem. KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS AND

TOP STORIES FROM THE NORTH EAST WITH OUR FREE NEWSLETTER However, if you fail to resolve the issue after receiving the notice - and can't provide a valid reason for the disturbance -

you may be issued with a fixed penalty notice. Residents have a 14-day period to pay the fine, which is up to £110 for a house, or up to £500 for commercial properties such as pubs or clubs.

Article continues below If the fine isn't paid within the time limit, or if the council decides to bypass the penalty notice altogether, the matter can be escalated to court. If found

guilty, the financial penalties increase significantly. Homeowners can be fined up to £1,000 while businesses - especially licensed venues - can face unlimited fines depending on the

severity of the offence. In more serious cases, authorities have the authority to seize noisy equipment, such as loud speakers or sound systems to prevent further disturbances. JOIN OUR

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