A gardening expert has explained how much noise you can make in your garden legally, and when your neighbours have the right to complain
Many homeowners enjoy making full use of their gardens and outdoor spaces, whether that’s hosting gatherings or tackling some wood-chopping tasks. But how much noise are you legally permitted to make outside before a neighbour’s grievance becomes legitimate?
It’s a fair question, and one that countless homeowners and tenants have pondered. Recently, one individual turned to Facebook and enquired: “What is considered acceptable noise levels in my garden, as my neighbour has complained to my local council about me cutting logs with an electric chain saw and an electric log splitter?”.
Meanwhile on Reddit, another person questioned: “I need to do some DIY in my front garden that involves power tools – I typically try do it between lunch and dinner as my neighbour put in a noise complaint but she’s still making a song and dance about me making noise. What time is acceptable to make noise and for how long (in your opinion)?”
A gardening specialist has now resolved the dispute.
Gardening expert Michael Griffiths, who regularly posts advice and guidance on his @themichaelgriffiths TikTok account, addressed this question, and clarified it also covers noises from things such as “water features, wind chimes or even a barking dog”.
Responding to the query, he stated: “If the noise is deemed as unreasonably interfering with someone’s life it can be investigated and if the noise is serious, so not a one off event or a brief disturbance, the council can even serve a noise abatement notice.”
The government website supports this, stating that councils must investigate noise complaints that could be a “statutory nuisance”. This includes noises from premises such as gardens and “certain vessels (for example loud music or barking dogs), vehicles, machinery or equipment.”
For it to be classified as a statutory nuisance, it must either:
- Unreasonably and substantially interfere with the use or enjoyment of a home or other premises
- Insure health or be likely to injure health
If the council agrees, they can serve an abatement notice. This means the person responsible will need to stop or restrict the noise.
For noises from premises, the abatement notice can be delayed for up to seven days while the council tries to get the person responsible to stop or restrict the noise.
If someone doesn’t comply with an abatement notice, they can be prosecuted and fined a lump sum, and receive further fines for each day they fail to comply.
In the comment section of the video, people shared their own experiences. One person wrote: “This is good to know because my neighbours regularly wake me up when they start gardening at 5.30am, even on a weekend.”
Another claimed: “I had to take my wind chime down because it was too noisy,” while a third wrote: “Men with angle grinders. What are they doing?”.