Noisy neighbours lead to 5,000 complaints

Police Scotland regularly refer incidents to Noise Team

Wardens have probed almost 5,000 noise complaints from angry neighbours in the last four years.

Renfrewshire Council has been bombarded with calls from residents pleading for help to keep their streets quiet.

Officers noted an almost five per cent calls surge in the last 12 months – but handed out just one fixed penalty notice.

Local authority chiefs revealed the challenge faced by crews over the last year in a report.

It stated: “The number of incidents reported to the Noise Team increased slightly to 1,135 calls.

“But this figure is still within the expected annual range.

“The number of warnings given has decreased by 50 per cent.

“This suggests the public are showing more consideration for their neighbours by keeping noise within acceptable levels.

“Police Scotland regularly refers incidents to the Noise Team allowing officers to attend complaints quickly – on average, in 30 minutes.

“Only one fixed penalty notice was issued this year, highlighting that the public are continuing to comply with the legislation after our officers initially issue a warning and advice.”

Families made 4,580 noise complaints to the council in the last four years.

Officers received 53 more reports last year than the 12 months before.

Despite this, the number of warnings handed out halved, from 208 to 104.

Matters were settled without local authority officers attending in 2,189 cases. Visits were required 2,389 times.

Wardens have the power to issue a £ 100 penalty to those refusing to obey noise rules.

But only 15 have been handed out.

A yob who sparked a rammy with cops after blaring music at home was spared jail last month.

Kenneth Hamilton, 36, elbowed and jostled a policeman probing complaints about noise.

He lashed out just weeks after threatening to blow up his former fiancée’s flat.

Police were called to Hamilton’s flat in Paisley’s Newton Terrace last September 30.

They asked him to quieten down but he kicked off.

Sheriff Susan Sinclair ordered him to complete 80 hours of community service.

Another reveller threatened officers with a wooden shillelagh when they told him to turn the music down.

Iain Dickson, 58, was staging a one-man late night party at his home in the town’s North Street noise investigators and police turned up.

His house was illuminated with bright purple lights and his stereo was blaring when they arrived in April last year.

He told how he had bought headphones when he was fined £400 at Paisley Sheriff Court for the row last December.