Leigh Road neighbour demonstrates how NOT to be a good citizen

Last night (18th September) up until 4am an unknown neighbour who resides in Leigh Road (opposite junction with Wesley Road) held a party during which very loud music started to be played at approx 10pm and finished (or may have been stopped) between 3 and 4 am.

Waltham Forest's website states in clear English how to be a good neighbour. The paramount phrase is no doubt this one; "Everyone is entitled to enjoy their home quietly and peacefully. You must not make too much noise, be a nuisance or disturb your neighbours and you must also make sure that anyone living with you or visiting your home behaves in a reasonable way. "

The party in Leigh Road was not contained within the walls of the premises. It had revellers and music outside in the garden as well as inside. There was also an overspill of about 50 people at any one time outside the street. My son observed from his bedroom window one attendant of the gathering urinating up against a tree in Wesley Road and as if that wasn't bad enough at approx 4am I observed from my bedroom window another two male party-goers get into their car which was parked in Goodman Road and make a dangerous reversing manoeuvre which crashed their car into a parked vehicle in Leigh Road then rush away from the scene without stopping and without turning on their vehicle lights.

Waltham Forest's response to anxious telephone calls was extremely poor with no reasonable solution or advice given at all. The Police response to the noise pollution was "not our problem" although they did send a patrol car to investigate the hit and run accident it did not stop at the crime scene and the officers did not leave their vehicle to inspect the damage caused to the parked vehicle. Our boroughs poor response to noise problems are well documented a typical example reported recently by the local paper can be read here.

I for one will be making an official complaint about this resident. Some useful reading about noise nuisance (DEFRA government website) can be found here. Waltham Forests Environmental Health Department can be contacted here (scroll to bottom of page). Or you can make the complaint through "Waltham Forest Direct" by various means. You can find their contact information here.

I urge other neighbours to make similar complaints to the relevant people in authority including our MP.