Neighbourliness
Parties and Noise
The office receives periodic complaints about the use of loud speakers late at night, for example after 11.00pm. Moor Park (1958) Limited tries to ensure that all residents are aware of their responsibilities for neighbourly behaviour but does not have any enforcement powers. Three Rivers District Council and the police are the appropriate enforcement authorities with powers to initiate action against people causing a disturbance, including contacting the property owner to require that the noise be curtailed.
If you plan to hold a large party, please advise the Moor Park Office before the day of the activity as well as informing your neighbours, as a courtesy. Please ensure that your guests park only on one side of the road, not on the verge and not in a manner to inconvenience your neighbours or create a danger to other road users. The office may discuss with you specific issues if you are on a corner location or at a junction.
Noise (music and fireworks, etc.) is generally only acceptable up to 11pm (except New Year’s Eve, Guy Fawkes, Chinese New Year and Diwali, when the law allows for later activities). Please consider the other residents on the Estate, with special consideration for the elderly, those with younger children as well as animals and wildlife.
Fireworks can be particularly frightening to dogs because of the loud bangs, the flashing lights and unpleasant strong smell of spent explosives. With multiple bangs occurring from numerous displays, dogs will rarely be able to pinpoint where the booming explosions are coming from. Not knowing what an explosion is, where it’s coming from, or where and when the next one is going to be can be truly terrifying for some dogs.
Please click https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/general/fireworks/safety for how to make fireworks less frightening for animals. If you wish to complain about noise, please call Three Rivers District Council on 01923 776611. The call will be diverted to a call centre during out-of-office hours. The Council is likely to take prompt action if they receive at least three different complaints identifying the same street name as the source of the noise.
In extreme cases, the local police may also act by attending the address and asking the home owner to turn the noise down. (Please telephone the nonemergency number 101).
Gardening Noise
The Office receives many complaints from residents on the days and hours worked by professional gardeners employed by residents, and also on the noise created by various types of garden machinery. In recent weeks the volume of complaints has increased, and, in particular, the use of leaf blowers which are often at full throttle from 7am and after 6pm and at weekends. Lawnmowers and cutting machinery also create a ‘racket’. Furthermore, professional gardeners/contractors are seen to be at work on Saturday afternoons and on Sundays.
Moor Park (1958) has a clear policy on times worked and noise levels and our advice and guidelines are as follows:
‘Please do not allow professional gardeners to work at your property in the evening, on Saturday afternoons or at any time on Sundays or Bank Holidays. This is to reduce the noise and impact on your neighbours of power tools that gardeners often use.’
We emphasise the timings for professional gardeners:
On Monday to Friday works may take place from 8.00am to 5.30pm and on Saturdays 9.00am to 1.00pm.
There should be NO works on Sundays or Bank Holidays.
It is the responsibility of the property owner to observe these times, not the gardeners. We would therefore be grateful if you would check the contracts made with your gardeners or given to them orally, and require them not to work outside the hours indicated above.
Residents who do their own gardening are, of course, entirely free to decide on the timings of their gardening activities but we would ask you to be considerate to your neighbours, who are legally entitled to the quiet enjoyment of their gardens, especially when social activities are taking place.
Complaints about noise should be made to the Environmental Services Department of Three Rivers District Council: 01923 776611.
Obviously the same applies to Building works!
Litter
It is in all our interests to maintain the Estate free from litter. The dumping of refuse and other rubbish on the common areas of the Estate harms the quality, look and feel of Moor Park.
While the Estate staff and contractors remove a large amount of litter each week, all residents are politely requested to assist by collecting and disposing of any litter in their vicinity and ensuring your frontage and verges are litter free.
Bonfires
The Company receives many complaints about bonfires. We would encourage you not to light a bonfire at all during the summer months and only if absolutely necessary in the autumn months.
If you must have a bonfire (and we hope you won’t), please follow the guidelines below:
- Do not burn hazardous waste, including building materials that could potentially be harmful to the environment or to human health.
- Try not to choose a damp day when smoke hangs in the air for long periods, or very windy days when smoke may be carried over roads, neighbouring properties, lines of washing or when windows may be open.
- Burn only dry wood to minimise the quantity of smoke produced.
- Bonfires should be attended at all times and should never be left to burn overnight.
- Please avoid burning on warm days or evenings, when your neighbours may wish to enjoy the quiet enjoyment of their gardens.
- Be careful, especially in winter, as there may be animals hiding or hibernating – everything from smooth newts to hedgehogs!
If a neighbour is causing a nuisance by burning hazardous waste, legal action can be taken against the person responsible under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
To be a nuisance, a bonfire must substantially interfere with a person’s well-being, comfort or enjoyment of their property. For instance, where smoke is drifting across or into someone’s property, if they can’t open their windows or hang out their washing. Complaints about smoke nuisance should be made to the Environmental Services Department of Three Rivers District Council: 01923 776611.
Guidance for Dog Owners and Dog Fouling
Moor Park is naturally a favourite spot for residents to walk with dogs but the Office receives frequent complaints. Please use the following guidelines if you are a dog owner and walk your dog around the Estate.
Don’t let your dog disturb other residents
Your dog may be friendly and harmless, and only want to say hello, but not everyone loves dogs, or is confident around them. Young children, the elderly or disabled can easily be knocked over by an excited dog. Please be particularly vigilant during the warmer weather when there are likely to be residents out walking and use a dog lead at all times. Please do not allow your dog to roam the streets unaccompanied.
Pick up after your dog and dispose of the bag responsibly
We know that the majority of dog owners responsibly dispose of their dog waste, however, a small minority do not. As with most other open spaces, it is a requirement that you pick up after your dog whilst walking on any part of the Estate and dispose of the bag in one of the dog-waste bins around the Estate, or take it home if you do not pass one on your walk. There are health risks associated with dog-waste, particularly for children, so picking up after your dog is very important.
We have 7 dog-waste bins located in the following areas:
- Bedford Road by the barrier
- Bedford Road by the footpath
- Wolsey Road by the footpath
- Junction of Thornhill Road and Astons Road
- South Approach by the shed
- South Approach Spinney (opposite No: 30)
- Main Avenue, opposite the office.
Barking Dogs
It’s important to realise that barking is a dog’s means of communication, however, the constant barking or whining of a dog can be very disturbing or annoying for your neighbours. If you do keep your dog outside, think carefully about where you put their kennel and where they can run. Try not to put it near your neighbour’s fence where your dog will be tempted to bark.
Neighbour Disputes
Although the Company is happy to draw members’ attention to areas where they are causing inconvenience to other residents, it will not involve itself in neighbour disputes and you should speak directly to your neighbour to resolve problems that may arise.
For boundary and fencing disputes, please check your Title Deeds and/or approach Land Registry for ownership.
