ORDERS dished out by councils to tackle noisy neighbours have dropped to their lowest level in three years.

Council officers across the country handed out 235 noise abatement orders between January 2010 and November last year, forcing nuisance neighbours to keep quiet.

Local authorities can issue the orders to tell residents to stop making noise or face a fine of up to £5,000 or up to £20,000 for a business.

Orders issued to Oxfordshire’s disruptive residents have fallen to a three-year low, with just 23 notices handed out last year, compared to 61 in 2011.

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But former Rose Hill Tenants and Residents’ Association member Albert Mazey said he believed numbers have fallen because communities are not reporting their noisy neighbours. The 66-year-old grandfather said: “I think a few people just put up with it.”

The retired Tesco store assistant said he recalled having issues with travellers parked outside his home, disturbing him and wife Joan with their loud arguments.

But despite complaining to the council each month, he said it was not resolved until the family moved on 18 months after they first arrived. Mr Mazey, who has lived in Rose Hill all his life, said he considered leaving the area. He added: “We used to stay inside and sort of keep out of the way.”

The father-of-three said fewer orders may have been handed out because of other issues affecting families, including parking and antisocial behaviour.

Figures, which were revealed after a Freedom of Information request, showed Littlemore takeaway Mighty Bite was served a noise abatement order by Oxford City Council last August.

The family-owned eatery was forced to replace its extraction fan, at a cost of more than £1,000, because its vibrations were disrupting a tenant living above the shop.

Manager Mohammed Razzaq said after replacing the fan, the council did not return to check the order had been compiled with. He added: “We spent a lot of money. At the moment, there’s no noise.”

But Tracey Clarke, a friend of the takeaway’s owner Affim Rashid for 29 years, said the family was shocked to discover the tenant was unhappy after receiving a council letter threatening court action.

Miss Clarke, who owns nearby grocery and off licence PR Stores, said: “When you get something like that, you feel like you are a criminal.”

Musician Darren Hasson-Davies was also told to keep the noise down but escaped a noise abatement order. Oxford City Council told the father-of-one from Donnington, neighbours were unhappy with his drumming lessons. He said: “It was never my intention to upset neighbours. I can see their point of view but I wish it could have been a lot more friendly.”

Oxford City Council was contacted but did not provide a comment.



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