Is this a thing? Seizure by local councils of 'dj' equipment

[Orang Utan]

Leeds residents have DJ equipment seized by police after series of noise complaints

Leeds residents have had DJ and sound equipment seized by the police - after 'failing to heed' a series of noise complaint warnings.

www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk

The "Leeds Anti-Social Behaviour Team" have seized a bunch of 'dj equipment' from a bunch of student houses for playing their music too loud. If you look at the pics, it just looks like hifi equipment, not a sound system or anything - those speakers are tiny bluetooth speakers ffs! There have been a lot of parties in that area during lockdown and parties raided and equipment seized under the lockdown restrictions, but this just seems to be a matter of antisocial behaviour legislation that they're using to seize people's personal equipment. Seems a bit draconian? Is this new or has it been going on for years?

 

[killer b]

'powerful bluetooth speakers'

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

The kit in the pictures isn’t exactly a full squat party rig, but pretty much anything is capable of causing grief to neighbours if it’s in a building with thin walls at the wrong time etc.

Sounds like it wasn’t the first time and they’d been warned, so my sympathies are rather limited.

 

[maomao]

Good. Noisy fuckers.

 

[DaveCinzano]

Noise Act 1996

An Act to make provision about noise emitted from dwellings at night; about the forfeiture and confiscation of equipment used to make noise unlawfully; and for connected purposes.

www.legislation.gov.uk

 

[killer b]

I expect there's specific legislation which makes it easier for cops to seize DJ equipment (probably the good old CJA tbf) whereas seizing domestic HI FI equipment is probably more dicey.

 

[A380]

They have had the power to seize equipment for years - at least since the mid 90s. But only after they have been through all of the other noise nuisance sanctions. I Might be wrong if they are miss applying it locally, but chances are the people getting their kit seized have been selfish twats towards their neighbours after being asked and then told to stop.

 

[Orang Utan]

I've no doubt they are selfish twats but we were all young once

 

[marty21]

It has been a thing for some time , Councils have to go to court to get a seizure order and can then take your stereo if they can prove in court that noise nuisance has occurred .

 

[MickiQ]

The Plod have no power to seize stereos off their own bat but they haven't done in this case, the local noise abatement team (with an excessively cool acronym) from the Council has. Plod was just there to stand around in order to prevent a breach of the peace in case the students starting get riotous. The Council are normally very patient with noisy neighbours and give warnings before they resort to taking it away. It says they got a warrant so proper process followed. Not a lot of sympathy for the students to be honest they were undoubtably warned a few times and just ignored it so on their own heads be it.
EDIT:
Actually reading the article it doesn't say students just residents so own prejudices showing there but still the same principle though

 

[DaveCinzano]

Noise complaints made, Environmental Health investigate, warnings are ignored, application made to magistrates, seizure order approved.

https://www.trafford.gov.uk/residents/environment/pollution/noise-pollution/docs/seizure-of-noise-making-equipment.pdf

 

[nogojones]

They've had these powers for years. Though it takes a good few breaches before they apply them.

Neighbours have to complain, the council have to come round and witness it for an hour, they then rock up and ask them to turn it down. If they don't comply they get a formal notice, if they do it again they have to go through all that process again and get a court order before any equipment is taken.

To get to this point you have to be a bit of a cunt not to realise that your neighbours like sleeping

 

[DownwardDog]

I've no doubt they are selfish twats but we were all young once

Fuck them. Why should everyone else listen to their splittercore?

 

[Border Reiver]

I expect there's specific legislation which makes it easier for cops to seize DJ equipment (probably the good old CJA tbf) whereas seizing domestic HI FI equipment is probably more dicey.

Ordinary TVs and stereos have been lawfully seized from ordinary houses.

 

[Orang Utan]

The Plod have no power to seize stereos off their own bat but they haven't done in this case, the local noise abatement team (with an excessively cool acronym) from the Council has. Plod was just there to stand around in order to prevent a breach of the peace in case the students starting get riotous. The Council are normally very patient with noisy neighbours and give warnings before they resort to taking it away. It says they got a warrant so proper process followed. Not a lot of sympathy for the students to be honest they were undoubtably warned a few times and just ignored it so on their own heads be it.
EDIT:
Actually reading the article it doesn't say students just residents so own prejudices showing there but still the same principle though

It's a student area and those particular streets are mostly populated by students

 

[marty21]

I've been dealing with noisy neighbours for a couple of decades (not the same noisy neighbours tbf) for Social Housing tenants , noise nuisance can lead to eviction but that is rare ime. The noise team do all the seizure stuff , but if they get a seizure order , that is a breach of tenancy so we could apply for possession using that as evidence. But it is rare to do that.

 

[A380]

The Plod have no power to seize stereos off their own bat but they haven't done in this case, the local noise abatement team (with an excessively cool acronym) from the Council has. Plod was just there to stand around in order to prevent a breach of the peace in case the students starting get riotous. The Council are normally very patient with noisy neighbours and give warnings before they resort to taking it away. It says they got a warrant so proper process followed. Not a lot of sympathy for the students to be honest they were undoubtably warned a few times and just ignored it so on their own heads be it.
EDIT:
Actually reading the article it doesn't say students just residents so own prejudices showing there but still the same principle though

Yep, not a police power one for the Local Authority. I imagine the police contribution to the ASB team are some long in the tooth PCSOs who went along to stop the selfish twats acting up to local authority staff.

 

[MickiQ]

It's a student area and those particular streets are mostly populated by students

At the risk of appearing judgemental why am I not surprised.

 

[LDC]

Those speakers are powerful, more than capable of causing real issues with noise for neighbors, and it's irrelevant that most of the neighbors might be students. They'd had repeated warnings and refused to change so fuck them. ASB is a huge problem in some areas and drives people away and ruins some people's lives, I'd support far more draconian measures for people that ignore warnings tbh.

 

[A380]

Ordinary TVs and stereos have been lawfully seized from ordinary houses.

Not from “Ordinary” houses because the vast majority of people aren’t serial twats towards their neighbors.

(BTW what was your previous log on?)

 

[killer b]

fuck the neighbours, fuck the pigs, fuck the council. raving takes priority.

 

[killer b]

what's happened to you people?

 

[The39thStep]

We'd be far better off if we just had the Open University or some new tech form of Russian correspondence courses. Universities as big businesses and these student areas are the bane of existence for locals in most cities.

 

[emanymton]

They grew old. I however have always been a miserable bastard.

 

[MickiQ]

what's happened to you people?

Age

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

what's happened to you people?

There was a reason we always used to put raves on in old abandoned warehouses, rather than residential streets...

 

[Orang Utan]

At the risk of appearing judgemental why am I not surprised.

Young people are less likely to think of other people. No judgment. It takes time to become a fully formed terrible adult

 

[marty21]

fuck the neighbours, fuck the pigs, fuck the council. raving takes priority.

I have tried and failed to get the council to listen to this point of view .

 

[emanymton]

There was a reason we always used to put raves on in old abandoned warehouses, rather than residential streets...

More space.

 

[seeformiles]

I know one of the people affected by this. He’s autistic and has effectively been tortured by his shithead neighbour at all hours of day and night for nearly a year. It’s taken months for him to get things to this stage with multiple complaints to the council and monitoring the noise. This is very much a last resort and I’m really pleased for him that he’s got a result at long last.