To think we need better building standards and noise control laws in the U.K.?

[Notcontent]

Reading mumsnet threads and talking to friends, neighbours, etc it seems obvious that noise - particularly noise from neighbours - is a big problem for many people and can have a significant impact on people’s physical and mental wellbeing. I have experienced this issue from both sides - having a downstairs neighbour complaining about hearing footsteps during the day, and in my current house having had parties/loud music from a next door neighbour.

I have lived in other countries where it hasn’t been such an issue because house/flats are more solidly built and/or there are stricter laws about noise.

YANBU other countries do this much much better - Starting with Scotland :)

Yes agree with both. Our houses are small, cramped and poor quality.

And we also need stricter noise laws.

I agree with the former but uncomfortable with the latter. I think that noise laws in other countries seem to encroach too far into the private lives of others and that our current laws would be fine if they were enforced.

The laws to control noise are actually pretty good but there are too few EHO's or suitably qualified officers to investigate complaints and enforce the standards. i dealt with noise nuisances for over 20 years. a significant number of complaints arise because of a) thoughtlessness on the part of the noise maker - leaving dogs home alone to bark all day, doing diy at a time to suit them not thinking about others, removing carpet and underlay in flats to put down wooden floors and b) because some people use noise as a weapon to get on their neighbours nerves when their relationship as neighbours has broken down " he blocked my drive so I turned the stereo on at 4am". Noise induced stress is a real illness, not taken seriously enough. The more houses we build as "affordable" the more people we cram into ever smaller spaces with inadequate parking and common areas and the lower the construction standards. its the rush to build affordable housing that needs to stop.

In some other places there isn't a similar building culture of undetached (is that a word?) houses that are completely independent from each other, if that makes sense? You'll have your detached houses, surrounded by a bigger or smaller garden, apart from each others. Then you'll have apartments of "row houses" or similar, which will be part of the same leaseholdy arrangement, governed by its own (often strict and enforced) rules, including on noise, with a clear time in the evening after which silence is expected.

apartments OR row houses ^

I really like the noise laws in France and parts of Germany.

They ensure people know what constitutes reasonable behaviour, and people are legally entitled to some peace at weekends and nighttimes.