News
Putting Christmas decorations on your house could land you with a £20,000 fine
GRINCH.
You could be fined up to £20,000 for decking your house out in festive Christmas lights if you’re not careful.
With the state of this year, many people have gone all out with their Christmas decs but they’re being warned.
The fine could come if angry neighbours who aren’t feeling the festivities make a complaint, Bolton News reports.
Under part three of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities must investigate complaints under various nuisances including the safety of lights, noises and interference with other households.
Despite how terrible this year has been, some people simply aren’t a fan of Christmas at all, and in particular, of festive twinkling lights.
One angry neighbour took to Twitter to say: “You think your neighbour’s annoying, well mine has Christmas lights set to music.”
A second said: “Not to be a grinch or anything, but I hate Christmas lights they look obnoxiously annoying.”
Research from Emoov has shown that you could get up to a £20,000 fine for your festive display after neighbourhood disputes – these disputes can be classed as a statutory nuisance, and is you fail to comply with the ending of the nuisance you can be found guilty and fined.
Naveen Jaspal, chief operating officer of Emoov, said: “With the year we’ve all had, it’s quite understandable that homeowners are looking to spread some extra festive cheer. Christmas light spotting around the neighbourhood has become increasingly popular recently, in the absence of the markets and fayres we are all used to.
“But we’ve also seen people taking to social media and forums to express their annoyance at their neighbour’s displays – with interrupted sleep and disturbed evenings the main bugbears.
“Luckily there are plenty of ways to keep the festive fun going while ensuring everyone has a silent, and fine free, night.
“Safety is the main concern when considering electronic lights outdoors. Check your lights are intended for outdoor use and you don’t have any cables trapped between your windows or doors.
“To ensure your neighbours aren’t kept up all night, consider using a timer for your lights which switches them off at a reasonable hour.
“This is especially important when your neighbours have young families who need to get their sleep before Santa arrives. Timers can also help you reduce your energy consumption at an already expensive period.
“Lastly, avoid bright displays that flash or blink or noisy lights which play tunes on loop. ‘Jingle Bells’ once will undoubtedly get anyone in the festive mood, but 50 times a night is sure to get you onto the naughty list.”
Commuters could be facing the steepest rise in the cost of train travel in more than a decade just months after prices were already increased.
It has been predicted today that train prices across England and Wales could rise by nearly 5% before the New Year.
The 2021 rise in prices was delayed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic when train travel was at an all-time low, however, tickets still saw a price rise of 2.6% in March.
Abhijit Tembhekar / Flickr
And this morning, the Retail Prices Index for July 2021 was confirmed as 3.8% by the Office for National Statistics, meaning passengers could see fares rise by 4.8% in 2022, which would be the largest hike since 2012.
This means that the cost of rail travel could increase twice within ten months, and would see a Manchester-Glasgow off-peak return rise by £6.30 to £94.90, according to Metro.
Though all hope isn’t yet gone – changes to the fares in 2022 are still yet to be confirmed.
Jon David Houghton / Wikimedia Commons
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “No decision has been made on national rail fares.
“The government is considering a variety of options and we will announce our decision in due course.”
This news has come as train travel in Manchester and beyond is on the rise – earlier this month, we reported that zero cases of Covid were found in Manchester Piccadilly Train Station, despite thousands of commuters using the station’s services as offices reopen.
News
UK to welcome more than 20,000 refugees following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan
Reports claim that a number of these refugees will be housed in hotels near Manchester Airport
Heroic school boy clears 18 tonnes of rubbish which had been fly-tipped along country road
Kind-hearted Mancunians thanked after charity receives huge donations for Afghan refugees
Manchester has a new Indian bottomless brunch with fizz and cocktails like mango mimosas
Americans are baffled at how far people actually walk in the UK
Train fares set to increase again in ‘biggest hike’ for a decade
