New research from TV property expert Phil Spencer’s property advice site MoveiQ.co.uk has shed light on where in the UK receives the highest level of noise complaints and, conversely, where in the UK the quietest place to live is.
The data, which has been gathered over three years via Freedom of Information, reveals that the place with the most noise complaints was actually one of the UK’s most expensive areas to live, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, which has a whopping overall average property price of £2,254,503! In fact, Kensington and Chelsea received 34,910 noise complaints over the last three years, notably higher than the London Borough of Tower Hamlets which received 14,885 complaints over the same period, where property prices are slashed to an average of £555,337.
Behind Kensington and Chelsea was Islington with an average of 32,365, Southwark at 29,862, Haringey with 27,593, and Newham with 25,728. Out of the top 10 loudest places, all but two were in London, with Belfast and Edinburgh placing at number seven and number eight respectively.
Phil Spencer, co-founder of MoveiQ, commented: “It’s striking that Britain’s most expensive neighbourhood also has the highest number of noise complaints. Whether this is because Kensington and Chelsea is especially noisy, or because its residents are the most sensitive to noise is moot, but it does at least show money can’t guarantee peace and quiet.
“Everyone wants to be able to relax and sleep well in their own home – and noise can be a real barrier to this. Whether you’re sensitive to noise or not, if you’re planning a move you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of knowing how noisy the local area is. If you’re buying a home, always find out how long the sellers have lived at the property. If the answer is only briefly, ask why, and more to the point, whether their decision has anything to do with noisy neighbours.” he added.
The data also allowed MoveiQ to report on the quietest areas with the fewest noise complaints, putting these towns in high demand from those who might want a (literally) quieter pace of life!
Coming out on top was the Outer Hebrides’ Western Isles Council, which received just 48 complaints over the three year period. Coming in second was Clackmannanshire, Scotland, with a minimal 102 complaints between 2015 and 2017. Mid Devon placed third, with 185 complaints.
Although you might expect that it’s obvious that the loudest places would be located in the capital and the quietest in the countryside, the results were not as cut and dried, with Ashfield, an urban district that includes parts of Nottingham and Mansfield appearing in the top 10 quietest areas!
