Parents on Viscount Close in Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire, have been hit with noise complaints for calling their children in for tea. Housing association Amplius sent letters warning families to keep the noise down after a complaint about shouting in a communal area.
Residents React
Locals have branded the complaint "absolutely crazy" and "ridiculous". Grandmother Susan Coleman, 53, said: "The children play out and it’s very rare that you get children playing out these days. They're usually bunched up inside playing video games or on their phones." She added: "It’s absolutely crazy that they’d get a complaint put in for this."
Mum Natasha Saggs, 38, said being called in for dinner was a normal part of family life. She told the BBC: "We get complaints if children are on social media too much and they're gaming inside and they're on their tablets. Being called in for dinner is a normal daily thing to do."
Amplius Responds
Amplius, which manages more than 40,000 homes, said the noise complaint fell within its anti-social behaviour policy. A spokesperson said: "We take reports of noise nuisance seriously and want to create peaceful communities for our customers. We’ve received a complaint of noise nuisance in relation to two separate properties on Viscount Close in Pinchbeck."
The letter to residents stated: "The report refers to shouting in a communal area, shouting children to come inside following playtime on communal grass area and indicates that it may be occurring at various times, including during the daytime and evening." Amplius warned it "may arrange noise monitoring" in the future.
Community Baffled
Dad-of-two James, 38, said the calls usually came at around 6pm and did not bother most residents. He said: "We hear parents shouting their kids in occasionally, but it’s barely anything and certainly doesn't warrant a noise complaint." Resident Rick Gay added: "Whoever's complained needs to give their head a wobble."
