We are once again seeing a rise in problems of noise nuisance and antisocial behaviour associated with flats and houses being let out as party venues and in particular for stag and hen dos.
We are pressing the council to review the legal advice to their planning officers in the light of Appeal Court Judgements which allow them to view this type of letting a “change of use” requiring planning permission and opening the owner to a more stringent set of fire safety regulation and potential a requirement to pay business rates.
We are also asking the police and local authority rigorously apply the provisions of the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Police Act 2014.
In the longer term we are asking BANEs to look at the licensing regimes that have been put in place by other authorities to judge their success and evaluate their applicability to the situation in Bath.
In the meantime we are urging affected residents’ to complain regularly to BANES Environmental Protection Team who can be reached via Council Connect. It is really important that there is a body of officially recorded complains that can be referred to in any enforcement proceedings