- This topic has 5 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 2 months ago by .
-
Topic
-
I know the answer probably is that it’s illegal. But is it?
If the OC owns the locked common property main switchboard and no-one else has the key to it (meters are in other unlocked cabinets), when party noise is being made in the middle of the night, could an OC committee member go to the offending apartment and give the occupants a choice: Either they turn the music down or have their power cut until the morning?
I’m not sure what the legal consequences would be. We have our building gas cut off quite regularly by children playing around our gas meter. Apparently this is only considered a nuisance – and it’s a civil issue.
If the owner of a main switchboard (the OC) decides to temporarily cut the power to one lot, after giving a warning to offending residents, would it be considered a nuisance as well? Power companies can cut the power too, after a warning, if a bill is not paid.
I do wonder what the police, if even called, would do. I’d guess they’d say “turn the power back on” but also they might tell the noise makers to quieten down and obey the law. And by then the party would probably be over. Could the police issue a fine because the owner of a switch flicked it off?
We have a serial offender, who has an all night party (to past 6:00am) every month or two. Breach notices are ignored. And I suspect a VCAT order will be ignored too. Getting the police to even attend is difficult as the police are often too busy with other matters on a Friday or Saturday night. I wonder if they’d even attend if the issue was that someone complained that their power was cut?
If it’s only a civil matter, it might be worthwhile doing it. And let the noise makers start the civil proceedings.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.