A FAMILY has been thrown out of its council house after causing misery to neighbours by playing loud music night and day.The family, which includes children, has failed a new tenancy "probation" period with Babergh District Council.

A FAMILY has been thrown out of its council house after causing misery to neighbours by playing loud music night and day.

The family, which includes children, has failed a new tenancy "probation" period with Babergh District Council.

Despite repeated warnings, it has not mended its ways, causing the local authority to gain an eviction order and bring in bailiffs.

A council spokesman said the tenant of the property had effectively made themselves intentionally homeless by their actions.

But Paul Simon, communications officer for Babergh council, continued: "This is not to say we will be abandoning them entirely, but quite clearly their behaviour over a period of time has been such they cannot remain on their estate."

Bailiffs moved in to eject the family from their property in the Woodhall estate area of Sudbury yesterday – the first time it has taken such action under the 1996 Housing Act.

Mr Simon said the law allowed authorities to place new council house tenants on an initial 12-month introductory tenancy, which operated like a probationary period.

He continued: "During this period councils can fast-track the process whereby a persistently noisy or aggressive neighbour can be required to improve their behaviour or face eviction."

Chris Foti, the council's head of housing, said: "We would only ever proceed with an eviction as a very last resort. However, Babergh has a duty of care to all of its tenants and will not tolerate anti-social or aggressive noisy neighbours. In this case, we believe that we are acting in the wider interests of the whole local community."

He said the council had acted after receiving a stream of complaints from neighbours over persistently loud music played throughout the day and night. Despite a number of formal visits from housing and social services staff, the tenant failed to reduce the problem.

Mr Foti continued: "Babergh staff installed noise monitoring equipment over both a weekend and later a full week. At the same time, neighbours were encouraged to keep diaries, detailing when noise nuisances occurred."

Helen Shackleton, the council's tenant services officer, explained: "The active co-operation of neighbours in helping Babergh monitor these situations is vitally important. Having detailed and accurate notes from neighbours makes it easier for us to help resolve the problems of noisy and anti-social neighbours."

She added that investigations had established the nuisance was of a persistent nature, and attempts were made over many months to persuade the tenant to change their behaviour, but to no avail.