When it comes to festive lighting, there’s a fine line between creating a magical Christmas display and leaving your neighbours feeling more “Bah Humbug” than bright and merry.
To uncover the areas where neighbours are not a fan of enthusiastic decorating, data experts at The Solar Centre analysed lighting nuisance complaints from councils nationwide during the festive season over the past four years.
Here are the findings…
| Grinch capitals of the UK | ||
| Rank | Council | Total Percentage of Complaints from Top 10 Grinch Capitals |
| 1 | Leeds | 12.7% |
| 2 | East Cambridgeshire | 10.9% |
| 3 | Birmingham | 10.0% |
| 4 | Manchester | 8.7% |
| ~5~ | Enfield | 8.5% |
| ~5~ | Waltham Forest | 8.5% |
| 6 | Kensington & Chelsea | 7.7% |
| 7 | Edinburgh | 7.5% |
| ~8~ | East Cheshire | 6.5% |
| ~8~ | Islington | 6.5% |
| 9 | Folkestone & Hythe | 6.4% |
| 10 | Medway | 6.0% |
The city of Leeds has been crowned the UK’s Grinch Capital, receiving 12.7% of the total nuisance complaints amongst the top ten areas during the festive months over a four-year period.
November is the most popular month for complaints, making up 43% of the total received during the festive season, and complaints have increased in the last two years, accounting for 62% of complaints received in the total four years. Leeds also has the second highest total number of complaints overall.
East Cambridgeshire came in second place, making up 10.9% of the nuisance complaint total for the top ten. Complaints in the district spike in January, making up 41% of the area total over a four-year period, the highest volume for January in the UK.
Birmingham follows closely behind in third place, recording 10% of the complaint total, and similar to East Cambridgeshire, the majority of complaints were received in January.
Completing the top five are Manchester in fourth place with 8.7% of complaints and the London boroughs of Enfield and Waltham Forest in joint fifth place with 8.5% of the complaint total.
Each area had clear trends for complaints, with Manchester receiving 39% of neighbour gripes in November and January, making up 78% of their total. In contrast, November is the most popular time for complaints in Enfield, while in Waltham Forest, it’s December.
When do neighbours complain the most?
The data revealed that the most popular festive month for complaints is January, receiving just two complaints more than November as the second most popular month to voice gripes. Neighbours may not enjoy premature decorating, but they clearly don’t like delays in Christmas lights being taken down.
| Total No. of Complaints by Month | |
| Month | Total No. of Complaints |
| November | 2,467 |
| December | 2,088 |
| January | 2,469 |
Why might lighting complaints spike during the festive season?
While some Brits revel in bold and bright decorations for Christmas, others may view them as disruptive or intrusive, especially if lights are deemed too bright or if they shine directly onto neighbouring homes.
Poor placement decisions, over-the-top décor in close quarters and excessive brightness can quickly become a nuisance for neighbours, especially during dark winter evenings, leading to complaints.
How to avoid being on your neighbour’s naughty list
Be Mindful of Brightness: Choose warm, subtle lights over bold and flashing ones to create a festive yet considerate atmosphere.
Try more delicate lighting options like pathway lights and roof lighting which offer a more subtle glow while still looking festive.
Place Lights Strategically: Direct lights onto your own property and away from windows or shared spaces.
Use Timers: Set lights to turn off at a reasonable hour, preserving power and neighbourly goodwill.
Communicate: Inform neighbours about your plans in advance to gauge their preferences or concerns. While lighting complaints are inevitable in some areas, thoughtful planning and open communication can help reduce the risk of conflict.
Take Down Decorations Promptly: Avoid complaints by removing festive lights soon after the season ends. Traditionalists suggest taking them down 12 days after Christmas.
Methodology:
Data experts submitted an FOI to every local and district council in the UK requesting the total number of lighting nuisance complaints received in the months of November, December and January between 2021-2025. They then totalled the number of complaints for the top ten areas with the highest number of complaints and broke this down by percentage.