Crimestoppers
Fearless
Anti-social behaviour
What is anti-social behaviour?
Anti-social behaviour is a range of behaviours that can cause nuisance and annoyance, or harm and distress to a person. It's a wide range of unacceptable activity.
- Noise – including loud music, banging, DIY at unsocial hours, loud parties, frequent visitors at unsocial hours (NB we at Crimestoppers cannot take information about noise complaints - only your local authority can deal with these. Find my local authority).
- Shouting, swearing and fighting.
- Intimidation through threats or actual violence.
- Harassment.
- Verbal abuse.
- Abusive behaviour aimed at causing distress or fear to certain people; for example, elderly or disabled people
- Driving in an inconsiderate or careless way; for example, drivers congregating in an area for racing/car cruising.
- Dumping rubbish.
- Animal nuisance, including dog fouling, dogs barking.
- Vandalism, property damage and graffiti.
- Anti social drinking.
- Arson.
Anti-social behaviour can ruin people's lives and devastate their communities.
There is a fine line between anti-social behaviour and neighbour disputes, which can often begin over relatively minor inconveniences such as parking. However, if they persist, they can potentially become anti-social behaviour.
What anti-social behaviour isn't
- Parking (including badly parked vehicles).
- Children playing.
- Neighbours doing DIY (at reasonable times of the day).
- Groups of people in the street or in parks, unless they are being rowdy, abusive, causing damage or committing other crimes.
- Noise caused by everyday living.
- Religious or cultural practice.
- A one-off party.
- General living noise.
How to report anti-social behaviour
We at Crimestoppers can only take information about anti-social behaviour if it is serious, criminal or causing a risk to a person.
Otherwise, if you would like to report anti-social behaviour, your local authority (find my local authority), social housing landlords and the police all have powers to deal with your report.
It is important that you keep a record of the incidents and the behaviour, as this will be of great help in investigating the behaviour and tackling it.
Social housing
If you are a tenant or a leaseholder of a social housing landlord, then contact your landlord to report the issues.
Private sector
If you are in private rented accommodation or a homeowner, you can contact your local authority who have dedicated personnel who deal with anti-social behaviour.
The police
Regardless of tenure, you can also contact the police.
Remember - unless the anti-social behaviour is serious, criminal or causing a risk to a person, then in the first instance you should contact either your local authority (find my local authority), your social housing landlord or the police.
Anonymous reporting
We have a 100% anonymous reporting service for all types of criminal behaviour. If you are not a victim of a crime, you can contact us on 0800 555 111 or through our online form, here on our website.
Anti-social behaviour training and support
- Are you a victim of anti-social behaviour? Visit ASB HELP for effective support, including the Community Trigger, where if you (or others) have reported an incident three or more times within a six-month period and not received a satisfactory response, you can activate the Community Trigger (also known as ASB Case Review) through your local authority.
- Resolve ASB is the UK's leading organisation specialising in delivering effective solutions to anti-social behaviour. They are a not-for-profit organisation that exists to help those involved in the social housing sector to deal positively with anti-social behaviour and thereby empower their communities.
26 November 2024
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