Anti-social behaviour

Our team is committed to tackling anti-social behaviour. We aim to help residents lead peaceful lives, free from harassment and aggravation. We will deal quickly and efficiently with troublemakers using a range of solutions. If the anti-social behaviour puts you in immediate danger, then you need to call 999.

COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a great effect on how we live. Restrictions to our daily lives have forced us to change our ways of working, learning and communicating with each other.

There will be families living above, below and next to you and, due to the pandemic, there may be an increase in noise levels and disturbances. We are asking you to remain calm and understanding, remembering that we are all in this together. However, please be aware of your actions in your homes, too.

What wasn’t acceptable before COVID-19 is still unacceptable - for example, loud music and making noise intentionally. We would ask now, more than ever, for you to be considerate of others. We will continue to investigate persistent anti-social behaviour and will take appropriate action where there is evidence to do so.

Due to restrictions and isolating, it may currently be difficult to communicate with your neighbours. However, we would still suggest that you try.

Talk to your neighbour peacefully to establish the best way of resolving the problem. There is further advice about speaking to your neighbour below. Drop them your email address, telephone number or other form of communication so you can talk to them in a safe way or consider a polite note to them, explaining what the issue is and what you would like, remembering to be reasonable and that they may also be finding times difficult.

What is anti-social behaviour?

The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 defines anti-social behaviour as:

  • Conduct that has caused, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to any person,
  • Conduct capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to a person in relation to that person’s occupation of residential premises, or;
  • Conduct capable of causing (housing-related) nuisance or annoyance to any person.
For examples of ASB, please see out anti-social behaviour policy, below.

Before you report anti-social behaviour

Before you report an incident of anti-social behaviour to us, consider these things:

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  • Approaching the person causing the problem

    It's always best to consider if you are being reasonable or if there is something else that you can do to ease the situation before contacting us. Please consider the following before reporting ASB:

    • Does your neighbour realise what they are doing or how it is affecting you?
    • Have you spoken to your neighbour about their behaviour?
    • Is your neighbour really at fault?

    Here are some tips for dealing with the problem:

    • Think about what you want to say first, be clear about what the problem is and how it is having an impact on you
    • Try to choose a good moment to approach your neighbour
    • Stay calm and friendly, do not shout or be abusive during any conversation with the other party, they may perceive this as an act of aggression and retaliate
    • Always listen to the other person and think about what they are saying
    • Remember that what upsets you, may not upset others and they may not see how their behaviour is causing a problem
    • If the other person is unreasonable then calmly leave the discussion.

    If you do not feel confident enough to approach the person face to face, try writing a polite note explaining what the problems are and post this through their door.

    We acknowledge that not all cases of anti-social behaviour are appropriate to discuss with the person causing the problem. If you have tried discussing it but you cannot resolve the issue then it is important that you report it.

  • Mediation

    If you are in dispute with your neighbours and both parties feel they are in the right, mediation is a good option to explore. This brings both sides together with an independent person to listen to the arguments and help them find an agreement or compromise.

    This doesn’t have to be a face-to-face meeting, as the mediator can visit both parties individually and carry out what is known as shuttle mediation, where they will arrange separate interviews with you and the other party. Mediation is a way of coming to an agreement without going to court.

    We work in partnership with Mediation Hertfordshire and, as such, may consider referring you to this service.

  • Avoiding anti-social behaviour

    Try to be a good neighbour yourself and avoid action that might cause a nuisance to others, for example:

    • Do not carry out loud work (including repairs) at night especially if your neighbours have young children.
    • Do not play your television, radio or musical instruments loudly, especially at night. Use headphones if you can.
    • If you are considering having a bonfire, please think about the most appropriate time of day to do this and give your neighbour prior notice where possible.
    • Talk to your neighbours if you intend to have a party. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking to your neighbours, then pop a polite note through their door.

Reporting criminal behaviour

In certain circumstances, it may be appropriate to contact the police about anti-social behaviour. They are responsible for dealing with anti-social behaviour that constitutes a criminal offence - for example, vandalism, graffiti, harassment, threats or violence and drug use/dealing. They have a range of additional powers under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. The police are also the only agency to have powers to deal with non-isolation under the current coronavirus (COVID-19) legislation.

Police community support officers (PCSOs) focus on lower level crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour. You can approach them if you have questions or concerns about anti-social behaviour by telephoning 101. Alternatively, you can pass on information anonymously via CrimeStoppers.

If the person causing you problems is a private tenant and you know who their landlord or letting agent managing the property is, or if they rent from a housing association, contact them to let them know about the anti-social behaviour. 

What we can do

If you find yourself having to make a complaint about anti-social behaviour we will arrange to meet with you to discuss the issue. We need to know what happened, where it happened, how often it happened and how it has affected you, and this can be sent to us on diary sheets which we can send to you electronically or by post.

All information given to us will be confidential. We will work with you to find solutions.

We will investigate your complaint and may contact other potential witnesses to gather as much evidence as possible. A housing officer or ASB Officer will investigate the alleged anti-social behaviour before deciding on appropriate action. If you are one of our tenants the first contact will normally be made by your housing officer. It is likely that our actions may involve contacting the person you have complained about. If the alleged perpetrator is vulnerable (for example, because of a mental health problem), the housing officer or ASB Officer may involve other agencies, such as social services or the community mental health team.

In the majority of cases, the problems will stop after just one intervention. In serious cases, we can use a range of legal actions to stop the nuisance, such as community protection notices, injunctions and closure orders. If the perpetrator is a Dacorum Borough Council tenant, we may also apply for possession of their property.

With the help of other council departments, and by working in partnership with the Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team in Dacorum, we will continue to make our borough a safe place to live and deal swiftly with those who cause misery to others.

Report anti-social behaviour

To report anti-social behaviour, please fill out our online form:

Report anti-social behaviour

Community Trigger

If you've reported anti-social behaviour and aren't getting any respite, you may be able to use the Community Trigger. This entitles you to a multi-agency review of your case if a certain threshold is met. For more information, please visit our Community Trigger page.

More information

For further information, please view our  Anti-Social Behaviour Policy (PDF 999KB).

Contact us

Telephone: 01442 228000 and ask for the anti-social behaviour team.
Email: asb@dacorum.gov.uk