Anti-Social Behaviour

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is a broad term for actions causing harassment, alarm, or distress to others, ranging from loud music and vandalism (graffiti, fly-tipping) to intimidation, harassment, and even drug use, significantly harming community quality of life, though not always criminal. It often involves repeated, unreasonable conduct that impacts others' ability to enjoy their homes or public spaces. 

Common examples of ASB

• Noise: Loud music, parties, shouting, barking dogs.

• Property: Vandalism, graffiti, fly-tipping (illegal dumping), littering, abandoned vehicles.

• Intimidation: Threats, verbal abuse, harassment, hate incidents.

• Environmental Nuisance: Dog fouling, antisocial drinking, drug-related issues, aggressive or inconsiderate driving. 

Key characteristics

• Causes distress: It makes people feel unsafe or unable to live their lives normally.

• Affects non-household members: The behaviour impacts people outside the perpetrator's own household.

• Can be criminal or non-criminal: While vandalism is a crime, persistent noisy neighbours aren't always, but both can be ASB.

• Often persistent: For authorities to act, the behaviour often needs to be ongoing and unreasonable. 

What it's NOT

• Normal living sounds like children playing during the day or general traffic noise. 

What to do if affected

• Report it: To your local council, housing association, or the police, depending on the severity.

• Document it: Keep a record of dates, times, and details of incidents.

• Seek support: Organisations like Victim Support can help.