Anti-social behaviour (ASB) has a very broad definition. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 defines it as:

‘Behaviour which causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one or more people who are not in the same house as the perpetrator’

Put simply, anti-social behaviour is something that disturbs others, diminishes their quality of life and the peace and quiet of a neighbourhood.

Anti-social behaviour can mean different things to different people, depending upon their tolerance levels. For example, people living on a large housing estate may be more tolerant to young people playing football outside their property than elderly residents living in sheltered accommodation who may find this intimidating and distressing. Although this is distressing and may be a nuisance, it is not necessarily anti-social behaviour.

Tolerance to noise may also be different. A family with children may accept higher noise levels than a person living alone working nightshifts, who may find the same noise levels unacceptable. Again, although this is distressing it is a nuisance, not anti-social behaviour.

Anti-social behaviour can manifest itself in a variety of ways but some of the more common problems include:

• Intimidation, shouting, swearing
• Graffiti, vandalism and damage to property
• Using and selling Class A drugs
• Using a house to sell drugs or for any other illegal activity 
• Verbal and physical threats and abuse
• Animals not being kept under control
• Harassment including incidents based on race, gender, religion, disability, or sexual orientation
• Loud noise
• Fly-tipping and litter

The best way to prevent causing anti-social behaviour is to avoid behaving in a way that might cause a nuisance to others:

• Try not to carry out DIY jobs between the hours of 10 pm and 8 am, particularly if you live in a flat – this could include vacuuming.
• Warn your neighbours if you are intending to have a party, and try to limit the noise during late hours.
• Do not play music, audio equipment or the TV loudly, especially if you live in a flat or maisonette where noise travels more easily. If you have difficulty hearing, consider wearing earphones.
• Keep your pets under control and clear up after them, particularly if you share a garden.
• Talk to your children and visitors if their behaviour is likely to cause either nuisance or harassment to others.
• Dispose of your rubbish and unwanted items in the right way or contact the council’s Waste Management team for advice.
• If you live in a flat or maisonette, try to avoid the slamming of your front door and communal doors.
• Be considerate and ensure you behave as you would want others to behave towards you and your family.

If you find yourself being accused of anti-social behaviour, think about whether you are responsible for the distress being caused to the complainant. You may not be aware your behaviour is causing a problem. There may also be an easy way to solve the problem, such as closing your windows when playing music and keeping the noise down when most people are trying to sleep.

It is generally better if problems are discussed and a solution is found before both parties get too annoyed.

If the problem is not too serious then try and talk to the person yourself, particularly if they are a neighbour or someone you know. In most cases this will resolve the problem and a compromise may be reached.

Speaking face to face can sometimes be more effective than writing letters. A resolution and agreement made between both interested parties will often be reached more quickly and work better than one imposed by a third party. Issues to consider are:

• Before approaching your neighbour, you should give some thought as to what you are going to say.
• Be clear about the problem and how it affects you and your family.
• Do not stray away from the main problem.
• Think about what the outcome is likely to be and stay calm and friendly. Being aggressive at any point will not help.
• It is important to try not to bring up incidents from the past, unless they are relevant.

If you find that a direct personal approach does not work, the next step is to try mediation. Mediation is a way of sorting out both neighbourhood and community disagreements; an independent mediator will listen to each individual’s issues and will work through them, seeking understanding and explore how they can be resolved for the future.

Mediation is different to the legal process, it does not apportion blame.

The aim of mediation is to help both parties to find an appropriate outcome that they can live with.

The council may be able to arrange mediation for you - it does not always have to be face to face, but it is usually more effective this way.

Contact the Council’s Housing Services team on 0300 300 8007 for more details if you live in council accommodation or the Community Safety Anti-Social Behaviour team on 0300 300 8302 if you live in private rented accommodation or are a home owner.

Both the Community Safety Anti-Social Behaviour team and the Housing Services team have a remit to tackle anti-social behaviour to try and ensure that those people that live and work in Central Bedfordshire enjoy a quiet and peaceful environment.

The Housing Services team will take all reasonable steps to ensure their residents comply with their tenancy agreement. Similarly, the Community Safety team will ensure that residents and those that work in the area comply with their obligations to the community not to behave in an anti-social manner.

The Community Safety Anti-Social Behaviour team deals with complaints affecting home owners and private rented tenants and larger issues affecting communities.  Generally the council’s tenancy enforcement officer will deal with complaints affecting their tenants.

The council works in partnership with other agencies including the Police and other Registered Social Landlords.

Incidents of fly-tipping, excessive domestic noise, and litter are considered environmental crime.

Some people may feel uneasy reporting incidents of anti-social behaviour to the council. They often fear that things may get worse if the person causing the problem finds out that they have made a complaint.

The council will not take any action or speak to anyone else about the problem without agreeing this with you first. All reports made to the council are treated in the strictest of confidence.

Housing Services deal with issues affecting their tenants and the Community Safety Anti-Social Behaviour team deal with complaints involving people in private accommodation.

Contacts:

• Community Safety ASB Team -  0300 300 8302 (Private tenants and home owners)
• Landlord Services Tenancy Officer -  0300 300 8302 (Anti-social behaviour involving a Central Bedfordshire Council tenant)
• Police Safer Neighbourhood teams -  01234 841212 or by calling 101
• Environmental Protection Team - 0300 300 8302 (Domestic noise, smoke and light nuisance such as fly-tipping & litter)