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What Is Antisocial Behaviour?

Everything you need to know about antisocial behaviour

Antisocial behaviour (ASB) is 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.

The behaviour must be ongoing and persistent. Anyone can be a victim of ASB, regardless of age or gender.

If you feel you are a victim or antisocial behaviour, we may be able to help.

What does antisocial behaviour include?

ASB can include noise nuisance, harassment, and threats of violence, along with:

  • Drug use or dealing
  • Rowdy/drunken behaviour
  • Animal nuisance
  • Hate crime
  • Intimidation
  • Criminal damage
  • Graffiti
  • Verbal abuse

What is not classed as ASB?

  • General household noise (for example footsteps in flats, washing machines etc.)
  • Children playing
  • DIY
  • Minor personal disputes

What to do if you are experiencing antisocial behaviour?

How we can help

Homes in Sedgemoor tries to resolve all cases of ASB by offering mediation and early intervention.

Early intervention can include:

  • Mediation
  • Written warnings
  • Acceptable behaviour contracts
  • Referral to support services
  • Noise monitoring equipment/environmental health referral

What Homes in Sedgemoor will do to help you

Every case is different so your Housing Officer will contact you to discuss and explain how the matter will be dealt with. They’ll give you advice and clear guidance on what will happen next.

  1. Action Plan

    Homes in Sedgemoor will agree a clear action plan at the first point of contact, outlining what steps we’ll take to try and resolve the ASB case. We’ll ensure that you are provided with a copy of this action plan.

  2. Risk Assessment

    At the same time of completing the action plan, your Housing Officer will complete a risk assessment with you.

  3. Regular updates

    Homes in Sedgemoor will keep you up to date on the case. At the beginning of the case, it will be agreed how regularly you wish to be contacted by the officer handling the case.

  4. Translation and interpretation

    If you need it, Homes in Sedgemoor will ensure that a translator and interpreter to be present at any visits/ meetings to discuss the case.

  5. Translation and interpretation

    If you need it, Homes in Sedgemoor will ensure that a translator and interpreter to be present at any visits/ meetings to discuss the case.

What can you do?

Your neighbour may not be aware that they are causing a nuisance therefore, in some cases, approaching your neighbour before raising a case with Homes in Sedgemoor may be the best course of action. However, please do not ever put yourself at risk.

Remember:

  • Remain calm
  • Listen carefully
  • Fully explain your point
  • Remove yourself from the situation if you feel your neighbour is not listening or you feel the situation is escalating
  • Keep a diary

If you are a victim of ASB, we have a better chance of helping you if you give us the information we need in order for us to deal with the case. You should keep a note of everything that happens so that we have a record of it.

How can I report ASB to Homes in Sedgemoor?

There are a number of ways to report antisocial behaviour to us.

To speak with us about antisocial behaviour or to report an incident, you can either contact our Customer Services Team or report it via the customer portal.

Report antisocial behaviour online

Antisocial
Behaviour
Leaflet

Everything you need to know about ASB
and the processes involved if you are a
victim.

Read our ASB leaflet

Community Trigger

What is the Community Trigger?
The Community Trigger is a tool introduced in the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, it is a mechanism for victims of persistent antisocial behaviour to request the right for their case to be reviewed by other agencies if they feel their complaint has not been addressed fully and the behaviour is still ongoing.
The process involves a multi-agency case review with an independent Chair, who will come together to find a solution to resolve the antisocial behaviour.
 
 
Who can request it?
Any individual, business or community group who are victims of persistent antisocial behaviour and who have reported three or more incidents within a six month period to the local council, the police or their landlord, who feel they have not had an adequate response. Or at least five people have made reports to these organisations about the same problem in the past six months.
 
It is the victim’s responsibility to request the Community Trigger through the local authority’s chosen ‘Lead’ agency. For residents of Sedgemoor, it is Avon and Somerset Constabulary.

How to request the Community Trigger
To request the Community Tigger, visit Avon and Somerset Constabulary’s website or call 101.

Next steps
Once you have contacted Avon and Somerset Constabulary, the Antisocial Behaviour Team will make contact with you within two days to confirm your application has been received.
You will then be contacted within two weeks once your application has been reviewed and notified if your request meets the Community Trigger criteria.
 
If your case meets criteria, we will aim to update you of the outcome within three weeks of the panel hearing.

More information about the Community Trigger can be found on Avon and Somerset Constabulary’s website.