Anti-social behaviour may include noisy neighbours, loud music, abandoned cars, problems with animals, verbal abuse, vandalism, graffiti, litter and nuisance from young people.

Examples of behaviour which will not be considered anti-social behaviour include noise caused by everyday living, children playing, DIY activities (during reasonable hours), cooking smells, religious or cultural practices, neighbour disagreements or lifestyle clashes, smoking cigarettes (unless in communal areas) or pet ownership where there is no related nuisance.

For low-level problems (e.g. noise nuisance) often the best thing to do first is to have a chat with your neighbour. If this doesn't work, or you don't feel comfortable to do so, please contact us.

Please be advised that where the perpetrator is unknown Hightown are unlikely to be able to take action.

We will keep reports anonymous when requested however please be advised this may limit the intervention actions available to us.

 

The action Hightown may take depends on the type of anti-social behaviour you report. Please contact your Housing Officer for more information. In most cases, your Housing Officer will work with you to resolve the issue through tenancy reminders or interviews, we may also offer mediation where appropriate.

Diary sheets are a valuable way of collecting evidence so that we can investigate reports of anti-social behaviour. We use the diary sheets to get a better understanding of the  problem and sometimes as evidence if we need to take court action.

In serious cases, it may be appropriate for Hightown to pursue legal action. In these cases, we will need you to work with us to enable us to investigate and prepare a case for court. We will also work with other agencies that may be involved in the investigation, such as the Police or Environmental Health, so you may also need to work with them.

 

Noise nuisance – including music nuisance or domestic arguments

Criminal activity – including drug use or drug dealing

Verbal abuse – including swearing or shouting

Vehicle nuisance – including obstructing access or dangerous driving

Dumped rubbish or fly-tipping – including household items or misuse of rubbish bins

 

 

Harassment or intimidation

Violence – Acts of actual violence or threats of violence

Serious criminal activity – including drug dealing and gang, knife or gun crime

Hate/mate crime – Exploitation of another person linked to a protected characteristic

Offensive graffiti – Graffiti that uses offensive language or linked to a protected characteristic