We are committed to helping people feel safe in their homes and communities. We take reports of anti social behaviour seriously and will work with you and our partners to investigate and resolve problems.

What is anti-social behaviour (ASB)

Anti-social behaviour is behaviour that causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm, distress, nuisance or annoyance to other people.

Examples include:

• physical violence
• threats, intimidation or harassment
• hate-related incidents or crimes
• vandalism and damage to property
• criminal behaviour, including drug-related activity
• misuse of public spaces
• rowdy behaviour linked to alcohol or drugs
• persistent noise nuisance
• nuisance neighbours
• nuisance dogs and dog fouling
• environmental offences such as fly tipping

Hate incidents and hate crimes

We take hate incidents and hate crimes very seriously. A hate crime is a criminal offence motivated by hostility or prejudice towards someone because of their:

• race
• religion
• sexual orientation
• transgender identity
• disability

Reports of hate crime are treated as high-risk cases.

What is not ASB

Some issues are not usually considered ASB. Examples include:

• cooking smells
• DIY carried out at reasonable times
• minor vehicle repairs
• young people gathering socially
• children playing outside
• parking disputes
• civil disputes between neighbours
• disagreements on social media
• lifestyle differences
• bonfires and barbecues

Reporting ASB

If you experience or witness anti-social behaviour in or around one of our homes, you should report it to us as soon as possible.

If a crime has been committed, you should report it to the police

• 101 to report non-emergency crimes and concerns.
• 999 if immediate help is needed

How quickly we will respond

We prioritise reports based on the seriousness of the issue.

Very serious cases

These may include:

• hate-related incidents
• physical violence
• threatening behaviour
• drug production or supply

We aim to make first contact within three working days and agree an action plan.

Serious cases

These may include:

• verbal abuse
• harassment
• alcohol related anti social behaviour
• noise nuisance
• criminal behaviour

We aim to make contact within five working days and agree an action plan.

Other types

This may include:

• vandalism
• animal nuisance
• garden nuisance
• fly tipping
• vehicle nuisance

We aim to make contact within ten working days and agree an action plan.

How we deal with ASB

We work with organisations including the police and other agencies to prevent and tackle ASB.

Depending on the circumstances, we may:

• investigate reports and gather evidence
• work with partner organisations
• use mediation where appropriate
• issue warnings or notices
• take legal action where necessary

Legal action is a last resort, but we may use our legal powers where serious or persistent behaviour continues.

Support

We want you to feel confident reporting anti-social behaviour.

We will provide support to victims and witnesses and, where appropriate, work with specialist organisations that can offer additional help.

Where suitable, we may encourage mediation to help neighbours resolve issues. In exceptional circumstances, and where the risk is significant, we may consider alternative housing options for victims.

Contact us

Contact us if you:

• are experiencing anti-social behaviour
• have witnessed anti-social behaviour
• are affected by a hate incident or hate crime
• need support or advice
• want to discuss an ongoing case

If you have questions about this policy, or need to get in touch with us, email mbcaccommodation@maidstone.gov.uk, or you can call us 01622 602 440.