Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week 2026

On day one of Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week I want to tell you more about what ASB can be and what happens when it isn’t.  

Not every neighbour dispute is anti-social behaviour, but everyone deserves to feel safe in their home and community. Below I discuss the distinction between anti-social behaviour and conflict between neighbours and how as a landlord, we can help resolve the issues you might be experiencing. 

Living in a community means that people will sometimes have different lifestyles, routines and expectations. While disagreements between neighbours can be upsetting, not every issue is classed as anti-social behaviour. Understanding the difference can help everyone find the most appropriate way to resolve concerns and maintain positive community relationships. 

ASB is conduct that causes, or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to others. It is generally persistent, deliberate or serious in nature and can have significant impact on others. 

Examples of ASB may include threatening or abusive behaviour, repeated excessive noise, hate incidents or physical assault. These behaviours often affect not just the one household but the wider community. 

In contrast, neighbour disputes, often referred to as conflict, are often disagreements between individuals where there may not be any deliberate intent to cause distress. Examples include disagreements over parking, boundary issues, general household or day to day living noise, children playing and incidents involving pets. While these issues can be upsetting, they do not necessarily meet the threshold of anti-social behaviour and are often best resolved through direct communication between neighbours, facilitated mediation or other informal approaches. 

For example, a neighbour having a one-off gathering that creates some noise would generally be considered conflict between neighbours. However, if loud music is played regularly late into the night despite requests to stop, this may be anti-social behaviour due to its persistent nature and impact on others. 

Similarly, a disagreement over where a vehicle is parked is usually a neighbour dispute, whereas deliberately blocking access or using threats and intimidation over parking could be considered anti-social behaviour. 

We encourage everyone to consider whether a problem is a one-off disagreement or part of a pattern of behaviour that is causing significant distress. Where possible, respectfulcommunication between those involved can often help resolve neighbour disputes quickly. However, behaviour involving threats, harassment, criminal activity or persistent nuisance should be reported to Connect so that your Community Housing Officer can investigate further with you and agree an action plan.  

On day two of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Awareness Week I wanted to explain more about how you can report ASB to us and what information we will initially need from you to better understand the issues you are reporting. 

If you are experiencing anti-social behaviour or are concerned about behaviour affecting your neighbourhoods, it is important that you let us know as soon as possible. We are committed to helping residents feel safe in their homes and communities, and understanding the process can help you know what to expect when you make a report 

How to report ASB 

You can report ASB to us in a way that suits you best. Reports can be made 

• Through our customer portal  
• By telephone 
• By email 
• In person either in our office or to a member of staff who is working in the community 

What information will we ask for? 

When you first contact us, we will carry out an initial triage investigation. This helps us understand the nature of the concerns being raised and determine whether the matter should be managed under our ASB policy or through our Conflict Resolution approach. 

To help us investigate effectively, we need as much information as possible including: 

• What has happened. 
• Dates and times of incidents. 
• How often the behaviour occurs. 
• Who is involved. 
• Whether anyone else has witnessed or been affected by the behaviour. 
• Any evidence you have. 
• Whether you have reported the matter to any other agency, such as the police, local authority or your local environmental health team. 
• The more information we receive at the outset, the better placed we are to assess the situation and identify the most appropriate response. 

You can find further information about our ASB policy in our resident leaflet which explains our investigation process and what support is available here: Feeling safe in your neighbourhood.

Today, on day three of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Awareness Week, I will explain more about what happens after you have made your initial report to us. 

Once your report has been triaged to the correct pathway from the information you have provide to us, which will either be our ASB policy or conflict resolution policy, your case will be logged and assigned to your Community Housing Officer (CHO). 

Your CHO will then make contact with you within five working days. Where a report is assessed as presenting an exceptional risk or a hate incident has been involved, contact will be made within one working day. 

Your CHO will then begin the investigation. Depending on the circumstances, this will include: 

• Speaking with you in more detail. 
• Completing an initial assessment on your personal circumstances with you. 
• Contacting witnesses. 
• Liaising with partner agencies such as the police or the local authority. 
• Reviewing any evidence provided. 
• Speaking with the person or people alleged to be responsible for the behaviour so that they have an opportunity to respond and engage with any proposed solutions. 

How are decisions made? 

We will make and agree an initial action plan on how the case will be managed within 10 days of your first report. 

The action plan will depend on the evidence available and the circumstances of the case. Action may include: 

• Conflict resolution support in neighbour conflict cases 
• Mediation services 
• Referral to support agencies  
• Joint working with other agencies 
• Targeted interventions 
• Tenancy warning letters 
• Injunction applications or possession proceedings in the most serious of cases  

Our approach is always to seek the most appropriate and proportionate solution while supporting residents and protecting communities. 

Confidentiality and information sharing 

We understand that reporting ASB can be difficult. We take confidentiality and data protection seriously and will handle your information in accordance with relevant legislation and policies. 

However, you must be aware that, while we will not disclose your personal information without lawful reason, it can sometimes be obvious to the person being investigated, particularly where incidents involve a small number of households. We will discuss any concerns you have about this and consider appropriate measures to support you throughout the investigation. 

Connect might have to obtain information from and/or share information with other organisations as part of the investigation process. This is so that Connect can get a full picture of what is happening and make evidence-based decisions. 

You can read our policy on ASB and Conflict Resolution here: connecthousing.org.uk/your-community/feeling-safe-in-your-neighbourhood/ 

On day four of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Awareness week, I explore how Connect work with our partners to tackle ASB and community safety priorities in our neighbourhoods. 

Creating safe, welcoming and thriving neighbourhoods is a shared responsibility. As your landlord, we play an important role in tacking anti-social behaviour, but we cannot do it alone. 

The most successful outcomes are achieved when residents, landlords, local services and partner agencies work together to address issues and support positive communities. 

ASB can take many forms, from vandalism, harassment, intimidation and criminal activity. As a landlord we have a specific range of powers available to investigate reports; however, we are often only one piece of a much larger picture and need to work with our partners who will have additional powers that may be more appropriate to use. 

Many cases require input from organisations such as the police, local authorities, environmental health teams, support services, schools and community safety partnerships, all of which we work alongside. 

Residents are also a vital part of the solution. We can only investigate issues we are aware of, and timely reporting helps us understand what is happening and identify patterns of behaviour. Providing detailed information about incidents, including dates, times, locations and witnesses, allows us and our partners to build a clearer picture, target resources and makeinformed decisions. 

Partnership working enables agencies to share information lawfully, coordinate response and ensure that the right support is provided to those that need it. 

In most cases, early intervention such as mediation, support or targeted community initiatives will prevent issues from escalating. By working together, we can often address the root cause of problems rather than simply responding to the symptoms. When issues are severe, the most effective solution may be enforcement action. 

Strong communities are built on mutual respect, understanding and a willingness to look out for one another. Simple actions such as reporting concerns, supporting community initiatives, engaging positively with neighbours and participating in local events all contribute to creating places where people feel safe and connected. 

When residents, landlords and partner organisations work together, we are far better equipped to tackle ASB and safety in communities and improve the quality of life for everyone living and working in a community. By sharing responsibility and supporting one another, we can build stronger, safer communities that everyone is proud to call home. 

Today, in the last of my notes during Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) awareness week, I want to talk about how we can all work together to build stronger communities.

When people think about creating safe and successful neighbourhoods, the conversation often turns to anti-social behaviour and enforcement action.

While tackling ASB is an important part of our role as a housing provider, building strong communities starts much earlier than that. In fact, the best way to reduce ASB is often to prevent issues from arising or escalating in the first place.

Whilst housing providers, local authorities, police and support agencies all have important roles to play, residents themselves are at the heart of creating places where people feel safe, respected and connected.

Prevention begins before a new resident even moves into their home. Allocating homes is not simply matching a property to an applicant, it is also about helping people settle successfully into their new neighbourhood. We take time to ensure that new residents understand their tenancy agreement, their rights and responsibilities, and what it means to be a good neighbour. We explain the support available to help them settle successfully into their new home and carry out checks with them in the first few months of their tenancy to assess how they are getting on.

Existing residents play a vital role in helping new neighbours to feel part of their community too.  A friendly introduction, a simple hello or helping someone understand the local area can make a massive difference to someone settling into their new home.

Communities are strongest when residents look out for one another, show respect, understanding and patience with one another and recognise that everyone has a role to play in making their neighbourhood a great place to live.

Our Community Housing Officers (CHOs) are at the heart of this work in our communities. The recent restructure in the Neighbourhoods team created smaller areas for our CHOs to manage so they can build stronger relationships with residents, gain a better understanding of local issues and identify support needs at an earlier stage. This allows the CHO team to work proactively rather than simply reacting when problems arise. Early conversation and support can often prevent small concerns from developing into larger disputes.

We also recognise that disagreements between neighbours can happen from time to time. Differences in lifestyle, expectations and communication styles can sometimes lead to tension. Where this occurs, our focus is on resolving issues as early as possible. We encourage constructive dialogue and can offer tools such as mediation to help neighbours rebuild relationships and find solutions before disagreements escalate into more serious conflicts.

Alongside this, we work with residents to develop neighbourhood plans that reflect priorities and visions within local communities. These plans help us identify opportunities to improve neighbourhoods, strengthen community connections and address issues that matter most to residents. Your CHO will often lead this work, but they also need resident involvement as the most successful plans are shaped by the people that live there.

If you are interested in helping to develop a neighbourhood plan, have ideas for a community project or would like to be more involved in Connect work, we would love to hear from you so please contact your Community Housing Officer to find out how you can play a part in shaping your community.

To close off ASB awareness week 2026, I would like to say that I am a strong believer in the idea that cohesive communities are built through positive relationships, shared responsibility and early support. By welcoming new neighbours, resolving issues before they escalate, identifying support needs early and working together, we can create neighbourhoods where people feel safe and respected and are proud to live.

Ultimately, the strongest communities are not those with the most enforcement action, they are the ones where residents, communities, housing providers and partner agencies work together to prevent problems from occurring in the first place.

Every positive conversation, every act of kindness and every resident who gets involved in their community helps make our neighbourhoods stronger, building places where everyone feels truly at home.