Council tenant anti-social behaviour

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) can cover a range of behaviours that have a negative impact on people by creating nuisance, alarm, or distress.

We're committed to investigating and resolving ASB fairly and in a timely manner. We take all complaints seriously and you can speak to us in confidence if you wish.

You will find useful information on this page to help you identify what ASB is and how to report it. In the most serious cases, ASB or criminality could result in legal action or eviction.

Consider your neighbours

It's important that you treat your neighbours with the respect and consideration you would like to be treated with.

All Medway Council tenants and leaseholders are expected to behave respectfully under the terms of their tenancies or lease agreements. For example, you could give your neighbours advance notice if you're doing a large amount of DIY or holding a party.

ASB or not

The following can cause an annoyance or inconvenience:

• a one-off party
• cats roaming or fouling
• children crying or playing
• cooking odours
• disputes on social media
• dog roaming and fouling
• general household living noise at reasonable hours
• gossiping in the street
• inconsiderate parking on a public highway
• lifestyle clash
• people being rude or giving you a ‘funny or dirty’ look.

However, they're not automatically considered ASB.

You can use our ASB toolkit to help you determine what is and is not considered ASB.

Dealing with ASB

Talk to the person involved (if it's safe to do so)

Neighbours may not be aware that their behaviour is causing a nuisance or annoyance. In the first instance and if safe to do so, approach your neighbour and explain how their behaviour is affecting you. Sometimes a simple misunderstanding can be easily resolved.

You could also use a 'Dear neighbour' sheet and explain, for example, that noise from their property is creating a nuisance. You can also use a mediation service for guidance and advice on dealing with neighbours.

However, if this is not possible you can report the issue to us for investigation.

Keeping an incident record

When you contact our Housing Tenancy Team to report ASB, you will be asked to supply as much information as possible. This will include details of any incidents such as the dates and times they occur.

To help gather this information, we'll request that you complete an ASB diary sheet.

You should also read our ASB diary sheet guidance.

Reporting ASB

You can report your concerns to us if you've tried but are unable to resolve the issue yourself or it has not been safe to do so.

You can make reports of ASB anonymously, however this can limit the actions we're able to take. We'll not disclose your identity if you do not want us to, but sometimes the nature of the complaint can make identification possible. If you have concerns, you can discuss these with us in the first instance.

You may also need to report the incidents to others and may need to pass on reference numbers to us. This may include:

• incidents that involve environmental issues, such as animals, pest control, fly-tipping, hazardous materials, and noise
• incidents of a serious or criminal nature that have been reported to Kent Police.

Report council tenant ASB to us

You can also report ASB to us by calling 01634 333 344 (office hours Monday to Thursday, 9.30am to 5pm, and Friday, 9.30am to 4.45pm).

How we deal with ASB reports

We'll discuss with you how we will deal with your report to ensure you're comfortable with the action we plan to take. Regular updates will be provided throughout the investigation.

Typically, we will:

• acknowledge your report and give you a unique reference number
• advise you whether the issue is deemed ASB, a tenancy breach or not something that we would be able to investigate
• discuss the issues with you and agree an action plan of what we can or will do
• communicate with you regularly to review the case and let you know of any progress
• always contact you before we close your case.

Further details on how we deal with ASB are below.

The ASB app

If you've reported ASB and it's deemed appropriate, you'll be offered access to the ASB app.

The app allows those reporting ASB to submit reports and evidence at any time. This allows incidents to be reported as they're occurring or soon after, which means details may be easier to recall and more accurate.

All reports will be reviewed by the Housing Tenancy Team during office hours. Instructions for the app are supplied when access is granted.

ASB Housing Services Policy

Read our ASB Housing Services Policy.

ASB reports - procedure summary

Read our ASB procedure summary.

Mediation

In some cases, mediation may help to resolve the problem.

Mediation is an independent service which is informal and confidential and aims to help neighbours sort out their differences. The service can help you and your neighbours to understand each other’s point of view and reach a solution that benefits everyone.

Mediation is completely voluntary, and all parties must be happy and willing to take part.

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) Case Review

If you have reported 3 or more separate incidents of ASB or hate crime within the past 6 months to us or Kent Police, you can ask for a review of your case. This is known as an Anti-social behaviour (ASB) Case Review.

You can request an Anti-social behaviour (ASB) Case Review for yourself or on behalf of someone else if you have their written consent.

An Anti-social behaviour (ASB) Case Review is not a complaints procedure and should not be used to complain about individual staff or departments.

Timeframe