Anti Social Behaviour - Information for Tenants

• Home
• Housing
• Tackling Anti Social Behaviour

The Information for Tenants leaflet on antisocial behaviour was revised in November 2007 and is now called Information for Tenants and Licensees. Printed copies are available from all our local housing offices and Guildhall One. You can also download a copy of the leaflet - please refer to 'Related Documents' at the bottom of the page. Alternatively, the information in the leaflet is available on this page - use the shortcut links below:

Mission Statement

Every member of the community has the right to enjoy their home and locality in peace.

The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames is committed to ensuring that problems of antisocial behaviour do not spoil that peaceful enjoyment. The Council is fully committed to the task of stamping out antisocial behaviour and creating a safer and more enjoyable place to live. Harassment of any kind to or by any tenant or member of staff will not be tolerated. The Council will deal with antisocial behaviour through effective use of policies and strategies.

By working in partnership with other agencies in the borough and by working with communities, the Council aims to prevent the misery that can be caused by antisocial behaviour. Action will be taken against offenders.

What is antisocial behaviour?

There are many definitions of antisocial behaviour but not a universal statement. A common definition is:

”Any behaviour which may cause, or be likely to cause, a nuisance or annoyance and which may be harassment, criminal, illegal and/or immoral behaviour."

What is harassment?

Any unwelcome or hostile act or series of acts to an individual or group of people because of their race, nationality, colour, religion, political beliefs, sex, sexual orientation or disability.

Examples of anti-social behaviour

Antisocial behaviour may include, but is not limited, to the following:

• Harassment of another person.
• Violence or threats of violence (intimidating or insulting language).
• Domestic violence.
• Racial harassment.
• Illegal or immoral activity.
• Drug dealing.
• Vandalism and graffiti.
• Verbal abuse.
• Making loud noise, playing loud music, shouting, noisy machinery.
• Animal noise/nuisance.
• Drunk and disorderly through alcohol or drugs.
• Dumping of rubbish/smells from rubbish.
• Playing ball games close to where people live.
• Boundary disputes.

Levels of antisocial behaviour

Low level

This could be household noise, which occurs regularly and/or persistently during daytime hours. It is usually at a level that seems unnecessarily loud. Examples are television, music, vacuuming, children playing or ‘hanging around’, screaming, banging doors, heavy footsteps/thumping and noisy animals. Untidy or overgrown gardens can also be classed as low level.

Medium level

This kind of antisocial behaviour will be similar in nature to the low level kind. The main difference is that it would be more persistent, at a much louder level and usually occurs during the evening and/or unsocial hours (11.00pm to 7.00am). It may include barking dogs, pigeon feeding, car/burglar alarms, late night parties, refuse dumping, squalid living conditions (where smells impact on other residents), noisy industrial equipment in residential dwellings and so on.

High level

Antisocial behaviour at this level will be much more serious. The behaviour is usually deliberately intimidating or threatening and causes serious distress either as a one-off incident or is more persistent. Examples are drug taking/dealing, graffiti, vandalism, verbal harassment, physical assault, domestic violence, racial or other forms of harassment and aggressive behaviour.

Tenant’s/Licensee's responsibility

As a tenant/licensee you are responsible for your own behaviour and for the behaviour of any persons living in and or visiting the property, both in the property itself, the common areas and the locality.

You are legally bound to follow the rights and obligations of the tenancy/license agreement. The tenancy/license agreement clearly states your responsibilities regarding antisocial behaviour and all tenants/licensees should ensure that they are familiar with these.

As a tenant/licensee you are expected to appreciate and be tolerant of people’s different lifestyles. The Council expects you to take care that neither you nor your household or visitors behave in an antisocial way.

Landlord’s responsibility

The Council, as landlord, tries to make sure that nuisance, harassment or any form of antisocial behaviour does not spoil their tenants’/licensees’ quality of life.

If a tenant/licensee reports an incident of antisocial behaviour, the Council will investigate the matter and seek to deal with the problem by taking action against the perpetrator and providing the victim with adequate support. This may involve working together with other departments or external agencies to find a solution to the problem.

All cases of antisocial behaviour are monitored closely and the complainant is kept up to date about progress with the case and any action taken.

Taking legal action

If the antisocial behaviour cannot be dealt with by other means or alternative action has failed, the Council will take appropriate legal action. This may include:

• Seeking an injunction to prevent the antisocial behaviour.
• Applying for an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO).
• Demoting a secure tenancy and/or evicting the tenant/licensee and their household.

Whatever action is taken it must be reasonable in relation to the seriousness of the problem.

If a tenant/licensee is evicted from their home for causing antisocial behaviour it is unlikely that the Council would consider rehousing them.

Further Information

We hope that you have found the information on this page helpful. The Council’s full Statement of Anti-Social Behaviour Policy and Procedures is available from the Guildhall, your housing officer or you can view it online - see related links below.

In addition we have produced an information pack called "Tackling Antisocial Behaviour" which contains more detailed information on the following:

• Making a complaint about antisocial behaviour (ASB1)
• Mediation (ASB2)
• Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ASB3)
• Taking legal action (ASB4)

To obtain a copy contact your housing officer or see the related links below where you can view the information online.

Who to contact

If you have any queries or require further information please contact the Housing Contact Centre on 0800 0778 416 or 020 8547 4656 during office hours (Monday to Thursday 8.45am-5pm and Fri 8.45am to 4.45pm).

The following additional numbers are also available for you to call:

• Environmental Health (noise) 020 8547 5536
  
• Racial harassment 0800 138 1662
  
• Domestic violence 0800 138 1680
  
• Homophobic harassment 0800 138 1702

We hope that you have found this information helpful. A copy of the Council’s full Statement of Anti-Social Behaviour Policy and Procedures is available from the Guildhall, your estate office or you can view it online - see the related links below.

Please note, if you are not:

• a council tenant
• living in council temporary accommodation
• living in one of the Council's hostels

but you need help/advice on tackling anti social behaviour or reporting it, go to the related link below - Help on anti social behaviour if you are not living in council property.