Nuisance and anti-social behaviour

Anti-social behaviour is any act, or failure to do something, which causes, or is likely to cause nuisance, harassment, alarm or distress or which interferes with the peace, comfort or convenience of other people living in the local area. Nuisance includes behaviour that is harmful, offensive or annoying.

Nuisance and anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated by the Council and will  be tackled robustly. If necessary, the Council will take legal action to deal with the problem and, where appropriate, it will apply to the Courts for an injunction, anti-social behaviour order or possession order. Working closely with the Police, the Council will also pursue a criminal prosecution in appropriate cases.

You are responsible for the behaviour of every person (including children) living in or visiting the property. You are responsible in the property, on surrounding land, in communal areas (such as stairs, lifts, landings, walkways, entrance halls, drying areas, bin stores, paved areas, shared gardens or parking areas) and in the locality around the property.

You (or anyone living with you or anyone visiting the property) must not:

• behave, or invite others to behave in a manner which other residents or the Council consider to be anti-social
• do anything that causes or is likely to cause nuisance, harassment, alarm or distress to anyone in the local area
• do anything that interferes with the peace, comfort or convenience of other people living in the local area

Any of the actions below will be considered to be a serious breach of the tenancy agreement, and appropriate legal remedies (which might include eviction) will be sought by the Council. The Council will seek to recover the cost of taking legal action against you if you:

• interfere with security or safety equipment in multi-storey flats or communal blocks of flats or maisonettes or sheltered housing schemes
• inflict domestic violence or threaten violence against any other person (living with you or living elsewhere)*
• harass or use mental, emotional, racist or sexual abuse to make anyone who lives with you leave the property*
• harass, or threaten to harass anyone in the local area because of their race, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, sexuality, sex, religion, politics, age, medical condition or disability. Examples of harassment include: racist behaviour or language; using or threatening to use violence; using abusive or insulting words; damaging or threatening to damage another person's home or possessions; writing threatening, abusive or insulting graffiti; doing anything that interferes with the peace, comfort or convenience of other people*
• use the property or any communal areas (such as stairs, lifts, landings, walkways, entrance halls, drying areas, bin stores, paved areas, shared gardens or parking areas) for any criminal, immoral or illegal purpose, including buying, selling or using any illegal drugs, or storing or handling stolen goods
• harass or threaten to harass, or use or threaten to use violence towards anyone in the local area, or to the Council’s elected members, staff, contractors and other agents

To tackle nuisance and anti-social behaviour, the Council will demote tenancies and use acceptable behaviour contracts, anti-social behaviour orders and injunctions. Where appropriate, it will pursue criminal prosecution and eviction.

The Council will not tolerate domestic violence, racial harassment or hate crime. It will work proactively with the Police and the Courts to prosecute and evict perpetrators.

The Council will co-operate with the Police in seeking closure notices where the use, supply or production of any prohibited drug (as defined by Statute) occurs in a Council property.

Behaving in an abusive or threatening manner towards the Council’s elected members, staff, contractors or agents is a serious breach of tenancy. For their protection, a register will be maintained, recording incidents of such behaviour. The register will also be used to record persons who have been responsible for anti-social behaviour or nuisance indicated by * above.

If you are evicted because of anti-social behaviour, the Council may not have a duty to find you somewhere else to live.

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