As part of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Awareness Week, we're highlighting our firm approach to preventing and tackling ASB and helping to create safe, respectful communities for everyone.

As a social housing tenant, your tenancy agreement requires you to behave in a way that does not cause nuisance, annoyance, alarm or distress to others. 

This responsibility applies not only to you, but also to:

  • Everyone living in your home
  • Your visitors
  • Anyone staying at your property, even temporarily.

Why this matters

Your home is part of a wider community, and everyone has a role to play in helping their neighbourhood remain a safe and pleasant place to live.

You are responsible for:

  • Respecting your neighbours
  • Using your home in a lawful and considerate way
  • Taking reasonable steps to prevent ASB linked to your household.

Even if you are not directly responsible for the behaviour, you may still be held accountable for the actions of people connected to your tenancy.

How ASB can affect your tenancy

Being involved in ASB can have serious consequences.

Warnings and support

 In the first instance, you may receive:

  • A warning letter
  • A visit from your housing officer
  • Support or mediation to help resolve issues and prevent further problems.

Formal action

If the behaviour continues, we may take stronger action, including:

Serving a Notice Seeking Possession, which is the first step in legal action to end a tenancy

Legal consequences

In more serious or persistent cases, we may:

  • Apply for an injunction to prevent certain behaviour
  • Take court action.

Losing your home

Persistent or serious ASB can ultimately lead to eviction. 

This can have long-term consequences, including:

  • Making it more difficult to access housing in the future
  • Affecting your chances of being rehoused by a local authority or another social landlord.

What you can do

To help prevent ASB and maintain a positive neighbourhood:

  • Be mindful of how your behaviour affects others
  • Speak to neighbours early if issues arise
  • Take responsibility for members of your household and visitors
  • Engage positively with your landlord if concerns are raised
  • Seek support if you are experiencing challenges such as wellbeing issues, substance misuse or neighbour disputes.

Our key message this ASB week is that ASB is a breach of your tenancy agreement and can put your home at risk.

By acting responsibly and addressing problems early, you can help prevent issues from escalating and contribute to a safer, stronger community for everyone.

For more information about anti-social behaviour, including how to report it and the support available, visit our ASB page.