WE ALL know what it is; it is a major problem for too many people, making their lives a misery. It must be important - Eastenders is currently tackling the subject! It’s anti-social behaviour.
But what can be done about it?

The official definition is: “Behaviour that causes alarm or distress to one or more person not in the same household as the perpetrator.” No use complaining about the kids playing house music too loud then - the neighbours will have to do that.
Besides too much noise, what other grounds can constitute ASB? Well there’s shouting abuse, threatening violence, vandalism, the behaviour of children or pets.

What can be done about it? Well, all the advice is to try speaking to your neighbour before things get out of hand. Not when you are angry or either of you have been drinking, nor in the middle of the night. It is more effective to speak quietly to people’s face than to send messages or letters, shout, bang walls or talk behind their backs. Be diplomatic and try to listen carefully to what they have to say: there might be something that you didn’t know about that is making them behave that way. And, as your granny used to say, try not to fall out over children.

However, though it is one thing to respect what might be a different lifestyle to your own, you have to be firm about things that cause you harm or a lot of inconvenience. Try to remain positive and remain on good terms. When all this doesn’t work or there is a threat of violence, report the incident immediately to the police and/or your landlord. If the incidents continue, keep a diary with all the details, and keep reporting the problem.
Do not ignore things hoping they will go away, and don’t become abusive, swear or make threats yourself.

Landlords are responsible for ensuring their tenants can live in peace. Advice to landlords suggests that houses have a high standard of insulation, that there are effective pre-tenancy agreements, that where necessary there is CCTV, adequate street lighting, fencing and security entry systems. Play areas should be located away from pensioners’ houses and dog free areas should be enforced. New laws about dog dirt pollution have just come into effect, and dog dirt bins should be provided in places where people walk their dogs.

Those who persist in ASB should be aware that not only can they have too-loud music systems confiscated, but they can actually , as a last resort, lose their homes.

If a tenant, lodger or even someone visiting the tenant has been convicted of using the house in an illegal or immoral manner, or if they have been convicted of something for which they could go to prison (even if they don’t) the landlord can evict. Eviction is a long slow process that can take many months at least.

Another weapon against ASB is ASB Orders, which were introduced in 1999. In Scotland only a local authority can seek an ASBO - often in consultation with the police - and only against someone who is 16 or over. An ASBO can’t be taken out on a whole family, just individuals.
But when someone has an ASBO taken out against them, if they breach the conditions it becomes a criminal offence and offenders can be fined or jailed. An ASBO can be taken out people in all types of rented or owned homes, not just council tenants.

Issuing ASBOs is a long process, involving mediation, warnings, the involvement of all sorts of other agencies such as police and social work-and sadly it takes a long, long time. However, what is not advised is to take matters into your own hands, no matter how frustrating the process is.