Report anti-social behaviour (ASB)

What is anti-social behaviour?

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 defines anti-social behaviour as:

• conduct that has caused, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to any person
• conduct capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to a person in relation to that person's occupation of residential premises
• conduct capable of causing housing-related nuisance or annoyance to any person

What is a hate crime? 

Hate incidents or hate crimes are acts of violence or hostility directed at individuals or groups because of perceived or actual characteristics, including:

• race or ethnicity
• religion or belief
• sexual orientation
• disability
• gender identity
• appearance
• marital status
• employment status
• any other personal attributes

Some hate incidents may not be crimes but still cause distress and are taken seriously.

We do not usually investigate: 

• personal disputes or mutual dislike where no breach of tenancy is evident
• normal domestic living noise (for example: toilets flushing, babies crying, footsteps, household appliances)
• cooking smells
• parking disagreements (unless harassment or damage is involved)
• children playing in a reasonable manner
• everyday activity associated with shift working patterns

If you're unsure, report it. We'll assess whether it meets the threshold for action.

You can report ASB or hate crime in the following ways:

Report ASB online

Other ways you can make a report are:

• contact our ASB Team on asb@arun.gov.uk 
• call us: 0808 141 2800 (24-hour answerphone)
• visit us
• write to us at Wellbeing and Communities, Arun District Council, Maltravers Road, Littlehampton, BN17 5LF
• speak to your local councillor
• Make an online report to the police for non-emergency situations

In an emergency (immediate threat, harm or risk), always call 999. 

Our response times are shown in the table below

Response times

Severity	Examples	Standard response time
High	Hate crime, threats, violence, domestic abuse	Within 1 working day
Medium	Suspected drug dealing, non-violent criminal behaviour, vandalism or damage to property, community-based behaviour causing alarm, harassment or distress	Within 5 working days
Standard	Noise, nuisance from car repairs, issues with pets, gardens or communal areas, graffiti and fly tipping	Within 10 working days

What happens when you report

1 Initial contact

An officer will take your details and assess whether the report meets the criteria for anti-social behaviour (ASB).

2 If it is not ASB

You'll be advised that no further action will be taken. We may provide guidance on other agencies or organisations that can help.

3 If it is ASB

• a case will be created, and a risk assessment completed.
• you'll be allocated an officer who will contact you in your preferred way (phone, email, or home visit)

4 Understanding the issue

The officer will discuss:

• the full nature of your complaint
• any wider community impact
• other agencies already involved
• reports made to the police
• relevant background or timeline of events

5 Next steps

Based on this information, the officer will agree an action plan with you and keep you updated on progress.

Our commitment to victims and witnesses

• we will treat you with respect, empathy and without judgement
• we will take all reports seriously and not minimise your experience
• we will agree how often and how you want to be contacted
• we will keep you informed even when there are no updates
• we will explain our decisions clearly

Please also see our Privacy notice community safety.

We work with:

• Sussex Police
• mental health and advocacy services
• Change Grow Live (CGL) - drug and alcohol services
• community mental health teams
• children's and adult social care
• Victim Support
• registered social landlords
• other Arun District Council departments (Environmental Health, Tenancy Services, Private Sector Housing, Planning)
• multi-agency panels
• Safer Arun Partnership

Together, we ensure a coordinated response that prioritises victim safety and holds perpetrators accountable.

In most cases, we will utilise early intervention methods to stop issues from escalating further. Some of these earlier options can include:

• verbal warnings
• written warnings (which may include tenancy warnings)
• referral to other support agencies
• mediation referrals
• Community Protection Warnings and Notices (where there is a wider community impact)
• Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABC)
• Fixed Penalty Notices
• one-to-one interview (at a police station or council office)

In cases where enforcement tactics need to be considered, both the police, councils and designated agencies utilise powers under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

Additionally, in cases of ASB involving Arun District Council tenants, additional powers can be considered which may include the issuing of notices and/or possession proceedings in the most extreme cases.

The ASB case review is a process which provides victims or communities with the opportunity to ask agencies to review their response to ASB or hate incidents they have reported to police, council or Registered Social Landlord.

You can read more about how to apply for a case review.

You can use this process if:

• you have reported three anti-social behaviour or hate incidents about the same issue in the last six months to the police, the council or your housing provider and no action has been taken. You can apply on behalf of someone else if you have their written consent
• the anti-social behaviour or hate incident was reported within one month of the incident taking place
• you must make the application within six months

You will be notified within three working days as to whether your case will be taken further:

• we'll let you know within three working days if your case meets the review criteria
• if it does, we'll carry out a review and share recommendations within ten working days
• if you're unhappy with the decision or want to comment on the service, you can use the complaints procedure of the lead agency handling your case

Please note the ASB case review does not replace the complaints procedure.

 

We close cases when:

• the behaviour stops
• there's no further evidence
• you request closure
• another agency leads the response

We'll explain the closure decision and monitor the situation for a short period if appropriate.

If you are not happy with our response, you can:

• make a formal complaint - our team will provide you with the means to do so
• request a ASB case review if appropriate

• Victim Support - this is an independent charity dedicated to supporting victims of crime and traumatic incidents (phone 0808 168 9274)
• Mediation Plus - Mediation Plus • Dispute Resolution Services in Sussex (mediation-plus.org.uk)
• ASB Help - ASB Help | Advice & support for Victims of Anti-Social Behaviour
• Housing - Citizens Advice
• Mental health services - NHS
• We're Mind, the mental health charity | Mind
• Samaritans | Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy | Here to listen