Tenants are kindly reminded that pets must remain under control when Saffron representatives visit their home. To ensure appropriate Health and Safety we request that dogs are kept away from the area where our team may be carrying out repairs or inspections.
The impact of ASB
Anti-social behaviour (ASB) causes harassment, alarm, or distress to individuals and can significantly impact daily life, especially when it is happening frequently. For example, persistent noise nuisance can lead to severe consequences, including mental health issues and prolonged absences from work. Support is available to any tenant or resident who is experiencing or has witnessed ASB. We take reports of ASB seriously and can provide support to you if you are experiencing ASB, or have witnessed ASB. On this page, you will find information about the different types of ASB, and when and how to report it.
Examples of ASB include (but are not limited to):
- Violence or threats of violence to others
- Abusive or insulting words or behaviour
- Offensive behaviour under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Damage or threat of damage to property including graffiti
- Intimidation and harassment including the targeting of groups because of their perceived differences
- Harassment and hate crime
- Using or selling drugs or other illegal substances
- Use of the property for unlawful purposes
- Making an unreasonable level of noise. This includes excessive shouting, intentionally slamming doors, excessive use of tools or machinery or playing music, radio, television, or other sound making equipment at unreasonable levels
- Allowing pets to make excessive noise, fouling in public areas, or to be a danger to others
- Excessive build-up of rubbish or dangerous or polluting materials
Your tenancy agreement – the legal contract between us, your landlord and you, the tenant – makes it clear that you are responsible for the behaviour of all people, including children and visitors to your home.
ASB is not:
- Children playing (in public or private spaces)
- People gathering socially
- DIY and car repairs (unless undertaken repeatedly and at unsocial hours)
- Civil disputes between neighbours (including shared driveways, CCTV usage and coverage and boundary issues)
- One off complaints such as parties
- Everyday household activities and/or noise. For example, reasonable use of household appliances, noise from footsteps from general moving around within the property
In an emergency always call the police on 999.
If it is not urgent call the police on 101. To give information about criminal activities without giving your name you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or report it via their website by clicking here.
After you have reported the crime to the police you can report the criminal activity to our ASB Team. We cannot prosecute crimes but work with the police to make communities safer and may be able to take tenancy enforcement action, or offer advice and support to make you feel safer in your home.
Once you have a crime reference number, complete our ASB Reporting Form by clicking here.
We will try a number of options to resolve the nuisance behaviour. These might include: These might include:
- Early intervention by contact, giving advice, and signposting as necessary
- Warning letters and interviews
- Referrals to other agencies (for example, local council environmental services and support services)
- Mediation/dispute resolution
Using mediation at an early stage can often prevent the problem getting worse. Mediation is usually the best option in most cases, and we actively promote it among our tenants. Mediation does not have to take place in person. Sometimes, even when a nuisance has been going on for some time, mediation can still work to help someone realise they are causing a problem and stop it.
Mediation can occur between two parties who have an issue they cannot resolve, or larger numbers, such as entire communities who may need help to find a way to agree to all live together. The outcomes can change lives, allowing people to feel comfortable again in their own homes and gardens.
If we are unable to resolve the ASB case and the problem persists we could proceed with further action which could include legal action, and your tenancy could be at risk.
If it is safe to do so, have you considered talking to the person? They may not know they are upsetting you. Often you can sort out personal disagreements and everyday problems just by talking them over. When you do talk to the person it is helpful to remember to:
- Be calm and friendly and show you are happy to hear their point of view
- Listen to what they have to say and do not interrupt
- Do not shout, be abusive or aggressive
- Politely walk away if you feel the person is becoming unreasonable or you become uncomfortable
- Make a record of your conversation to provide to us
- Keep a record of any incident using our home diary sheet, which you can find at the bottom of the page.
If you're experiencing difficulties or issues with a neighbour and haven't been able to resolve the issue, we offer an independent and confidential mediation service to help resolve dispute. Head to our Neighbour Conflict Resolution page for further information, here.
We will keep witnesses up to date on any progress in their case and the legal processes involved. Support to witnesses may include:
- Referral to specialist witness support groups
- Regular contact from Neighbourhood Officers
- Signposting tenants to your local authority for emergency temporary accommodation
To help our tenants we have a Tenant Support & Wellbeing Service. It is a free, independent service, giving tenants 24/7 access to professional and confidential telephone counselling, advice and support. Please click here for more information.
If we take legal action, we may need you to make a formal statement describing the ASB. We will support your through this process.
Complainants may also be asked to attend court proceedings for us to prove a case against the alleged perpetrator. We will support complainants if they are required to attend court to give evidence, and an appropriate member of staff will accompany them.
If you need help after a crime you can contact Victim Support anytime for free confidential advice by clicking here.
If you are subject to, or witness ASB, call us on 01508 532000.
Call 999 if you or someone else is in immediate danger.
You can report ASB to us using a form by clicking here.
Sometimes, it will be more appropriate to make a complaint to another organisation. This includes the police where it is an emergency or where a criminal act has taken place, or the local council’s environmental health teams where there is a serious noise nuisance. In these cases we will signpost you to the relevant agencies and will work alongside these agencies to help resolve the problem.
Keeping clear records can help us and our partner agencies understand your situation, provide support, and take appropriate action.
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Diary sheets: Document incidents as soon as you can after they've occured, including date, time, location, what happened, your activities, and feelings. You can document incidents by downloading our Print-at-Home Diary Sheet here.
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Threatening messages: Keep all communications (emails, texts, voicemails, social media messages or comments) for evidence.
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Noise recording: Your local authority's Environmental Health team may be able to provide noise monitoring equipment which is installed inside your home. You may also consider using an app called Noise App (see below).
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The Noise App, launched by the Housing Association, is designed to assist tenants in reporting and monitoring anti-social behavior (ASB) and safeguarding issues. The app allows you to document instances of noise disturbances and other forms of ASB directly from your mobile phone, allowing us to respond and monitor ongoing problems. You can download the Noise App from the App Store or Google Play, and use the app’s audio and note features to record incidents before submitting to us for evaluation. You can download the Noise App user guide here.
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CCTV and filming: While useful as evidence, CCTV usage is regulated. Review guidelines before installation at Information Commissioner's Office
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Professional witness: If intimidation is a concern, a professional witness can observe and testify on your behalf. Check with your Neighbourhood Officer for options in your area.
If you have reported ASB but feel that no action has been taken you can start an ASB case review.
An ASB case review is a process where organisations identify if any further action can be taken. At the end of the review an action plan will be produced and shared with the applicant.
An ASB case review does not guarantee the ASB will be resolved. But it does ensure that all appropriate actions are being taken to address it.
To activate a case review through your local authority, set criteria must be met. Information regarding the criteria and application process can found at:
You can make a complaint by:
- Completing our online form by clicking here
- Calling us on 01508 532000
- Writing to: Saffron Barn, Swan Lane, Long Stratton, NR15 2XP
- Speaking to one of our colleagues in person.
The Housing Ombudsman is a free, independent, impartial service set up by law to look at complaints about housing organisations. You can contact them at any time for advice, whether you have an open complaint or not. To visit their website click here.
Report Anti-Social Behaviour
If you or someone else is in immediate danger please call 999. To report ASB to us you can use the below form or call 01508 532000.
ASB report formNeighbour Conflict Resolution
If you're experiencing difficulties or issues with a neighbour and haven't been able to resolve the issue, we offer an independent and confidential mediation service to help resolve disputes
Find out more
ASB Information Pack
Further information for victims or witnesses of anti-social behaviour
Download the pack here
Anti-Social Behaviour News
Head over to our News section, where you'll find stories and events relating to Anti-Social Behaviour
Find out more
Zero Tolerance on Abuse
We believe that our tenants and residents have the right to be listened to, understood, and treated with respect. Our employees also have these same rights.
We encourage our employees to be courteous, helpful, and sensitive to all tenants’ needs and circumstances, and we work hard to be open, transparent and accessible to all.
We also believe that our employees deserve fair treatment and respect, free from intimidation, harassment, or threats of violence.
While recognising that tenants and residents may sometimes feel frustrated or angry about issues raised with the Trust, we consider behaviour that escalates from anger into aggression towards our employees, making them feel threatened or unsafe, to be unacceptable.
Examples of unacceptable behaviour include:
- using foul language or swearing at our employees;
- any forms of physical violence towards any of our employees;
- verbal abuse directed towards our employees in any form,
- including verbally insulting our staff;
- racial abuse and sexual harassment;
- abusing employees on our social media platforms;
- verbally abusing our employees during telephone calls.
Our Unacceptable Behaviour Policy explains how we approach situations involving the behaviour or actions of individuals. The policy can be downloaded here.
If you need the above information in a different format such as an accessible PDF or braille, email [email protected] or call 01508 532000.
We also offer INTRAN, which provides interpreting and translation services for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or who do not have English as a first language. To arrange support with INTRAN please contact a member of the Customer Contact Team on 01508 532000 or at [email protected]. Find out more by clicking here.