Anti-social behaviour
Anti-social behaviour
We’re here to help make sure everyone in Dacorum can live peacefully, free from harassment and aggravation. We will deal quickly and efficiently with those causing trouble. If you're in immediate danger, always call 999.
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, or;
- Conduct capable of causing (housing-related) nuisance or annoyance to any person.
For examples of ASB, please see out anti-social behaviour policy, below.
Before you report anti-social behaviour
Before you report an incident of anti-social behaviour to us, consider these things:
Reporting criminal behaviour
Sometimes anti-social behaviour is also a crime. You should contact the police if it involves things like:
- Vandalism
- Graffiti
- Harassment
- Threats or violence
- Drug use or dealing
Call 101 for non-emergencies, or 999 if someone is in danger. You can also report issues anonymously through CrimeStoppers.
If the person causing the problem rents privately or from a housing association, and you know their landlord or letting agent, let them know what’s happening.
What we can do
If you report anti-social behaviour to us, we’ll arrange to talk to you about it. We’ll ask:
- What happened
- Where and how often it happened
- How it has affected you
You can write this down on diary sheets, which we can send by email or post.
All information given to us is confidential. We will work with you to find the best solution.
A housing officer or ASB (anti-social behaviour) officer will look into your complaint. They might also speak to witnesses and the person you’ve reported. If the person is vulnerable (for example, has mental health issues), we may work with other support services.
In most cases, the problems will stop after one intervention. If the behaviour continues or is serious, we can take legal actions such as:
- Community protection notices
- Injunctions
- Closure orders
- Applying to take possession of their property (if they are a council tenant)
We work closely with other council departments and the Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team to make our borough a safe place to live. We will take quick action against those who cause misery to others.
Report anti-social behaviour
To report anti-social behaviour, fill out our online form:
Reporting anti-social behaviour out of hours
We don't operate an out-of-hours response service for anti-social behaviour.
If it’s an emergency or someone is in danger, call the police on 999.
For all other anti-social behaviour issues, follow the steps on this page to report the problem. We’ll deal with it during our normal working hours.
Anti-social behaviour case review
If you’ve reported anti-social behaviour but the problem hasn’t improved, you may be able to request a case review.
This means different agencies will look at your case, if certain conditions are met.
For more details, visit our Anti-social behaviour case review page.
More information
To find out more about how we tackle anti-social behaviour, read our Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Policy (PDF 287KB).
Contact us
Telephone: 01442 228000 and ask for the anti-social behaviour team.
Email: asb@dacorum.gov.uk
Page Last Updated: Wednesday, 21 May 2025 at 01:10 PM