The problem starts. You call the police, or us. When officers arrive, everything is calm – no-one else saw or heard what happened. We understand this can be very frustrating; so when you report ASB to us, we may ask you to gather evidence - information we might even need to use in court.
When you contact us about an incident of ASB, your initial report is the foundation of the case.
Thorough evidence-gathering is essential because what we present in county court needs to be strong enough to convince a judge to make an order for a breach of tenancy. This gives us the legal permission to evict a customer from their home, protecting victims of anti-social behaviour.
How do I gather evidence?
Diary sheets are a great way to record what is happening, and how often, over time. This is particularly good in the case of issues with noisy neighbours. Leaving voice notes for yourself works too. Tell your case officer what puts you most at ease when it comes to providing evidence, as we want to make the process as stress-free as possible.
Make a note of the date, time and place the behaviour happened, what you were doing at that time, and also how you felt.
When it comes to a court trial, it is not just a case of proving what took place, it is the impact the ASB has had on victims and witnesses. This can be the difference between a breach of tenancy order being given straight away, or suspended unless there is more ASB in future.
Anti-social behaviour that causes neighbours to be deprived of sleep or have to change their day-to-day routines, for example, is something the courts do not look favourably upon. Even when the behaviour is not criminal, nuisance conduct that alarms and distresses others is a reasonable ground for action.
We will review your complaint regularly to see how things are getting on. Keep written proof of everything like threatening emails, letters, text messages or threats on social media. Written evidence is so powerful, and even if it is distressing to see, you should keep it. If you have voicemail messages you should also keep them, or share them with our Community Safety Team. We will store a copy on our records and can add this to a witness statement, proving what was heard. If a threat is made on social media, take a screen shot and share this with us so we confirm we have seen this evidence.
If the ASB is unreasonable and persistent noise, we subscribe to the Noise App, which allows customers to record noise using their own mobile smartphone. CCTV and video doorbells are also very effective in gathering evidence of anti-social behaviour, but there are strict rules for how you install and use these, and you do need to look into this first. See the Information Commissioner’s Office, at www.ico.org.uk, to find out more.
Can I stay anonymous when I report ASB?
Yes. We will respect your decision and won’t share your name with the person you are complaining about.
However, it can make it difficult for us to take formal legal action when victims don’t want to be identified. If the case goes to court, your evidence may be needed, and you might be asked to give a statement.
An example is if a perpetrator calls you a specific name - if your anonymised statement just says ‘I was verbally abused’, this significantly minimises the impact of the harm caused.
If you are worried about your safety, let us know. We may be able to take steps to protect your identity or offer support through specialist services.
