Everybody has the right to live safely and enjoy their homes in peace and quiet. The Highland Council is committed to tackling anti social behaviour.
As a landlord, Housing Services has developed a policy for dealing with anti social behaviour where it occurs in Council housing. When you sign your lease for your house, you agree not to cause a nuisance or harassment to your neighbours. You must also keep your garden area and any common areas clean and tidy.
You can find out below what to do if you experience Anti Social Behaviour.
What is Anti Social Behaviour?
A range of types of behaviour can be seen as anti social. These may vary from minor disputes to serious breaches of tenancy. Examples of minor disputes might be parking in unauthorised areas, while serious problems may include criminal activities such as threats or actual physical violence.
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What can I do?
If possible you should try to sort out the problem in a friendly way. It may be that the person causing the problem isn’t even aware of it.
If this doesn’t work or you don’t feel comfortable talking to your neighbour, you should contact us and we will give you advice. It would be helpful if you write down what has happened and give as much detail about the problem as possible.
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What happens next?
What happens next and how quickly it happens will depend on what type of complaint you have made and how serious this complaint is.
We will usually visit the tenant who is being complained about to let them know that there is a problem and see what they say about it. We do not give out details of who made the complaint but people may be able to guess who it was.
If it is a serious complaint that may involve legal action we will ask you to keep a record of what happens, e.g. what type of problem, dates and times. We will give you a record sheet to help you do this. We may also contact other people and the Police for additional information.
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What will the Council do?
If it appears that the tenant has breached the conditions of their lease, we will decide what action we can and should take depending on how serious the complaint is. This may vary from a verbal warning to, in very serious cases, taking out an anti social behaviour order or even action for eviction. For more information about anti social behaviour orders see our leaflet about them. Some cases may be best resolved through mediation and discussion rather than any more formal action.
We may only be able to take legal action if you help by providing evidence. However, we will talk to you about this and any concerns you may have.
Taking legal action may take several months but the Council will keep you informed of what is happening.
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How can I find out more?
If you would like to find out more about what to do if you are experiencing anti social behaviour, please contact your local Housing and Property Office.
Alternatively you may wish to contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau, local Advice Agency, or your Solicitor.
For more information, please e-mail: housingandproperty@highland.gov.uk
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