Report Anti-Social Behaviour
Everyone has the right to feel safe and enjoy their home and neighbourhood. Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is behaviour that causes nuisance, harassment, alarm or distress to people living in the area. Housing Services investigates reports of anti-social behaviour involving council tenants, members of their household, or their visitors.
If you are in immediate danger
If a crime is happening now or you feel unsafe, contact the police immediately.
Call 999 in an emergency.
For non-emergency police matters, call 101 or report online through the police website.
Report Anti-social behaviour using our online form
On this page
- What counts as anti-social behaviour
- Hate incidents and hate crime
- What is not usually anti-social behaviour
- How to report anti-social behaviour
- What happens after you report ASB
- ASB Case Review (Community Trigger)
Our approach to issues
We manage neighbour concerns using a clear, tiered approach to ensure the right response:
- Neighbour nuisance or lifestyle differences advice, support and early resolution (Good Neighbour approach)
- Anti-social behaviour (ASB) investigation and formal action where behaviour is persistent or harmful
- Hate incidents and hate crime – treated as high priority with immediate risk assessment
This ensures all reports are handled fairly, consistently, and proportionately.
What we will do
- Listen to your concerns
- Assess the risk, vulnerability, and impact of the situation
- Investigate the issue
- Take fair, proportionate, and evidence-based action where necessary
Our approach is victim-focused, with early intervention used wherever possible.
We work closely with:
- The Police
- The Council’s Community Safety Team
- Health and support services
- Other partner organisations
To prevent and resolve anti-social behaviour.
What counts as anti-social behaviour
Anti-social behaviour can include behaviour that seriously affects your ability to live peacefully in your home.
Examples include:
- Harassment, intimidation, bullying, or stalking
- Threats or acts of violence Hate incidents and hate crimes - targeting someone because of race, disability, religion, gender, or sexuality
- Persistent and excessive noise that disrupts daily life (e.g. loud music at night)
- Drug use, supply, or dealing in or near a property
- Criminal damage, graffiti, or vandalism
- Using a property for illegal purposes (e.g. storing stolen goods, prostitution, or organised crime)
If the person responsible is a council tenant or connected to a council tenancy, Housing Services may investigate and take action where appropriate.
This may include warnings, agreements, or legal action.
Hate incidents and hate crime
We take hate incidents and hate crime extremely seriously.
A hate incident is behaviour motivated by hostility or prejudice towards someone because of their:
- Race
- Religion or belief
- Disability
- Sexual orientation
- Transgender identity
All hate incidents and hate crime are:
- Treated as high priority
- Subject to immediate risk assessment
- Managed using a victim-centred approach
We will work closely with the Police and partner agencies to support victims and take appropriate action.
If you believe you are experiencing hate crime, you can report it to:
- The Police (101 or 999 in an emergency)
- Report anti-social behaviour online: (Insert reporting link)
What is not usually anti-social behaviour
Some issues between neighbours are considered lifestyle differences or minor nuisances.
These can be frustrating but do not normally meet the legal threshold for anti-social behaviour unless they are persistent, deliberate, or harmful.
Examples include:
- Cooking smells from nearby homes
- Noise from babies crying or children playing
- One-off parties or normal household noise such as doors closing, going up and down stairs or people talking.
- Bonfires (Housing Services will refer to environmental health guidance if persistent or toxic)
- DIY, noise of a vacuum cleaner or washing machine or gardening during reasonable hours
- Parking disputes (unless linked to threats, harassment, or repeated obstruction)
- Differences in lifestyles, working hours, or cultural practices
- Staring or ‘dirty looks’
- Littering and dog fouling
- Resident CCTV or smart doorbells (unless installed or used in a way that is intrusive, targets individuals, or amounts to harassment)
- Social Media posts or text messages (unless persistent online harassment or threats directed towards neighbours, other residents, staff, or people connected to the locality of the property)
Where issues do not meet the threshold for anti-social behaviour, we will prioritise
Early intervention
This may include:
- Advice and guidance
- Mediation or independent dispute resolution
- Good Neighbour Agreements
How to report anti-social behaviour
There are several ways to report anti-social behaviour.
Online
Report Anti-social behaviour using our online form
By phone
Call our
01962 848 400
Your report will be logged and passed to Housing Services for assessment.
By email
Email: housingasb@winchester.gov.uk
In person
You can speak to a member of the Team at the council offices.
Customer Service Centre opening hours:
Monday to Thursday: 9am to 5pm
Friday: 9am to 4:30pm
How you can help us
To investigate effectively, we may ask you to:
- Provide details of incidents (dates, times, what happened)
- Keep a record or diary
- Share any evidence (photos, videos, or witness details)
This helps us assess the situation and take appropriate action.
What happens after you report ASB
When we receive a report, a Housing Officer will review the information and carry out a risk assessment.
We may:
- Contact you for more details
- Speak to the person reported
- Gather evidence
- Work with the Police or other partner agencies
How we prioritise cases
We prioritise cases based on risk:
- High risk (e.g. violence, threats, hate crime) – contact within 1 working day
- Medium risk – contact within 3–5 working days
- Standard cases – contact within 10 working days
Early resolution
Where appropriate, we will try to resolve issues early through:
- Mediation Assessment
- Good Neighbour Agreements
- Acceptable Behaviour Agreements
Formal action
If behaviour continues or is serious, we may take formal action such as:
- Tenancy warnings
- Legal injunctions
- Possession proceedings
Any action we take will be evidence-based and proportionate.
Supporting victims
We understand that experiencing anti-social behaviour can be upsetting, stressful, and sometimes frightening. You are not alone, and we are here to support you.
When you report a concern, Housing Services will:
- Listen to you and take your concerns seriously
- Assess the situation, including any risks, vulnerabilities, and the impact on you and your household
- Keep you informed about what is happening and what to expect next
- Agree with you how and when we will stay in contact
- Work with other services and support agencies where this may help
- Take steps to help you feel safe, including identifying and responding to any safeguarding concerns
We will treat you with respect, sensitivity, and understanding at every stage.
Your safety and wellbeing are our priority, and we will do everything we reasonably can to support you and help resolve the situation.
ASB Case Review (Community Trigger)
If you feel that your reports have not been properly addressed, you can request an ASB Case Review (Community Trigger).
This allows agencies to review how your case has been handled.
For more information, please visit the Community Safety Team webpage or contact the Police on 101.
Complaints and feedback
If you are unhappy with how your case has been handled, you can make a complaint.
You can complain:
- online through the complaints form
- by phone: 01962 848 400
- by writing to:
Winchester City Council
Colebrook Street
Winchester
SO23 9LJ
If you remain dissatisfied, you can contact the Housing Ombudsman. More information can be found on the housing complaints webpage
Our commitment
Housing Services is committed to:
- Tackling anti-social behaviour effectively
- Supporting victims and communities
- Acting fairly, consistently, and proportionately
- Working in partnership with other agencies
- Learning from feedback and complaints
This approach aligns with the expectations of the Regulator of Social Housing and helps us maintain safe, respectful and well-managed neighbourhoods across the Winchester district.