Anti-Social Behaviour Powers: What Councils and Police Can Do

Originally written by Jeff Durham, updated by the editorial team on 17th May 2026

Anti-Social Behaviour Powers: What Councils and the Police Can Do Now

The Anti-Social Behaviour Order, commonly known as the ASBO, was abolished on 20 October 2014 and is no longer available. It was replaced by a range of new powers under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, including civil injunctions and Criminal Behaviour Orders. Members of the public cannot personally apply for these orders, but you can report anti-social behaviour to the authorities and request action.

Civil Injunctions and Criminal Behaviour Orders

The two main replacements for the old ASBO work in different ways and are applied for by different bodies.

Civil injunctions are preventative orders that can be sought through the County Court, or through the youth court for anyone under 18. They can include prohibitions on certain behaviour, requirements to attend courses or programmes, or both. The following organisations can apply for a civil injunction:

Local councils
Police forces
Social landlords, including housing associations
The Environment Agency
NHS Protect
Transport for London and other transport providers

A civil injunction can be granted if the court is satisfied that the person has engaged in, or threatens to engage in, anti-social behaviour. For adults, the standard of proof is the civil standard, meaning on the balance of probabilities. Breaching a civil injunction without reasonable excuse is contempt of court, which can result in a fine, a supervision order, or in serious cases, imprisonment for up to two years.

Criminal Behaviour Orders are different. These can only be imposed by a criminal court after someone has already been convicted of a criminal offence. The prosecution applies for the order at the time of sentencing, and the court must be satisfied that the offender has engaged in behaviour that caused, or was likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to others. A Criminal Behaviour Order can last for a minimum of two years for adults, with no maximum duration. For under 18s, the minimum is one year and the maximum is three years. Breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order is itself a criminal offence, punishable by up to five years in prison.

As an individual, you cannot apply for either of these orders yourself. Your role is to report the behaviour to the relevant authorities and provide evidence where possible.

Other Powers Available to Councils and Police

The 2014 Act introduced several additional tools that can be used to tackle anti-social behaviour more quickly or in specific circumstances.

Community Protection Notices are designed to deal with ongoing nuisance behaviour by individuals, businesses or organisations. A council officer, police officer or police community support officer can issue one of these notices if they are satisfied that the behaviour is having a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the area, that it is persistent or continuing, and that it is unreasonable. The notice will require the person or business to stop the behaviour, or to take reasonable steps to address the problem. Failure to comply without reasonable excuse is a criminal offence, punishable by a fixed penalty notice or a fine on conviction.

Public Spaces Protection Orders allow councils to restrict specific behaviour in defined public areas. These are often used to address issues such as drinking alcohol in public, failing to control dogs, or gathering in ways that cause harassment to residents. A Public Spaces Protection Order can last for up to three years and can be renewed. Breach is a criminal offence, usually dealt with by a fixed penalty notice or a fine. These orders apply to everyone in the specified area, not just to named individuals.

Closure notices and closure orders can be used to shut down premises that are causing serious nuisance or disorder. A closure notice can be issued by the police or a council for up to 48 hours without a court order, and a closure order can then be applied for through the Magistrates Court to extend the closure for up to three months, with the possibility of further extension. These powers may be used for problem properties where persistent disturbances are occurring.

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The Community Trigger: Requesting a Case Review

If you have reported anti-social behaviour on multiple occasions and feel that the response has been inadequate, you may be able to use the Community Trigger, also known as the ASB Case Review.

The Community Trigger gives residents the right to ask the local council, police and other relevant agencies to formally review the response to their complaints. The threshold for activating the trigger varies slightly between areas, but in most cases you will qualify if you have reported three or more incidents of anti-social behaviour within the previous six months and believe the response has not been satisfactory.

When a Community Trigger is activated, the relevant agencies must carry out a joint review of the case and decide whether further action should be taken. They must then inform you of the outcome. This process is intended to ensure that persistent problems are not overlooked and that agencies work together effectively.

You can find out how to request a Community Trigger review by contacting your local council's anti-social behaviour team or checking their website. The process may also be available through your local police force or social landlord.

Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.

How to Report Anti-Social Behaviour

If you are experiencing anti-social behaviour, there are several ways to report it and seek help.

Police: For non-emergencies, call 101 or use your local force's online reporting form. In an emergency, always call 999.
Council: Contact your local council's anti-social behaviour team. Most councils have an online reporting form as well as a telephone line.
Social landlord: If you rent from a housing association or council, report the behaviour to your landlord. Social landlords have powers to take action against tenants who cause nuisance, and they can also apply for civil injunctions.

When reporting, it helps to keep a diary of incidents, noting the date, time, what happened and any witnesses. Photographs, video or audio recordings may also be useful, as long as they are obtained lawfully. This evidence can support any action taken by the authorities.

If you feel the response to your reports has been inadequate, you can request a Community Trigger review as described above. If you remain dissatisfied after that, you may wish to use the council's formal complaints procedure or, in some cases, contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

Scotland and Wales

Anti-social behaviour law in Scotland is governed by separate legislation, primarily the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004. Scottish councils and police have their own range of powers, including antisocial behaviour orders, which were retained in Scotland rather than being replaced as in England and Wales. If you live in Scotland, contact your local council or Police Scotland for guidance on the procedures that apply in your area.

In Wales, the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 applies in the same way as in England, but some aspects of housing and local government are devolved. Welsh councils and police use the same tools, including civil injunctions, Criminal Behaviour Orders, Community Protection Notices and Public Spaces Protection Orders. However, local procedures and thresholds for the Community Trigger may vary, so check with your local council for details.

For official guidance on anti-social behaviour powers, see the GOV.UK website, which provides detailed information for both residents and practitioners. Your local council's website will usually have a dedicated section on anti-social behaviour, including how to report incidents and what to expect from the process. If you are a tenant of a housing association or council, your landlord should also be able to explain what action they can take and how to make a complaint.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for a civil injunction or Criminal Behaviour Order myself?

No. Only specified bodies such as councils, the police, social landlords and prosecutors can apply for these orders. As a member of the public, your role is to report the behaviour and provide evidence.

What happened to the ASBO?

The ASBO was abolished in England and Wales on 20 October 2014 by the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. It was replaced by civil injunctions and Criminal Behaviour Orders. In Scotland, antisocial behaviour orders remain in use under separate legislation.

What is the Community Trigger and how do I use it?

The Community Trigger allows you to request a formal review of the response to your anti-social behaviour complaints if you have reported three or more incidents in six months and feel the response has been inadequate. Contact your local council's anti-social behaviour team to find out how to make a request.

What should I do if I am not satisfied with the response to my reports?

You can request a Community Trigger review, use your council's formal complaints procedure, or contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman if you believe your complaint has not been handled properly.

The Next Step

Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan lets you get a clear action plan to deal with anti-social neighbours. Takes 2 minutes. Try it now →

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Ask Problem Neighbours a Question

ProblemNeighbours Editor 26/05/2026 at 6:25 pm

@Lee Flatmates are a different beast to neighbours, as anti-social behaviour powers won't really apply inside a shared tenancy. Your first step is to check your tenancy agreement and have a proper sit-down chat, ideally with a written list of the issues. If you're all on a joint tenancy, the landlord may be reluctant to get involved, but it's still worth flagging it to them. If things are serious, Citizens Advice can talk you through your options, including ending the tenancy early. Can you give a bit more detail about what's actually going on?

Lee 26/05/2026 at 6:24 pm

Problem with flat mates

ProblemNeighbours Editor 17/05/2026 at 1:33 pm

@Shonie That sounds genuinely awful and you shouldn't have to live like this. Keep a written diary of every incident with dates and times, and ask Environmental Health for noise monitoring equipment, as that creates the evidence the council actually acts on. Also request a formal Community Trigger (ASB Case Review) once you've made three reports in six months; it forces them to review the case properly. Overcrowding in a 3 bed with 21 people is a housing breach too, so push the council on that angle separately.

Shonie 25/03/2024 at 6:40 pm

A year ago the council moved a Romanian family 11kids mum and dad next door to me in a 3 bed property. Now mum and dad have moved more family in so now there's about 16 kids and 5 adults .The noise is unbearable from morning till night slamming doors banging walls and screaming it usually stops by 11 . I'm always phoning the police and complaining to the council . I'm having a nervous breakdown

Rachel Cave 09/02/2024 at 1:35 pm

This advice is out of date. ASBOs no longer exist.

Ava 01/02/2023 at 12:55 pm

My Nightmare neighbour's were here not long before I moved in to a lovely new build house. At first they seem over friendly but abit strange. As a lone female a decided to fit a doorbell camera on my property only to find out that her boyfriend constantly looking up to my bedroom window each time he comes home he walks slowly behind her looking directly into my door camera he invites his friends and their family and they all do the same thing. They stare through my windows it's so bizarre and I don't know if other lone females find that this is normal behavior they also have to put up with? However I decided to complain about the constant cannabis use outside my house when i come home from work which set them off even worst but in glad I started to fight back against the cult. Only yesterday I was blocked in my drive by two of their visitors two overgrown strange men in a pick up and a van they was laughing and saying they won't move untill I beg them so I called the police. The police was here within 5 minutes they sent a dog van and the 2 men moved immediately after I told them I'm calling them so far they have been warned by the officer. I have notified again today the local housing officer of my ordeal yesterday and will see what action they take I have some hope and faith in him so far. Last night I cried when I got to work and I was made to late by this strange behavior only to come home to see on my camera the boy looking directly up to my bedroom late at night once again I'm really concerned for my safety. It seems like I have moved next to some hillbilly cult like you see in the films.

Lolo 03/12/2022 at 9:44 pm

I am disturbed every day/night up to 16/20 hours a day/week with noise and vibration from amplification equipment emanating from adjoining terrace property,having tried to resolve this disturbance and of sleep deprivation by the local Environmental Health Department, they are reluctant to help further and visit my home to substantiate what my factual complaint is about at unsociable causing stress and illness due to Circulation problems and Blood Pressure at the age of 83.
Therefore I am unable to live comfortable in the property and been advised I am unable to put it up for sale or purchase whilst it is in dispute of Noise and Vibration,furthermore I am unable to rent temporary accommodation like a flat with being a pensioner on State Pension payments.
So would be grateful for any advice given to my real problems of many months of life disturbance.

Suki 18/05/2022 at 7:50 pm

I've lived in my flat for almost 20 years. New neigbours moved in above me, a mum and two kids aged eight and twelve. On the first day she was screaming at some guys right outside my door, another neighbour asked her to stop or go into her flat, she screamed at her to get the police if she didn't like it. After a week of constantly dragging furniture over my ceiling and leaving a very bright light on 24/7 shining directly through glass into my bedroom I knocked on their door and got told to fxxx off. A few hours later a knock on my door which I assumed was her to apologise, it was the police who she told I had threatened to punch her. I'd recorded the encounter so played it to the police so they knew she had lied. I've suffered daily constant smashing of the ceiling, threats, racial abuse, my old dog is being taunted by a camera with their door directly opposite and it plays barking and other noises to try and get the dog to bark which virtually never happens anymore at all but it happens every time. They flooded by ceiling and I had to wait with a ceiling ready to collapse for over eight months because of the excuse of lockdown whilst loads of trade men were doing work above my home. She put a camera up which is trained on my front door and a sensor which actually makes noises as I and my dog move around our home. Two months after they moved in my sofa started vibrating which at first I assumed was their washing machine till it didnt stop and its on pretty constantly so its vibrating my bed and waking me up at least every hour so I'm constantly sleep deprived. When it first started in gave me Sciatica and I couldn't even stand up. The police don't help at all, especially the local police. I have nerve damage in my hand and am in physical pain with the vibration. I can't understand the lack of action by the police. I feel it's escalating and I'm scared for my elderly dog and I.

Fish 03/05/2022 at 7:11 am

Iv been having trouble with my neighbour now for 5 years .. I caught my neighbour s son who is in his thirty’s naked trying to break in my house the police done absolutely nothing . Then I noticed the mother dyed her hair the same as mine then started dressing like me she copies everything from my garden to sheets to towels etc the list goes on .. whatever I have she will get the same .. then the dogs started she would her dogs from 6 in the morning till 11 at night .. I have a autistic son who hates the sound of her dogs she has 2 yapping jack Russel the sound is so loud . She would stalk me if I was in the garden barking them dogs constantly if my windows open she will bark them if I’m in the shower she would bark then it drove me insane .. iv had 2 panic attacks lost my hair twice & had a cancer scare all because of her . Iv had mediation twice & she knows that the dogs have distressed my autistic son and still she carries on and on … believe or not this woman works for the nhs and cares for old people (she should not be in this job as she picks on the old man on the other side ) she is a bully who picks the vulnerable she gets a big buzz from distressing people .. I feel Ill because of this it never stops .. I find her very creepy & weird .. I haven’t been able to sit and relax in my garden for 3 years as she’s always there waiting to bark the dogs I have to walk the streets or sit on a field at the back of me as my son cannot bear the noise .. she lives in a brought house mine is council and she thinks she is better than me .. the neighbour the other side had trouble with her and rang the police they came to mine because they wanted to know the history between me & the evil witch .. a lovely police lady said she will help me and now we might be served a good neighbour order so hopefully things might get better.(fingers&legs crossed) I am not going to let her bully me out of my home

Louie 03/10/2021 at 6:23 pm

Our neighbour visited us 3 years ago. He demanded we take our trellis off our drive edging which had been part of our property for over 50 years. He said it now belonged to him. When we refused he started shouting and his behaviour became aggressive.
We received 4 solicitors letters threatening us with court action. We refused to be intimidated and did not remove our trellis from our own drive edging. After a year of causing us terrible distress it was obvious there wasn’t going to be a court case. The letters were intended to bully us.

His house camera back and front films us on our drive and garden which alerts him we are around. He stalks me down the garden hiding behind the trees. Without the fence he has a clear view. When my husband is around he attacks him shouting and threatening . On one occasion he accused our grown up sons of destroying his drive. He threatened to call the police unless i removed myself from the land near my garage doors , he didn’t like me near the boundary.

The following year we had to address his 4 inch thick ivy vines growing through our fence. When we removed the vines the fence fell apart. 30ft of the fence was destroyed by his walling pushing the posts to such a degree they snapped off. It was obvious the 45ft tree he allowed to grow between his double stone walls had destroyed his walls and in turn our fence . We wrote him a note asking him to check out the situation . He said his falling walls were not causing an issue and he would monitor the situation regarding the tree. He refused to remove the tree to halt the damage to his wall instead he knocked a number of nails into the trunk in a bid to kill it. A tree surgeon warned us the walls would fall due to the tree roots and the tree could fall. The neighbour refused the tree surgeons quote to remove the tree.

The walls eventually fell and the roots of this ash tree were exposed. The 45ft tree with its roots exposed was leaning towards our garden but he still showed no concern. His only response was to blame us for destroying his wall.
He stated in writing he had photographs of us levering the wall off. He had sent the photographs to our solicitor. Our solicitor had no such photographs sent to him.
We asked Coventry council building control to help us as the situation was intolerable and felt this 45ft tree was a threat to us and our property. Their inspector demanded he remove the tree and make good the wall.

We attempted to restore a few fence panels in our pergola area exactly in line where our fence had been for 40 years . Our neighbour pulled out the posts and threw them across our garden. He shouted he would saw them up if we attempted to restore our fence again. He wrote a letter confirming he would remove our fence .

We arranged a RICS survey in a desperate bid to stop his constant threats and aggressive behaviour. Before the survey and whilst we were away on holiday he moved our garden furniture out of the way and built

Annie 26/09/2021 at 10:46 pm

Anchor housing who allow bullying ,threatening behaviour, harassment and physical attacks on vulnerable people all carried out by one person . No proper investigations just making notes in diaries . Letters to Jane Ashcroft chair of Anchor not taken seriously Managers cover up as don’t want confrontations . Moral low amongst people bullied tenants . Racism ., swearing liars make up this persons character . Lady who is responsible has had fraud case in past found guilty . Judge commented on her behaviour of aggression threats to tenants and violent outbursts and now she lives at Housing housing and carries on her Oppressive Regime that she operated before .

Stretch 15/06/2021 at 12:06 pm

I live constantly with anti-social behaviour young lad where I live is nothing but a bully threatening to kill myself my wife. My son even threatened my 6-year old granddaughter the police have informed been informed this fug has been known to carry knives threatening to stab us he's been to prison for carrying offensive weapons but still the anti-social behaviour and the threats still continue the problem is we are all living in a tower block and the council will not do anything against this bullying fool. All they keep saying is going rent private to get away from him but unfortunately my 80 year old mother lives in the property next door and I can't leave their on her own own.

none 07/05/2021 at 4:07 pm

We have nightmare neighbours living next door to us, they moved in about 8-9 yrs ago.since then we have been frettend, harrassed, hate, bullyed, deliberate damage to our property, deliberate damage to me, humiliating us, and slander in and around the place we live, we dont go out when they are there, if we have to go to the doctors, we try to get out before they start shouting and bullying us. Are life has been a total night mare, we fill like we are living in a prison with no one to turn to, they let there trees grow high only to damage are property, its cost us alot of money to repair, as we are frieghtened to ask them for the money, The said thing about all this and much more is I am disabled and carnt fight back in any form and they know this, which just makes my partner and I cry so much.They bring there family up and people know and sometimes we fill they have the law on there side because he seems to click his finger and they come running, but no one cares when dose things to.We would love to know if anyone has any advice they can help us with, as we just wont all this suffering and pain they have inflicked on us to just go away, as help is not good and my partner is worried about me, as all this is making my health alot worse

Normal man 19/04/2021 at 10:08 pm

My problem neighbour has threatened to kill me but not just me 6 homes who's bedroom's and kitchen windows that look out upon his flat if you look at him he will attack which is very hard as he dances around his flat shouting and screaming and what is wrong with looking out of your own window he also screams and lunges at anyone wearing a face mask (mandatory) I jumped back from having my face mask ripped off saying 'we have to stop covid' his furious reply was it's all government lies? This guy looks like an ogre a real brut always dressed in all black a volatile retard is the term. The police won't do anything because they're frightened of this block of flats and turn up after the ambulances because they're made to. for instance ...stabbings...kidnap...beaten up so badly they are put in hospital (Sometimes). The police will not help you for someone smashing your door in and attacking you...rape...drug dealers...prostitution and clients...smashing your windows...week long rave parties...shouting and swearing from 4pm until 10am every night... You sort of get the picture it's like the outer ring of hell. The council will not do anything?

SHARON 14/03/2021 at 3:21 am

EVERY DAY AND NIGHT A MAN COMES INTO MY FLA TAND COVERS MY MOUTH AND FACE WITH A HEROINE THE FAXE AND NECK IS NOW GROWING OF HAIR HE PUT HEROINEON MY FACES TRIED TO MAKE ME LOOK LIKE A MAN THE HAIR GROWTH UNDER THE NECK AND AT THE SIDE HE HAS USED A HEROJNE SUBSTITTE CALLED HRT A MALE HORMONE SEE THE FACE AND THE NECK HE HAS DONE THIS WITH THE BELOW NEIGHBOURD THYE SIT AT MY BED AND COVER THE WHOLE FACE EVERY NIGHT THEY HAVE A CRIMINAL OUTPUT OF BURBARY AND ANPHETOMINE CRISIS THYE ARE NOT IN MY FALT BUT USE MY PHONE TO DEAL DRUGS ALL DAY FORM THEIR OWN PHONE SEE MY FACE AS I WAKE ASK THEM WHO DOES THIS ASK THE MEMBER OF MY FAMILY WHO DOES TRHIS AND WHEN SEE THEM AND THEN FINE THEM FOR ABUSE THEIR HEROINE ADDICTS ARE HERE AS WHORES ALL THE TIME

Ghost?? 17/01/2021 at 3:10 pm

I live next to a group of boys who constantly go in and out of eachothers flats ( in a national lockdown) while slamming the doors and shouting down the corridor. They do this at all hours of the day including after 10 and 11pm. They also smoke weed in the bathroom as the fumes come through my extractor fan stinking my entire flat out. Me and my opposite neighbour have asked them to stop slamming doors yet they don't seem to care... its preventing me sleeping, causing me stress and making working from home difficult. The strong smell of weed also triggers my cough and I have now been diagnosed with migraines. I've spoken to my letting agency who have spoken to them, yet this has been going on since September and they're breaking multiple tenancy agreements. What else can I do?

Miss Ellie 09/01/2021 at 10:17 pm

My neighbor is putting old food out on his back porch which is causing me to have my dog try to run loose off the chain and run over to get the food this is causing problems with puppy training and disciplining my dog he is doing this on purpose because he watched the dog for me when I was in the hospital and he is trying to get the dog to come over to his house

Victim 08/01/2021 at 9:05 am

There is nothing you can do about any of the above. There is nothing for the victims suffering from all of the above. I have suffered from it all for years. The housing associations have themselves covered in everyway. There is nothing out there I'm sorry to say. I have exhausted every avenue. Anti social people have the rights before the victim. My case has been going on years and there's no end to it. If the person is disabled it's even worse. You cannot do anything against a disabled person even if your disabled yourself. Every help will be given to the perpetrators and you'll be given nothing. There are thousands and thousands of sufferers out there. I am suicidal everyday, how much do we have to endure.

Flower 03/01/2021 at 5:07 pm

If anyone can advize please??????.
Ive started making daily reportings on paper,ive done 2 weeks and sent them to landlord. Its opened a anti social investigation or whatever they call it?. Can anyone tell me what they do after this???..Also i thought i was told that the neighbours in question are told that they are being noise reported daily???. Is this true???. I dont care if they are as they know its from me the complaint is coming from as ive got nothing to hide and want to be upront.
Legally??,,are they told?.

M 09/12/2020 at 8:58 pm

My life is being made a misery by groups of youths that are outside my house everyday/ evening.
They are noisy, they throw litter in my garden & smoke skunk that smells awful. And are generally intimidating.
In late November the police turned up as they had been called (not by me) they knocked on my door thinking the boys were something to do with me as they congregate on my fence outside my house. But, as l am a grandma l think it was obvious l wouldn’t have children that age.
Since then it’s got worse for me. An attempted break in, a broken window, graffiti & attempted break in of my garage & as l live alone & am in ill health with a long term health condition l cannot stand much more. Today they forced their female group member on to the pavement and touched her in what seemed to be an inappropriate manner before taking turns to stand on her torso ! I don’t want to see this but as they are outside my windows it can’t be helped. The police have advised l keep a diary of incidents & when possible have photographic evidence to present to the council but l am frightened that if l give that information to council it will cause more problems. I am at my wits end. I have a months worth of evidence but the powers that be want more.

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