What to do if You're a Victim of a Neighbour's Violence

Originally written by Jeff Durham, updated by the editorial team on 18th May 2026

When neighbour disputes turn violent

Most disagreements between neighbours stay within the bounds of heated words or ongoing frustration. Even when things get tense, people usually find a way to move forward or reach some form of compromise once tempers cool.

But in rare cases, a dispute can escalate beyond arguments. A neighbour may lose control and become physically violent. This might happen during a confrontation that spirals out of hand, or in extreme situations, an attack can come without any obvious trigger.

If you have experienced violence from a neighbour, this is a serious matter. You may have legal protections, and there are steps that could help in keeping you safe and addressing the incident.

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What to do during an attack

If a neighbour becomes physically violent towards you, your safety comes first. Try to remove yourself from the situation if you can do so without putting yourself at greater risk.

Making noise can help. Shouting or calling out may alert other neighbours who could assist or act as witnesses. If you are inside your home, try to move to a room where you can lock the door and call for help.

Current legal guidelines allow you to use reasonable force to defend yourself. Crown Prosecution Service guidance states that such force must be both necessary and proportionate to the threat you face. What counts as reasonable will depend on the circumstances. If you are unsure about your legal position after defending yourself, seek advice from a solicitor.

Call 999 if you are in immediate danger. The police treat physical assault as a criminal matter and will respond to reports of violence.

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

Steps to take after a violent incident

Once you are safe, there are several things you should do to protect yourself and strengthen any future case against your neighbour.

Report the assault to the police as soon as possible. You can call 999 in an emergency, use the non-emergency number 101 when there is no immediate danger, or report online through your local police force website. Even if the violence seems minor, having an official record matters. Ask for a crime reference number when you report the incident.
Seek medical attention for any injuries, however small they appear. A medical record provides evidence if you later pursue a complaint or legal action. Your GP or local A&E department can document your injuries.
Take photographs of any visible injuries and any damage to your property or clothing. Do this as soon as you can after the incident.
Write down what happened while it is fresh in your mind. Include the date, time, location, what was said, and the names of anyone who witnessed the incident.
If neighbours saw or heard the attack, ask whether they would be willing to provide a statement. Witness accounts can support your version of events.

Keep copies of all documents, photographs and correspondence in a safe place. This includes any previous records of disputes with the same neighbour, as a pattern of behaviour may be relevant.

Further action and support

Depending on the severity of the assault, the police may charge your neighbour with a criminal offence. Common charges include common assault, actual bodily harm, or grievous bodily harm. The Crown Prosecution Service decides whether to proceed with a prosecution based on the evidence.

You may also have grounds for a civil claim against your neighbour for compensation. A solicitor can advise you on whether this is a realistic option in your circumstances.

If you feel unsafe in your home following the attack, there are measures that can help. You can apply to the court for an injunction to prevent your neighbour from approaching or contacting you. In cases involving harassment or repeated threats, an injunction can provide ongoing protection. Non-molestation orders are another option, though these are typically used in domestic violence cases involving family members or partners rather than neighbour disputes.

Your local council may be able to assist, particularly if you live in social housing or if the neighbour does. Many councils have antisocial behaviour teams, though their role focuses on antisocial behaviour rather than criminal acts, which remain a matter for police. Housing associations also have policies for dealing with tenants who commit violent acts.

Where you feel intimidated about reporting in person, you can make reports online or ask someone to report on your behalf. In some ongoing disputes where it is safe and appropriate, mediation services can help reach a resolution without further legal action.

Victim Support offers free and confidential help to anyone affected by crime, including assault. You can contact them on 0808 16 89 111 whether or not you have reported the incident to the police. Citizens Advice can provide guidance on your options and help you understand the process through their website or local offices.

For detailed information on reporting crimes and what happens after you report, visit the GOV.UK website or your local police force website.

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Ask Problem Neighbours a Question

ProblemNeighbours Editor 17/05/2026 at 1:31 pm

@??? That sounds terrifying and you need to act fast. Ring 999 if he's there or 101 to report both break-ins, and ask for a crime reference number for each. With that, contact your council's housing options team and tell them you're fleeing violence, as they have a duty to look at emergency accommodation. Also speak to Victim Support on 0808 16 89 111 and consider applying for a restraining order or non-molestation order through a solicitor.

??? 05/01/2024 at 10:45 pm

My naighbour broke into my home twice extremely aggressive towards me I want him out I want somewhere safe I follow the law

Victim 26/10/2023 at 8:15 am

I'm a victim of a violent crime defendant was arrested and released assaulted me again resulting in bodily injury needing surgery defendant is still free and assaulted me again the police seem not to care what can I do

Another Victim 25/09/2023 at 9:13 am

I am just another victim, of horrible corruptive druggie violent vermin neighbors. Reason why there's so many victims out there is because the law is insane and seems to protect the culprits NOT the victims! I have lost count how many times I have had to move because of violent chav neighbors who HARRASSED me out of every home I have had and yet those culprits still have a home! There should be a law that if the culprits bully harrass violently out of the victims home they should automatically be evicted! I empathise with all the victims venting on this website all the problems they've had to endure through rotten neighbors who shouldn't have been housed in the first place! All the violent ustable mentally ill have been housed in social housing. I have lived all over the UK and keep finding the same rotten types where ever I live, whether private or social rent!

B 05/08/2023 at 6:31 pm

Please help I was recently assaulted by my neighbour. I have 4 children and we are terrified to return home. He has given us death threats and told people where we live and work. Police are aware but have let him out on bail. We have no home to go to and are currently sofa surfing

Tired and ready to 14/04/2023 at 2:16 am

. My elderly neighbor decides to house his homeless nephew, nephews girlfriend, and the nephew mom aswell. They come from the ghetto. Loud, disrespectful,. No respect they were evicted 2 other places now this is there last resort by living with elderly. Mom tried to bargen and offered rides out of kindness, she loaned stuff to them etc just to keep peace. Mother gave the nephews girfriend a item for easter and asked if she could return it back to her. Girl agreed. 2 days later item still missing, mom goes to get her item back, the boyfriend comes out hostile shouting slurs and all kinds of cussing. Mom let it go but had gave them parting words calling them "homeless" . Hell broke loose, they keep taunting and harassing bodily harm to us. They have anger issues they beat on the old man upstairs aswell. Police dont care , office management doesnt care , its time to set our sights elsewhere. They truely want to fight us over nothing at all.. and to top it off the item my mom wanted back in easter was in the girl hand earlier. They all want a reaction out of us and i feel miserable here, im autistic and have severe social anxiety and my once peaceful place isnt so peaceful anymore because theyre big bullies

Kam 04/04/2023 at 8:59 pm

Hi my neibour has threatened to kill my family and said these singhs think they own everything he also said he was going to kill us and cost us money. He has said many many times he will rip my husbands beard off saying this to a sikh man is very disrespectful as we Sikhs have to wear the 5 ks. This is so racist. We have video and audio of this he has done this many times before but we didn't have proof but now we do. The police are doing nothing again even with evidence what should we do?

Kaalakanniya 24/03/2023 at 7:50 pm

Loud music, dog feces, dogs barking, physical assult, verbal assult, thuggery, bringing thugs to assult, not doing any kind of job and staying by the road allways. Yes my name is ashan and i like to bully people.i am a bully.

Vaughn Curtin 22/03/2023 at 3:38 am

I was attacked by my next door jelani Mitchell here at willow on wassaic ny 12582 in doverplains Southview I want my landlord Mario to evict them in case he throughs another flower pot at me and breaks my other arm

rainy 05/03/2023 at 10:40 pm

Why does it seem like the police are usually on the bad guy's side, or else they ALWAYS tell you to move, if there 's a significant problem with the neighbors. How pathetic and rude!

traumatized by 2 vic 03/02/2023 at 4:14 am

My neighbour has been assaulting me, scaring me, obstructing my property, ruining everything outside my home, dog feces everywhere, sends the police to my house accusing me of things I never have done, the police have been at my home 8 times, once one police said that he didn't hear anything, questioned her mental state, things which she does, she has all her family there, sometimes 11/12 people, 6 dogs, bangs on walls, puts tapes of banging on walls, music, yelling, verbally harasses me, tries to assault me physically, attempts to throw rocks at me, disturbs anyone who visits, including the repair people, plumber, electrician etc. She is a business-woman, has a reputable restaurant, I'm a senior 74 years of age.. She kicked on my door more than once, the list is endless, my area is a pleasant townhome complex in Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada.. The police say that they cannot get involved... My neighbour also got the other neighbour to do the same thing, the other neighbour hosed me down when she was watering her garden, police said she told them it was an accident, people are afraid and do not want to get involved, my house is very nice, very comfortable, I love the area, I do not understand why the police does not do anything.. I have been living here for over 20 years, and this has been going on since 2010...and I don't know what she and the other neighbour want from me.. I am smack in the middle of these two vicious women...

Pat 12/11/2022 at 9:36 am

I'm a 67year old female and was attacked by a neighbor, I have limited physical movement. The neighbor is a 40-50year old man. He attacked me in my apt private hallway, during this whole process I've been treated like the aggressor, I'm being charged with attacking him, none of this makes sense, I was so confused and upset after being attacked I couldn't speak with the police, however he was able to give a statement to the police while I was rushed to the nearest hospital, when is it okay to attach someone and not be arrested.please help! I'm in a lot of pain, can't eat or drink and none of the services I received at the hospital made sense. They took no pictures bottom line I was at the hospital for 7 hours and no one even gave me a drink of water all day. nothing to eat or drink, no nothing! I was treated like a criminal. What is up with this situation. ....... please help, I am a common sense person, what's going on.....

Mark and Becky 03/06/2022 at 3:18 am

I live in a ground floor flat and I have a lot of years I own my own property full stop and I've got a young couple couple living upstairs question mark and when they moved in I really got got on well with them. The worst thing about it when I leave my property I don't think about where I live or he was in my street. What about 3 weeks ago this lad upstairs from me called Robby Staton. You said you said something about me and it's come back to me you've grasp me up. I said why would I send him about you when I've got good relationship with you I said I've not said anything about you and whoever saying it the lion. I said tell me some said it and he said I can't tell you which really sounds suspicious? anyway I've over hear him saying they're going to smash my car up was parked on the front of my flat. I've got CCTV up but I've been noticing a lot of strange things lately people coming in the street checking CCTV cameras across the road from me which I've got on camera lhp the housing officers know and the police I know everything going on so the police that's recommended me that has CCTV cameras which I had done. Tonight the 3rd of the 6th 20 22 taxi food ovens please the half of the 11 out of it it will be round the street to check the CCTV out again. What's the best thing about this camera backed up the head office and it's on the cloud and email system full stop over here yesterday they said we all the cameras up isn't really what we're going to do to me and my property? This is the trouble when you live in the ground floor flat and if anything I said you automatically get the blame I've lived here for 15 years now and I have quite a few neighbours somebody is really good but the younger generation are very vindictive and nasty. But what they don't realise with everybody no one in the street and lhp knowing they will not only lose their tenancy but they will never get another social housing again but they don't take this into consideration which isn't really helping my circulation. For something I know I've not said if anything I really like the lad upstairs and his girlfriend I thought of a decent neighbours but you can never tell? He's already been in court for tampering with evidence and getting to witnesses and threatening them that they will how there house Watch and sorted out. I tried to keep myself to myself in the street I've got a good couple of Neighbours good friends they also lived in the street a lot years a lot longer than me. I also know they've got cameras up I actually got this Robbie on the course saying to his father-in-law Darryl that he's going to get his car smashed up preferably with him in it and smash his flat up. The police have had it and so as the housing organisation lhp? So always has been said on here so I won't say who said it but I said something which I haven't like I say I thought was a decent couple but you can never tell

PA 02/04/2022 at 11:26 pm

I am a victim of punishment for no reason. Police
do nothing when a crime is reported.
I am being surveillance 24/7.
With no criminal record and no health issues to be subjected to pain, suffering and being used without my consent, when it comes to the Nuremberg Code, forced to inhale toxic substances which are not A Class drugs, being pumped into my mums flat.
As a carer it's very danagerous whilst looking after mum.
My phone calls are sometimes cut and I have to radial, stalked and victimised.
There has been false misleading statements made up against me, plus I was kidnapped, its shocking.
I made a complaint and received reprisal in another form, which resulted to assaults.
We need to protect our human rights. And to clear my name if their illegal databaseçk
I call out for someone, the navy if possible, this who is not scared, to help us.

Thank you

DrO 10/07/2021 at 10:49 pm

Ain't dieversity grand? Our country isn't our country, let alone our neighborhoods.

Evelyn 08/07/2021 at 8:13 am

It's called discrimination cause anyone else is assualted or threatened the person gets arrested for it but cause hes got hate issues &mental health hes allowed to get away with it & nothing is said to him, police didnt even visit him he is not I'll but I am with multiple illnesses including copd&resp. & many other health issues, I am a very high risk cev under medical grounds who should be safeguarded but it dosnt look like I am I feel discriminated & unsafe living here incase he attacks me again as hes always threatening to kill me but it seems as if hes allowed to do this cause he has mental health problems, but I will not ask for nomore help & if he attacks me I am going to defend myself. All I want is to live my life I have left without all this trouble it's making my health worsen I dont want this neighbour in my life I dont know what hes like or does but I dont care as long as he stays out of my life & away from me.

Jacks 17/04/2021 at 1:54 am

My mom bought an 1acre of land the neigbor built a fence 30 feet into my mom property and i asked if he can take it down i gave him 30 days to take the fence down and he didnt so i decided to take the fence down with my budied the neighbor came out shoting at us with a shot gun

Babygirl 10/04/2021 at 11:10 pm

My manor is my brother, he started this 5 years ago the rumors about me being lesbian, a prostitute, I sleep with anyone and will sell my self for what ever kind of dope. He has made falus police calls in two different county's called in on alot of people for doing drugs and used my name . He lays to my mom sisters and brothers about me and we went as far as saying I should do the world a favor and hang my self . This morning he almost got his wish. I tryed letting the housings know but of course nothing, I called the police station they said they were going tevect me. My mom and family don't help me or him. I was talking to a man that my brother alvin was or maybe still is seeing . Alvin was or still is , sleeping with Tina demery belgrade , Tina married tommy and he has passed on and is sleeping with her cousin and my brother alvin she is also a victim in his appt. He bitten her ear almost off and was beating her now he quit but she still suffers with the mental abouse. She had all the proof on her cell phone to prove he is jay . Alvin demery I don't care what he is that's his business but 5 years ago he made it mine . Can I get help from someone out there. I've been in fear of my life. Expecally the last 4 years. Eather he takes it, or has someone do it or he actually got again what he wonted, me to do the world a favor and hang my self.

na 01/03/2021 at 12:28 pm

I have lived in my neighborhood for 52 years, on and off, as it is the house I grew up in. All of my life I have had cats, as they have been a big part of my life always. In both my private and professionalal life, as I went to school and got my license in the veterinary field becoming a registered veterinary technician, in which I spent twenty years working in the field in high stress areas until shortly after my daughter was born, where I managed to stay home with her. At that time we had about five cats. Well through the years we stayed at about three to five cats until the time my my mother fell ill and my daughter and I moved back into the family home. Just prior to moving home, I was given a female kitten from a friend for my birthday and a male kitten from my daughter. Both of them un neutered. Well with the circumstances with my mom and the reality we were back at home living on a fairly large piece of land, my daughter began to breed research cats. We were not just backyard breeders, S these cats were ell taken care of and loved greatly. In truth never reaching over twenty. And to Ny of the surrounding neighbors, you would never of known there were twenty as the property was big and there most times were only about five seeable at time. Except at night we
Except at night where the cats would come out from the woodwork, and I would take a good chunk of them out for a walk. Being there was no traffic in the area and it was she, they would follow until, I decided it was time to turn back around and head home.which they would then do the same. It is these cats which made up the elders of the cat colony. Today the eldest of the cats being at eight is nine years. Well as it turned out while my mother was ill the eldest cat, the father of the whole of them disappeared. Thinking he had run off like some of the others I just did my best to understand the reasoning or possibility as to what could have run him off so as not to have it occur another time. Because it was odd, S the cats all liked each other and got along well. At night or even in the daytime it was not uncommon for them to all come into the room in the garage and sleep on the bed which was in there. They at times would go into the house, however. Ost of them were outside and inside garage cats. It was sometime after, I found it to be that I had one neighbor who had been king the cats and another neighbor who had been taking the cats for his own personal self. As I discovered a few of them which he kept in his house never letting them out. Well when I discovered them, I did not know if I could do anything though in reality they had been my loved cats. So I kept quiet. Then my mo. Passed away. ND THE CATS BEGAN DISSAPPEARING . IN TBE OAST TWO MONTHS THE REMAINING FOUR OF MY EDEST MALES , CATS I HAD HAD FOR SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT YEARS DISAPPEARED. WELL HAVING SEEN ONE OF THEM IN THE WINDOW OF A NEIGHBOR I ASKED FOR IT BACK, BEING TD IT WAS NOT THEM WHO TOOK IT OR WHO HAD

Jjpb 01/02/2021 at 4:37 pm

Me and my eight month old Australian Cattle Dog were walking out one night and noticed that our lights didn't work one of them broke in another dismembered in the other motion LED just been some how long tampered with so there's no lights on the outside and one thing led to the next I was asking the police officer's wife next to her about looking at the surveillance so you said yes as the other neighbor across the street she said she didn't have surveillance so the downstairs neighbor of my apartment place literally ran and attacked me in my little puppy in our truck as I was already hurt by my ex-fiance I did call 911 they made a joke of it all the neighbors lied and nothing is ever been done so I have lived in fear alone with my little puppy ever since people Come in when we leave like I'm scared day in and day out for my little puppy dog she's a nice little dog and she is being lied about I'm being lied about knowing believe I'm being set up set up set up cuz that's what the downstairs neighbor to sing so now I'm sitting in my driveway with my little puppy almost in tears as to what to do there's a water leak in my car and I'm scared to call my landlord no protection 911 or protection still to go tell the neighbor about anyting somebody's been tampering with stuff all day everyday around here and I'm scared to death and doing nothing wrong because all these people or Horde and lying and I don't know what to do But I don't want to attack again I don't want lied about and I don't want Set up I am talk texting a few to again the disability on my right side along with my left side my ex got my right side the neighbor got the left side and I have not been right since I have contacted I'm at my wit's end but I know that I don't know what to do right is right and wrong is wrong and I don't have a problem coming then but my ex does and my downstairs neighbors got her window open waiting for me to leave and I don't have one person but in my area is got my back man they even live with to talk to the cops 10 years please help me in this cute puppies

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