Anti-social behaviour

Cold calling is a technique whereby a salesperson contacts individuals who have not previously expressed an interest in the products or services that are being offered.  Contact can be made on the telephone or at the door.

Action you can take

Never buy services from a cold caller – you can use www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk to find Trading Standards approved traders.

At the door:

• Display a door sticker advertising that you do not buy at the door
• Find out about no cold calling zones and if you could have one in your area – Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth, Isle of Wight.

Find more advice on protecting yourself from rogue traders and distraction burglary on our crime prevention pages.

On the phone:

• Register with the Telephone Preference Service 0345 070 0707 or go to the TPS website
• Screen your calls or use call blocking – talk to your phone service provider to see what they can offer.

Read consumer group Which’s advice on stopping cold calling and our Safer Pack for advice on fraud including phone call fraud.

Report it:

• Report suspected scams to Action Fraud (0300 123 2040)
• Report rogue traders by contacting the Citizens Advice consumer helpline by telephone 03454 04 05 06 or textphone 18001 03454 04 05 06.

Report distraction burglary to the Police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

Signs of drug use or dealing in your community:

• Increased traffic from cars and pedestrians that only stops for short periods.
• Activity or noise that is heavier at weekends, late at night or around paydays.
• People loitering around a property during periods of heavy traffic.
• People waiting in cars before or after visiting a property.
• People parking around the corner or a few streets away and approaching on foot.
• Money or parcels being exchanged through windows, letterboxes or under doors.
• Small packets being exchanged for money.
• Debris including tin foil, small plastic bags ‘wraps’, blister packs or syringes.

Report It

The removal and disposal of needles, syringes and other drug related items that are discarded in the environment and which may pose a risk to public safety is the responsibility of your local council.

If you suspect the manufacture, sale or use of drugs in your community call 101 and report the information, making a note of any people or vehicles involved can help the police identify offenders.

Drunken behaviour came out as the fourth highest anti-social behaviour concern in our survey.

It’s not a criminal offence to drink alcohol in the street. However, individuals or groups of people drinking alcohol together can sometimes lead to rowdy or disruptive behaviour.

Action you can take

Visit your local council’s website to see if they have a community warden service. Community wardens help prevent antisocial behaviour and have the power to confiscate alcohol from anyone drinking in the street.

Report it

Drunken behaviour can escalate into aggressive or lewd behaviour, such as intimidation or verbal abuse of passers-by, fighting or urinating in public and these are offences. To report this type of behaviour contact the police either  via the non-emergency number 101 or by calling 999 if you think the situation could get heated or violent very soon or if someone is in immediate danger.

Dog mess that is not cleared up by dog owners or dog walkers is an annoyance and is dangerous to health. Your local council is responsible for making sure that public areas are clear of dog mess.

The council’s dog warden or other council officer can issued fixed penalty fines.

Action you can take

When walking your dog, always take a scoop or bags with you, and put bags of dog mess in the bins provided.

Some councils like Southampton have campaigns designed to promote responsible dog ownership that you can get involved in.

Report it

If you see someone fail to clean up after their dog and you know their details or if a dog poo bin needs emptying contact your local council.

Environmental health at your local council can help you if you are experiencing statutory noise nuisance. It is not easy to define statutory noise nuisance, but it could be described as an unreasonable interference with the enjoyment of your property. You must experience it regularly and it must continue for a period of time for it to be considered unreasonable.

Noise from private households:

The following are UNLIKELY to be a statutory nuisance:

• A one-off party
• Neighbours arguing
• A lawnmower being used
• A baby crying

It is also very unlikely that fireworks will ever be frequent enough from any particular premises to constitute a statutory nuisance

Action you can take

• Often, in the case of neighbourhood noise, neighbours are not aware that their noise is causing a problem, so in the first instance talking to them can solve the problem easily.
• If you are planning a party or DIY project notify your neighbours in advance.

Commercial and industrial noise

Some businesses generate noise that disturbs people living or working nearby. Environmental health will investigate complaints and if the noise is classed as a statutory nuisance, can use enforcement powers if the business does not attempt to resolve the problem. This may include prosecuting the business. Sometimes there are other control measures in place to minimise the noise coming from a business, such as planning or licensing conditions.

Report it:

If you are experiencing the noise nuisance regularly contact your local council.

Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of rubbish or bulky items. As well as being unsightly and expensive to clear away, it can be dangerous to health and pollute land and waterways. In our anti-social behaviour fly-tipping came out as the seventh highest issue of concern to our communities.

Action you can take

When disposing of your waste you must use a licensed waste carrier, or take it to a registered site – you could be fined an unlimited amount by your local council if your waste ends up fly-tipped.

Find your local Household Waste Recycling Centre Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton, or on the Isle of Wight.

Report it

If you come across waste that has been fly-tipped this should be reported to your local council.

This link has the contact details for councils in Hampshire, Portsmouth or Southampton. You can contact the Isle of Wight Council on 01983 823777.

Graffiti is writing or drawings made on a wall or other surface without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from simple written words or symbols to elaborate wall paintings.

Action you can take

To prevent graffiti on your property:

• Create a barrier using vegetation or a fence to ward off potential graffiti vandals.
• Use materials and surfaces that make graffiti vandalism difficult
• Keep your property well-lit and install flashing motion-sensor lighting.

Report it

You should report graffiti to your local council – depending on land ownership they will remove the graffiti or can advise on how to get it removed.

People parking inconsiderately, such as in your allocated space or across your driveway, on pavements or opposite a junction can be frustrating. In fact 19% of you highlighted this as one of your top three anti-social behaviour concerns in our survey.

Action you can take

You can try to resolve the issue peacefully, after all, the individual may not be aware they’re causing a problem:

• If you know the vehicle owner, and feel you can, ask them politely to move it.
• If you don’t know the driver/feel you can speak to them, try leaving a polite note on their windscreen
• Make a report to the relevant authority (see below)

Report it

In general the first point of contact for nuisance parking and abandoned vehicles will be your local council who can help trace owners, issue fixed penalty notices, arrange the removal vehicles if necessary.

The following should be reported to the police in the first instance:

• Parking on zig zag lines
• Parking that endangers others
• Parking in a way that would prevent emergency vehicles from accessing
• An abandoned vehicle you think could have been stolen.

Littering came in at number nine of the top anti-social behaviour concerns highlighted in our survey. Litter is unsightly and unpleasant and it can be hazardous to wildlife. The 30 million tonnes of litter dropped every year starts with a single wrapper.

Action you can take

There are many community litter picking schemes that you can join, your local council may run one – the ones we know about are linked below. If not you can find or register a new community litter picking group via litter action.
Winchester/East Hampshire
Southampton
Test Valley

Plus the Great British Spring Clean is held each year, and most district councils will run clean up events.

Report it

Report litter and overflowing bins to your local council.

Although we would all like to get along well with our neighbours, sometimes we may face problems, common issues include noise, hedges and parking.

Action you can take

• Try to solve the problem informally by talking to them.
• Get practical advice from Citizens Advice
• If your neighbour is a tenant, you could contact their landlord.
• You could use a mediation service if raising the issue informally does not work.

Report it

If the dispute involves a statutory nuisance (something like loud music or barking dogs), you can make a complaint to your local council.

You can contact your local council about high hedges but you must try and resolve the issue informally before the council can intervene.

Contact the police if your neighbour is breaking the law by being violent or harassing you.

Uncontrolled animals which are allowed to roam the street unsupervised should be reported to your local council.

If you have any concerns regarding the welfare of the animal, please contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.

The council and the police have a joint responsibility to investigate dangerous dog incidents. If a dog attacks you, your dog or another animal, you should report the incident to both the police and council for investigation.

Verbal abuse is the act of directing negative statements toward someone, causing emotional harm. Verbal abuse can be threatening, insulting, and humiliating.

If you are being verbally abused you should report it to the police online or via the non-emergency number 101.

If you feel verbal abuse is being directed at you or someone else because of hostility or prejudice based on race or perceived race; religion or perceived religion; sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation; disability or perceived disability or transgender identity. This is a hate incident or crime and there are a variety of ways you can report this. Find out more on our Hate Crime pages.

Vandalism is the action involving deliberate destruction of or damage to public or private property. Vandalism was the top concern cited by those taking part in our anti-social behaviour survey.

Action you can take

The Constabulary has advice on ways you can protect your property from vandalism and how to protect your vehicle.

Report it

Vandalism to your own home should be reported to the police online or via the non-emergency number 101.

Where there is evidence of vandalism elsewhere, which you wish to report so damage can be repaired, you will need to know who owns the land. This is often difficult, but a good start point is your local council.