How do I report antisocial behaviour?

For people experiencing antisocial behaviour in their local area.

Applies to: England, Wales Last checked against official sources: 30 September 2026

It depends on the problem:

Police: if you feel threatened or it may be illegal
Your council: if it affects your local area
Your landlord: if you're in social housing and it's in or near your building

Neighbour disputes, bins and parking may not count, but can still be reported. Call 999 if someone is in immediate danger.

Different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Rules may be different in:

Scotland: Check mygov.scot for Scotland
Northern Ireland: Check nidirect for Northern Ireland

Key facts

Police if threatened
Council for local issues
999 in an emergency

What counts as antisocial behaviour

Antisocial behaviour is behaviour that causes harassment, alarm or distress to other people. Examples include:

noise
verbal abuse, harassment or threats
drug use
nuisance neighbours
vandalism and graffiti
fly-tipping and littering
dropping syringes or needles

Who to report it to

The problem	Who to contact
Someone is in immediate danger	Call 999
You feel threatened, or it might be against the law	The police (call 101 if it is not an emergency)
It affects your local area, for example graffiti or fly-tipping	Your local council
You rent from the council or a housing association, and it is in or near your building	Your landlord

For noise, there is a separate GOV.UK service to report a noise nuisance to your council.

If the problem involves domestic abuse or a child at risk, use the special reporting routes for those, not the general antisocial behaviour route.

Keep a record

A clear record makes your report stronger. Each time something happens, write down:

the date and time
what happened and how long it went on
how it affected you
who was involved, if you know

Keep photos, videos or recordings if it is safe to take them. Note any reference numbers you are given when you report.

If nothing is done: the ASB case review

If you have reported the same problem several times and feel nothing has been done, you can ask for an ASB case review. This makes the local bodies, such as the council and police, look at your case together and decide what more to do.

The law sets the starting point in England and Wales:

at least three complaints have been made about the behaviour
each complaint was made within one month of the behaviour happening
you ask for the review within six months of the complaint

Local areas can set different numbers or time limits in their own review rules, so check your council's website for how to apply.

Free help

Citizens Advice can give free, confidential help if you are having problems with neighbours or antisocial behaviour.

If you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland

There is a different way to report antisocial behaviour in Scotland and in Northern Ireland. The ASB case review rules above apply in England and Wales only.

Related guides

Where this comes from

How to report antisocial behaviour, GOV.UK
Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, section 104: ASB case reviews, legislation.gov.uk

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

Report to your council

Common questions

What counts as antisocial behaviour?

Behaviour that causes harassment, alarm or distress to other people, such as noise, threats, vandalism, graffiti or fly-tipping.

Is a neighbour dispute antisocial behaviour?

Neighbour disputes, problems with bins or parking, and one-off incidents may not count as antisocial behaviour. You can still report them to your council, landlord or the police.

What can I do if nothing is done about antisocial behaviour?

You can ask for an ASB case review if at least 3 complaints have been made, each within one month of the behaviour. You must apply within 6 months of the complaint, but your area can set different limits.

Official sources

1.How to report antisocial behaviourwww.gov.uk/how-report-antisocial-behaviour
2.Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, section 104www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/12/section/104

Checked against GOV.UK on 30 September 2026

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