Report antisocial behaviour (ASB)

On this page:
What is antisocial behaviour?
When the council can help
What you can expect from us

Everyone should feel safe and enjoy living in their home and neighbourhood. If someone’s behaviour is making that difficult, we can help.

You do not have to deal with antisocial behaviour (ASB) on your own. This page will help you report it to the right service.

What is antisocial behaviour?

Antisocial behaviour can mean different things to different people. It includes things like:

• threats, verbal abuse or harassment
• vandalism or criminal damage
• loud noise, especially at night
• neighbour disputes
• drug use or dealing in public
• groups causing trouble in shared spaces or public areas

You might think a problem is small at first, but ASB can go on for a long time and get worse. Some ASB is a crime, but not always. We can help even if the police are not involved.

More information on types of antisocial behaviour and legal definitions

When the council can help

The right service to deal with antisocial behaviour depends on:

• who is responsible (for example, a tenant of another landlord)
• what kind of behaviour you’re reporting (for example, if it’s a police matter)

Reporting to the correct team

If you are a housing association tenant, report the issue to your housing association’s antisocial behaviour team. Details can be found on their website.

If you are a Reading Borough Council tenant, private tenant or homeowner, report the issue to the council using the link below.

What you can expect from us

If you report antisocial behaviour (ASB) to the council, we will:

• assign a named officer will handle your case and lead any investigation
• explain the process clearly to you and any witnesses
• offer support tailored to your needs, including help with tools like diary sheets or the ASB reporting app
• update you at least once a month, usually in person or by phone/online updates if preferred

How soon we will contact you

How quickly we contact you depends on the details of your case. If a case is assessed as:

• high risk – you will be contacted within 1 working day
• medium risk – you will be contacted within 3 working days
• low risk – you will be contacted within 5 working days