What is anti-social behaviour?
Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is defined as: “Acting in a manner that causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm and distress to one or more persons not of the same household as the person causing the anti-social behaviour”.
Whilst some behaviours can be anti-social, they may not be the types of behaviour that we, or the police, can act upon. For example, young people socialising in the street may be causing you concern, but they may not be doing anything wrong.
We concentrate on anti-social behaviour issues that are persistent and having a detrimental effect on the wider community.
We do this by working in partnership with Bedfordshire Police, landlords and other partner agencies, putting in place long-term action plans to tackle issues robustly and sustainably.
When to contact the Police about anti-social behaviour
Call the Police if the offender is violent, threatening or abusive or is harassing you.
Call 999 if you or someone else is in immediate danger, or if you think there is a crime in progress.
Call 101 to contact the Police if the incident is not an emergency.
You can also report it to the Police online.
How to deal with neighbour disputes
You may be able to deal with the issues yourself - see our guide to the easy steps you can take to try and resolve any issues you may be having with neighbours.
How to deal with common anti-social behaviour issues
Contact Bedfordshire Police to report:
- vandalism and criminal damage
- street drinking in the designated PSPO area
- begging and vagrancy
- drugs misuse
- fireworks misuse
- inconsiderate or inappropriate use of vehicles
Go to our Keeping Bedford Borough clean pages to report littering, dumped rubbish (fly-tipping), abandoned trolleys or cars or to request street cleaning.
To report noise disturbance from a neighbouring property, please go to our noise nuisance page.
Find out how we can help with illegally parked or abandoned vehicles.
You can also report problems such as household bins that are regularly left out on streets.
Neighbourhood Watch
Neighbourhood Watch is one of the most effective crime reduction initiatives in the UK and is recognised and recommended by the Council, the Police and the Fire and Rescue Service.
Anti-social behaviour we can help with
We can help with:
- Persistent behaviour that is having a detrimental effect on the quality of your life, and that of your neighbours.
- Rowdy and inconsiderate behaviour linked to a property or location.
- Exploitation of vulnerable individuals.
- Long-term, multi-agency problem solving.
For all cases we take on, we complete a risk assessment to understand any areas of vulnerability or concerns for the victims. We share this information with Bedfordshire Police and partner agencies.
How to report anti-social behaviour to the Council
You can report anti-social behaviour to us by using the online form below.
By submitting the form you agree that you have read and accepted how we process your personal data.
Use the button to apply as a guest:
Report anti-social behaviour (ASB)
Alternatively, login to / register for a Council Services account to report anti-social behaviour.
If you need any help to complete the form, please contact us at CommunitySafety@bedford.gov.uk