Anti-Social Behaviour: Being A Considerate Tenant

We understand that moving into a new student property in Newcastle is a very exciting time.

We’re sure you’ll want to celebrate and enjoy your new home and all we ask is for you to look after your student property and your neighbours. These can be the best years of your life and we want you to enjoy them, without any problems.

What is antisocial behaviour?

Broadly, it's acting in a way that causes or is likely to cause alarm or distress to one or more people in another household. To be antisocial behaviour, the behaviour must be persistent. There may be a fine line between antisocial behaviour and disputes between neighbours over relatively minor inconveniences, although these may, if persistent, become antisocial behaviour.

Antisocial behaviour can include:

• being a noise nuisance

• shouting, swearing and fighting

• intimidation of neighbours and others through threats or actual violence

• harassment, including racial harassment or sectarian aggression

• verbal abuse

• bullying of children in public recreation grounds, on the way to school or even on school grounds, if normal school disciplinary procedures do not stop the behaviour

• abusive behaviour aimed at causing distress or fear to certain people, for example, elderly or disabled people

• driving in an inconsiderate or careless way, for example, drivers congregating in an area for racing

• dumping rubbish

• animal nuisance, including dog fouling

• vandalism, property damage, and graffiti.

Advice for tenants

If you’re planning an event or get together, we recommend speaking with your neighbours beforehand. This way, you should at least make them feel more comfortable to contact you if you're causing them any undue stress, rather than them contacting the authorities straight away, which could result in you receiving a fine for anti-social behaviour.

What happens when anti-social behaviour is reported?

If any instances of anti-social behaviour are reported to us, we're obligated to follow our anti-social behaviour policy. This would mean contacting you in the first instance of a report, issuing warnings, before contacting all guarantors and universities if reports continue. We understand that there are two sides to every story, so we'd be happy to discuss any instances with you if you feel the report is unfair - this would be communicated to guarantors and universities as well.

If you're experiencing antisocial behaviour yourself, you can find out how to report it here, or if you have any more questions, please get in contact with us.