Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
TALKING POLITICS Get tough with nasty neighbours
Antisocial behaviour is still rife in too many of our communities.
Despite the introduction of Asbos and a plethora of other legislation to help deal with the problem, there are still too many people having to live with the consequences of unruly and unacceptable behaviour by neighbours.
Although it’s a very small minority who are the perpetrators of this kind of behaviour, they make life a misery for many others.
More needs to be done to tackle the problem and make the culprits pay.
Examples of antisocial behaviour include consistently and intentionally making too much noise, deliberating blocking people’s pathway or driveway, intimidating and threatening behaviour, not keeping pets under proper control, drunken or drugs-fuelled misbehaving, being a nuisance by encroaching on other people’s property without their permission and driving cars too fast in built-up areas.
Sometimes the behaviour is minor in nature but more often than not it is serious enough to cause serious disruption and disturbance to the lives of innocent victims, as well as extreme distress. In any form it is unacceptable.
People who are the victims of antisocial behaviour must report every incident to the police and North Lanarkshire Council’s antisocial behaviour team.
Even if you get frustrated at what you perceive to be a lack of action by the authorities, allow them the time and provide them with the evidence to build up a case which will stand up in court.
The more persistent the offender is with their behaviour, the more determined the victim has to be in reporting them every time they cross the line.
Decent people shouldn’t need to tolerate antisocial behaviour in any of its ugly guises.
My view is that persistent offenders should be treated with the same contempt that they show for their victims.
Where they are committing such a crime they should be brought to book and face the consequences in court.
Action can be taken by landlords against council and housing association tenants for antisocial behaviour.
If the tenant in a private let is causing a nuisance the owner of that property can be held accountable in law and, in extreme cases, lose their registration as a private landlord.
My message is clear: if you are the victim of antisocial behaviour exercise your rights to have the culprits properly dealt with by the relevant authorities.
The more persistent the offender is, the more determined the victim has to be in reporting them every time