ASB Awareness Week: Tackling Nuisance and Building Trust

As part of ASB Awareness Week, we’re highlighting the incredible work of our Neighbourhoods and ASB teams.

What began as a suspected case of property abandonment quickly escalated into something more serious. When Siobhan, one of our Neighbourhood Officers, visited the property, she found multiple beds crammed into a small bedsit, high-value items scattered around, and letters addressed to people other than the tenant. Soon, neighbours began reporting suspicious activity — people coming and going at all hours, noise disturbances, and general nuisance behaviour.

CCTV footage confirmed their concerns: the tenant was seen carrying in water tanks, making cash transactions, and hosting disruptive visitors late into the night. At the same time, police informed us of a nearby drug raid and another address linked to known criminals. It became clear that this wasn’t an isolated issue — it was part of a wider pattern of anti-social and potentially criminal behaviour.

Working closely with the police, we took a joint approach to tackle the problem. One of the biggest challenges was gaining the trust of residents, many of whom were afraid to speak out. Siobhan took a proactive step that made all the difference: setting up a dedicated office on-site.

This had an immediate impact and once the police began working directly from the scheme’s office residents started to open up, share information, and feel safer in their own homes.

With new evidence in hand, a multi-agency meeting at Rickmansworth Police Station led to the next steps: issuing Community Protection Notices (CPNs) to the affected properties, with plans to escalate to Closure Orders if necessary.

Thanks to Siobhan’s innovative approach and strong partnership working, the situation has improved — and the community feels safer and more supported. We’re hopeful it continues.

This case is a powerful reminder of the difference we can make when we work together — with residents, partners, and each other — to tackle ASB and protect our communities.