The Council, acting with other agencies to investigate complaints, can help to resolve problems of anti-social behaviour. However, the level of action we can take depends on how severe the problem is. Therefore, where it is possible and safe to do so, it is always better to try to resolve these situations yourself and we suggest the following as ways in which you might do this:
Dealing with problems yourself – speaking to the perpetrator
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Firstly, if appropriate and safe, you should speak to whoever is causing you the problem. They may not be aware that they are disturbing you and a compromise may be reached.
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Before approaching the person concerned you should think about what you are going to say.
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Be clear about what the problem is and how it affects you.
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Think about what the outcome is likely to be and stay calm and friendly, being aggressive won’t help.
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Listen to their views and think about things from their point of view.
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Try not to bring up incidents from the past, especially if they are not relevant to the present dispute. Instead, try to look to the future and how you want things to change.
If the person is unreasonable, leave the discussion.