How to deal with harassment by a neighbour

Your neighbour cannot repeatedly do things that make you feel intimidated or threatened. This is harassment.

The police or the council can take action to stop harassment.

If you need to talk to someone about how you're feeling, get support from Samaritans.

What counts as harassment

Harassment is when someone repeatedly behaves in a way that causes you alarm or distress. It can be verbal or physical.

Harassment can include:

• unwanted texts or phone calls

• bullying, intimidation or threats

• vandalism of your property

Check our advice on dealing with antisocial behaviour if your neighbour:

• has only done something once

• is causing a general disturbance that is not targeted at you

What counts as a hate crime

You may have experienced a hate crime if you were harassed or threatened based on your:

• age

• disability

• race

• religion

• sexual orientation

• transgender identity

• variations in sex characteristics

For example, it would be a hate crime if a neighbour:

• shouted Islamophobic abuse at you because you wear a hijab

• threatened you with violence because you’re transgender

Check Citizens Advice guidance on hate crimes.

If you're being harassed

There are steps you can take to stop the harassment.

Keep any evidence you have, such as texts or emails. Keep a diary of when you've been harassed and what the person did. Evidence will help if you report them to the council or the police.

Talk to the person

Speak to them if you feel able to. Explain how their behaviour makes you feel. Ask a trusted family member or friend to be with you for support.

Only do this if you feel safe doing so. Never put yourself in danger by confronting someone who is harassing you.

Contact the council

The council's antisocial behaviour team can help if you're being harassed by a neighbour. They might:

• help you to arrange mediation

• offer the person an acceptable behaviour contract

• give the person an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO)

Report the issue to your council's antisocial behaviour team on mygov.scot.

The council will decide what to do next. They may not tell you what action they take or tell you the reasons for their decisions.

Report it to the police

You can contact the police if you feel comfortable doing so. Your neighbour's behaviour may be against the law.

If you're in danger, call 999. If you’re reporting something that happened before or you’re worried could happen later, call 101.

If you need advice or support before speaking to the police, contact Victim Support Scotland.

Take legal action

You can get a non-harassment order or an interdict to stop someone from harassing you. These are court orders that ban someone from behaving in a certain way.

You need to go to court to get a non-harassment order or an interdict. Get help from a solicitor. You can:

• find a solicitor on the Law Society of Scotland website

• check our advice on getting legal help for free or at a lower cost

If you want compensation because of harassment, a solicitor can help you claim.

Moving out to escape harassment

If you decide to move out to escape harassment, check our advice on finding a new place to live.

If you're not safe in your home and have nowhere else to go, you can make a homeless application to the council. You do not have to be living on the streets to be homeless.

You can apply while you're still in your tenancy. If you make a homeless application after leaving your home, you will need to show evidence that it was not safe for you to stay there.

Check our advice on making a homeless application.