Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Key definition

authorities definition

What does authorities mean? Authorities are the legal sources a lawyer relies on to justify a proposition of law in submissions, skeleton arguments and judgments. The term is descriptive and widely used across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, rather than being defined by statute. Authorities typically include: primary legislation and subordinate legislation; binding appellate case law within the relevant jurisdiction; and, as persuasive material, decisions from other UK or foreign courts, tribunal rulings, EU and ECHR jurisprudence where applicable, and reputable academic commentary. In Scotland, the writings of the institutional writers (e.g. Stair, Erskine, Bell) may carry particular weight. Textbooks and...

Acceptable Behaviour Contracts as Community Remedies: Local Authority Guidance on ASB Engagement, Drafting, Monitoring and Enforcement (England and Wales)

Published by a LexisNexis Local Government expert

Practice notes

Anti-social behaviour (ASB)

ASB is an umbrella term capturing everyday occurrences of crime, nuisance, disruption, disturbance, annoyance and disorder. It covers behaviours such as:

littering
vandalism
Noise nuisance
loud music
aggressive dogs
abusive neighbours

Local authorities may need to respond to ASB in both housing and non-housing settings. In housing, a landlord might have to address issues between neighbours, members of the same household, or problems caused by uninvited visitors to estates. Outside a housing context, ASB can involve street drinking, gangs of youths and prostitution.

Reform of anti-social behaviour powers (2014)

The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (ABCPA 2014) obtained Royal Assent on 13 March 2014, overhauling the tools for tackling ASB. Its purpose was to streamline remedies and make processes simpler and more effective. In July 2014, the government issued statutory guidance, ‘Anti-social behaviour powers: statutory guidance for frontline professionals’, which is updated from time to time. In July 2022, the Home Office set out the Anti-social behaviour principles, developed by the Anti-social Behaviour Strategic Board, to outline a consistent approach to understanding and addressing ASB within local communities...

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Morayo Fagborun Bennett

Gatehouse Chambers

Morayo specialises in all areas of landlord and tenant and property law. Recent cases include Charalambous v Ng [2014] EWCA Civ 1604 (tenancy deposit schemes), Coope v Ward [2015] EWCA Civ 30 (easement of support and measured duty of care) and Farah v Hillingdon LBC [2014] EWCA Civ 359 (intentionality and homelessness). She also regularly acts in disrepair and dilapidation proceedings, service and estate charge disputes and residential and commercial lease renewals.Morayo’s public law practice includes community care, Court of Protection, deprivation of liberty, welfare benefits, homelessness, judicial review and discrimination law. Recent cases concerned the community care needs of life sentenced prisoners, a deprivation of liberty case on the interface between the MCH and MCA and a test case on the lawfulness of the current practice adopted by decision makers in Employment Support Allowance...

Laura Tweedy

Gatehouse Chambers

Laura specialises in all aspects of social housing including homelessness and anti-social behaviour; as well as property law including (residential and commercial), landlord and tenant (residential and business) and public law.Prior to coming to the bar Laura tutored at Durham University in European Law and she continues to regularly lecture and advise.She works with Arrival Education to support achievement and development for underprivileged children....

Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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