A home isn’t just bricks and mortar; it’s the people that surround you, and the sense of belonging you feel. That’s exactly what Samantha hoped to find when she moved into her new home in North Yorkshire, and after a difficult start, it’s now what she treasures most.

When Samantha moved into the newly built estate back in 2024, she was one of the first on her street. As new neighbours arrived, she quickly got to know them, and a warm, friendly community began to take shape.

Six months later, everything changed. Incidents of anti-social behaviour started to happen, and life on the street became tense.

“I really enjoyed where I lived at first. I got to know a couple of neighbours as they started moving in, and it felt like a community already.

“All of a sudden, the police started coming onto our street. They started to visit regularly.

“I soon started to get harassed by one of my neighbours. They would visit the house uninvited, shout things at me and my children in the street, and film us without permission, the list goes on. They harassed other neighbours and were constantly causing trouble.

“It got to the point where I didn’t want to leave the house. I was too scared. I would plan to leave early in the mornings to avoid having any contact with them.

“I was so stressed that I asked my mum to come round all the time because I didn’t want to be on my own during the day when the children were at school.

“I remember being on the phone to Leeds Federated, crying, saying I couldn’t live like this anymore. It went on for over half a year.”

Back to normal

“The neighbours were evicted, and we didn’t hear from them again 2 months after that.

“It’s now been a year since they left, and everyone’s life has gone back to normal. Now our neighbourhood is so strong – we all got through it together.

“We’re a proper community now, we all look after each other. When the weather’s nice, we all sit out on the street with each other. There’s no anti-social behaviour anymore.

“I was recently offered to move to a different home much bigger than the home I’m in now. I’ve decided to turn it down because I love where I live now. My children are thriving in school, and we didn’t want to move them, they are happy and settled.

“And now I’m settled too, I’m so happy living here. I’ve got everyone and everything I need – it’s a fantastic little community now. The neighbours are like family to me. We help each other; we even take each other’s bins out!”

Behind-the-scenes process

Neighbourhood Officer, Lauren, who supported Samantha throughout the anti-social behaviour, says, “Managing ASB can be a long and frustrating process, and for those who are having to live with the ASB daily it can be very unsettling. Although sometimes it can seem like not much has been done, there is a lot of behind-the-scenes work, like gathering evidence, speaking with solicitors, and watching hours of footage. I’m glad Samantha feels like the area is more of a community than it was before.”

Get support for anti-social behaviour

If you’re experiencing anti-social behaviour, take a look at our directory of support and get in touch with us.

You should report criminal or suspected criminal activity to the police. You can share any behaviour you’ve witnessed firsthand and answer any questions the police have. By reporting things to the police, it can help us when we’re working with them, and other partners, to take appropriate action. You can report things to the Police anonymously via 101, or via crimestoppers.