Brits pay the £1bn price tag of anti-social behaviour

Anti-social behaviour has cost Brits over a billion pounds in repairs in the last five years, according to leading home insurance company Zurich.

The study reveals that more than 30 million adults have experienced anti-social behaviour, with nearly one in five (22 per cent) shelling out at least £400 since 2002 to fix vandals’ handiwork.

Most common crimes in today’s ASBO nation, the study reveals, are offences around people’s homes with graffiti (19 per cent), vandalism to front doors or walls (12 per cent) and abandoned cars (10 per cent) the main issues. Nearly a third (30 per cent) say they have suffered at least six times in the last five years.

As well as the financial burden for victims, anti-social behaviour has an emotional cost too, it seems. Almost a third (31 per cent) are concerned about the security of their homes and cars, 39 per cent say they feel powerless at the hands of vandals and 28 per cent say anti-social behaviour has negatively affected their quality of life.

As a result, many of us are being forced to take action – one in five (19 per cent) have reviewed their home security, while 27 per cent have weighed up moving to a new area. A third (31 per cent) have even considered confronting those responsible.

But when it comes to curbing anti-social behaviour, prevention is better than cure. Nearly eight in 10 (79 per cent) say their local authority should do more to tackle anti-social behaviour and over two thirds (68 per cent) want to see more police officers on the streets. Others suggest stiffer penalties for perpetrators (70 per cent), while nearly half (44 per cent) think there should be more activities to better occupy young people’s time.

Martin Hall, Head of Personal Lines Underwriting at Zurich Insurance said, “This report shows that anti-social behaviour is really taking a toll on us. As well as physical damage to properties and vehicles, there is a financial and emotional cost too. To help minimise the impact of anti-social behaviour, we believe there are some simple changes that home owners can make to reduce the chances of falling victim to vandals. Robust security measures can be a major deterrent, so installing an effective home and car alarm system and making sure that garden gates and shed doors are securely locked are good places to start.

“Another simple but effective security measure is getting to know your neighbours. As neighbourhoods change, it’s always good to see residents looking out for each other, and the reassurance that they are all working together means they can help reduce the threat of damage to their homes.”

Tips from Zurich Insurance to help prevent damage from anti-social behaviour:

1. Enhanced security measures will deter vandals, so consider investing in security alarm systems for your home and vehicle. If you do, always remember to switch them on

2. Make sure that gates, shed-doors and garages are securely locked

3. Don’t leave valuable items like bikes outside where they are vulnerable to vandalism or theft

4. Get to know your neighbours, so you can keep an eye out for any unusual behaviour and alert each other should there be any signs of anti-social behaviour

5. Ensure your insurance is kept up to date and try to keep a record of receipts and even photographs of particularly valuable or irreplaceable items. Check the level of cover for broken garden furniture, damage to property etc. provided with your home insurance policy. The limits will vary from one insurer to another.