Respect Order: What Local Authorities & Housing Providers Need to Know

What is a Respect Order?

Under proposed reforms to the Anti‑Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, a new civil-preventative power – known as the Respect Order – will enable relevant authorities, including local councils, registered housing providers and the police, to apply to the County or High Court for an order targeting adult individuals (aged 18+) who have engaged in or threaten to engage in anti-social behaviour (ASB).

What makes the Respect Order distinct is that breach of the order becomes a criminal offence, with potential custodial sentences of up to two years, unlimited fines or community orders. Crucially, it also retains flexibility to include positive requirements, such as alcohol or drug treatment, which were not always available under earlier civil injunctions.

Why It Matters for Local Authorities & Housing Providers

For housing providers and local authorities, the Respect Order presents both a challenge and an opportunity:

• ASB that directly or indirectly impacts tenancy management or local community safety can now be addressed with strengthened legal tools.
• The resurgence of enforceable powers reflects the growing public expectation that persistent ASB is dealt with decisively -restoring confidence, protecting residents and safeguarding neighbourhoods.

However, effective use of Respect Orders requires more than submitting applications. Applicants must conduct robust risk assessments (covering likelihood of harassment, distress, vulnerabilities and available alternatives) before approaching the court.

Key Practical Considerations

1. Relevant Authority Status: Ensure your organisation is formally recognised as a “relevant authority” able to apply for a Respect Order where ASB affects your housing management functions.
2. Pre-Application Risk Assessment: Document the impact, behaviour pattern, alternative options and respondent vulnerabilities. This underpins the court’s decision-making and supports enforceability.
3. Positive Requirements and Exclusion Conditions: Understand how the order may include requirements (e.g., counselling) or exclusion from a property or area only in defined circumstances (e.g., risk of violence).
4. Enforcement Strategy: As breach is now criminal, coordination with police, housing enforcement and courts is vital to ensure rapid and credible action when someone violates the order.
5. Multi-Agency Coordination: Success depends on combined efforts – housing, local authority, policing, social services – sharing data, responding promptly and maintaining oversight of compliance.

Why Training Matters & How Intelligencia Training Can Help

Rolling out Respect Orders is not simply about new legal paperwork, it demands capability at every stage: from risk assessment and application preparation, through case management, to enforcement and monitoring. Without confident practitioners who understand the full lifecycle of an order and how to coordinate multi-agency responses, the promises of these new powers may go unfulfilled.

The Level 4 ASB & Community Safety Officer Apprenticeship, offered by Intelligencia Training, is designed precisely to build this capability. It supports practitioners in:

• Interpreting and applying new legislative powers (such as Respect Orders) in real-world contexts
• Navigating multi-agency environments – housing, local authority, police, social services – ensuring timely, coordinated action
• Engaging residents, analysing complex ASB situations and applying trauma-informed, person-centred approaches
• Managing compliance, monitoring outcomes and sustaining community safety performance

By developing internal talent through this funded apprenticeship, housing providers and local authorities can ensure they are ready not just to apply Respect Orders, but to make them work by delivering meaningful interventions, safeguarding tenants and restoring community trust.

Next Steps

For organisations seeking to strengthen their ASB response capabilities, this is the ideal moment to act. Through funded apprenticeship training, you can ensure your practitioners are equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to implement Respect Orders effectively, protect communities and improve outcomes.

Explore the apprenticeship and take the next step towards building resilient, compliant community safety practice.

Book an informal chat to discuss eligibility, funding options and how this apprenticeship can aligned to your training needs.