Respect Orders came into force on 26 October 2026, according to the Home Office launch announcement. This guide focuses on residents moving home in England. The new powers also apply in Wales.
What the new orders change
Authorised organisations, including police, councils and eligible housing providers, can apply to a court for an order against an adult aged 18 or over. Orders can restrict behaviour and require action to address its causes. Breaching an order is a criminal offence.
Residents report the problem to an appropriate agency; the agency and court decide whether an order is justified. Reporting an incident does not guarantee an order or an immediate resolution. Housing injunctions remain a separate route for housing-related nuisance.
Who to contact after moving in
GOV.UK's reporting guidance directs residents to:
- The police if someone is threatening them or they believe a law is being broken.
- The local council for antisocial behaviour in the neighbourhood, such as ongoing noise problems.
- Their landlord if they are a council or housing-association tenant experiencing problems in or near their building.
Call 999 if someone is in immediate danger or a crime is in progress. For non-emergency crime reports, use 101 or the police online reporting route, as set out in the official crime-reporting guidance.
Keep a useful record
The official reporting checklist recommends recording what happened, where and when, and its impact. Keep messages, incident dates and report reference numbers together. Ask the receiving agency how it will update you, and follow up if you have not heard back.
For separate handover or repair issues in a newly rented property, our move-in problems guide can help organise your next steps.
One distinction matters: the updated statutory guidance says its new Local Policing Body review chapter did not take effect on 26 October. A commencement date has not yet been confirmed. Do not assume that new review route is available because Respect Orders have started.