The Council is committed to helping people live in their homes free of harassment and fear. It recently published an Anti-Social Behaviour strategy, aimed at tackling this problem in the county - the strategy can be found in the documents box opposite. Harassment can take many forms and the links to the following pages should help you deal with particular problems.

Domestic Abuse  is more common than sometimes supposed and a factor in people becoming homeless in East Lothian. This section provides advice and contact details for East Lothian Women's Aid. There is also a Directory of services available to help.

Discrimination against the disabled was formally outlawed in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. The pages on this topic explain what the law says and examine the housing options for disabled people.

Neighbour Disputes involving Council tenants, can be dealt with by the local housing office. Likewise Housing Associations have policies on bad neighbours and you can find out more about them here. A mediation service operates in East Lothian which can help to resolve issues - provided both parties agree to accept its services.

Racism is not tolerated by the Council and as well as using Council and Housing Association channels, advice and assistance is available from the Commission for Racial Equality and Positive Action in Housing.

Preventative action can be taken to improve the security of your home. Help the Aged publishes a guide to home security which is useful for all age groups and particularly people living alone. You can find it here.