We’re committed to tackling anti-social behaviour through prevention and by taking firm, considered action against culprits.
Anti-social behaviour can take many forms but includes:
- Noise nuisance
- Intimidation and harassment
- The fouling of public areas
- Aggressive or threatening language or behaviour
- Violence against person or property
- Hate behaviour that targets members of identified groups
- Using LHA accommodation to sell drugs or for other unlawful purposes
What you can do
If possible, speak to the person causing the problem. They may be unaware of the nuisance they’re causing and may be willing to help.
Consider contacting other organisations that can help, such as the police (for criminal behaviour), or the school or local education department. Local residents associations and neighbourhood watch groups may also be able to help.
You can also report anti-social behaviour to any LHA staff, by letter, phone, email or in person at any of our offices.
What we can do
We will tackle anti-social behaviour by:
- Listening to the community
- Making clear to tenants how we expect them to behave
- Taking all reports seriously and listening carefully so we fully understand
- Assessing all reports and responding appropriately
- Supporting you
- Keeping you informed of the action being taken and letting you know if there’s a reason why we can’t take action
- Being consistent and effective
- Working with other agencies
- Reviewing our actions to ensure they are effective
Prioritising cases
We want to make sure our staff focus most of their time on the most serious cases.
PRIORITY ONE
Definition: serious incidents that happen often, or very serious incidents that may involve criminal action.
Examples: constant loud music, harassment, threatening behaviour, assault, serious damage.
Target response: two working days.
PRIORITY TWO
Definition: serious incidents that happen once or occasionally.
Example: very noisy parties that occur from time to time.
Target response: five working days.
PRIORITY THREE
Definition: less serious incidents that happen often.
Example: children playing in communal areas but not causing a serious nuisance.
Target response: seven working days.
PRIORITY FOUR
Definition: Less serious incidents that happen once or occasionally.
Example: a one-off party.
Target response: 10 working days.
Support
We will support you by:
- Arranging regular contact with your housing officer
- Looking at improvements to home security
- Arranging a temporary or permanent move
- Providing help with translations
- Putting you in touch with other witness support services
- Issuing a follow-up questionnaire on how we handled your case
Action
There are many ways we can help tackle anti-social behaviour. They include:
1. Mediation
Helping you reach an agreement with the person or people causing the problem, to put a stop to it.
2. Acceptable Behaviour Contracts
An agreement made between a person involved in anti-social behaviour and other agencies, to encourage acceptable behaviour.
3. Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs)
Court orders preventing someone from causing harassment, alarm or distress to others.
4. Injunctions
Court orders to make someone do, or stop doing something.
5. Enforcing the conditions of the tenancy
A court order requiring an LHA tenant to follow the terms of their tenancy agreement. If they break those terms, we can evict them.
6. Demotion orders
A power to change the type of tenancy agreement an LHA tenant has, which makes it easier to evict them, and in some cases removes the ‘right to buy’.
7. Possession proceedings
A court order forcing an LHA tenant to leave a property.
If you have a problem with anti-social behaviour, please contact us.