Broadland Housing Association

Reporting Anti-Social Behaviour

You can report Anti-Social Behaviour online via our portal or call Customer Services on 0303 303 0003.

What is Anti-Social Behaviour?

Anti-Social Behaviour affects different people in different ways. It can damage the quality of life for many people. There is no one definition of what Anti-Social Behaviour is but examples of this may include:

• Verbal abuse
• Harassment (including racist and homophobic incidents)
• Excessive noise
• Assault
• Graffiti or vandalism
• Dumping rubbish litter
• Using and selling of drugs
• Drunk and disorderly conduct
• Vehicle crime (including parking and abandonment)

Our approach to dealing with Anti-Social Behaviour

Broadland Housing Association is committed to tackling it fairly and consistently and we will take action against people who commit acts of Anti-Social Behaviour. This could be in a variety of ways injunctions, acceptable behaviour contracts; Anti-Social Behaviour orders; tenancy demotion orders and eviction. We will also work with perpetrators of ASB (Anti-Social Behaviour) and customers who are identified as being at risk of perpetrating ASB to seek to challenge, change and modify behaviours.

All reports of Anti-Social Behaviour are taken seriously, regardless of whether or not immediate action is to stop the incident taken. However, there are some situations when we will be unable to help. For example sometimes difficulties between neighbours are due to a difference in lifestyle or a disagreement. In these cases we will take no further action, but would encourage you to reconcile the difference yourselves or consider our mediation service.

One-off neighbour arguments

In the majority of these cases the person causing the problem may not be aware that they are having an effect on you. Efforts to compromise and trying to see each other's point of view often go a long way to towards resolving the problem. Before contacting us, the first step is to try talk to your neighbour about the problem.

What should I do if I am experiencing Anti-Social Behaviour?

If you are experiencing Anti-Social Behaviour then we need to know. Anti-Social Behaviour can be reported by the victim, witness or person on behalf of a victim.

There are a number of different ways you can contact us:

Customer Services

• Call our Customer Services Team on 0303 303 0003:
• E-mail: asb@broadlandgroup.org

Write a letter or visit your local Neighbourhood Housing Team

• East Area Office - Map and address
• West Area Office (Kings Lynn) - Map and address
• West Area Office (Dereham) - Map and address
• Central Area Office - Map and address

If you need to make a report out of hours you may leave a voice message on 0303 303 0003 and a member of staff will return your call during office opening hours. Please remember, if at any time there is a risk of danger you must call the emergency services immediately.

What happens next?

We will record the details of your complaint and Grade your complaint according the nature and severity. (Download ASB Leaflet) We will help and advise you about what you and Broadland can do to tackle the problem.

If action is required by Broadland Housing you will be informed of how long it will be before a Neighbourhood Officer will contact you, in accordance with our agreed service standards, to discuss your complaint and make an appointment to meet with you to discuss the options and agree an action plan for managing your case. This may involve the Neighbourhood Officer contacting the person committing the ASB and asking you to keep a diary record (Download Log Sheet | Download guidance notes) of any further incidents. All information will be kept in the strictest confidence.

We will continue to work with other agencies and the perpetrator to address the behaviour and bring the matter to a close. Throughout this process we aim to be a supporting landlord, your health and safety is important to us. We will discuss different options to help you while you are experiencing difficulties, for example:

• Referring you to a specialised victim support agency
• Dedicated budget to fund appropriate additional security measures.
• Installation of our Sound Monitoring Equipment
• Liaising with police local Safer Neighbourhood Teams
• Liaising with Environmental Health

There are various methods that we can use to tackle Anti-Social Behaviour, we will discuss them with you and agree on the most appropriate action for your case. What we can do in terms of action will very much be affected by what you are able and willing to do in getting evidence. It depends on the available evidence.

We will do everything we can to support victims and witnesses including friends and family who are affected by ASB. We can offer regular visits from our Neighbourhood Teams, referral to Victim Support Norfolk and Suffolk or provide additional security to the property.

Victim Support

Victim Support (http://www.victimsupport.org.uk) provides victim and witness support services to our residents who are affected by Anti-Social Behaviour and also to friends or families of victims and witnesses.

Victim Support includes emotional and practical help and advice as well as liaising with Wherry and other agencies on your behalf. The witness support service can arrange visits to court before a hearing so you can look round, as well as support and information throughout the legal process.

• Norfolk and Suffolk Victim Support Tel. 0845 456 5995

These services are free to Broadland Housing customers.

Mediation

Mediation is a way of trying to resolve a dispute with your neighbour without the need for further action and try to find a lasting solution.

Broadland Housing use Norfolk Mediation Services which is an independent, impartial and confidential service to help resolve disputes.

Norfolk Mediation Service will visit you at home to discuss the issues you are experiencing. A meeting may be arranged to bring all those affected together or if a face to face meeting is not appropriate there are other ways the mediation service can try to find ways of solving the problems.

This service is available to all Broadland Housing customers and is free of charge. For more information please contact your Neighbourhood Officer or our Customer Services Team on 0303 303 0003.

Download the Mediation leaflet here

Safer Neighbourhood Police Team

Safer Neighbourhoods Teams (SNTs) provide communities with a dedicated team of officers who are visible, accessible and known to local people. They work closely with partner agencies (statutory and voluntary) and the local community to tackle the crime and disorder concerns and issues identified within the neighbourhood.

Broadland Housing works with in partnership with all the Safer Neighbourhood Police Teams across Norfolk and Suffolk in the areas that we have homes. Neighbourhood Officers attend regular multi-agency meetings, Specialist Anti-Social Behaviour liaison groups as well as the community Safer Neighbourhood Action Panels.

To find details of your local Safer Neighbourhood Police team click on the link below and follow the links:

• http://www.norfolk.police.uk/
• http://www.suffolk.police.uk/
  

Other Useful Contact numbers

Useful Telephone Numbers and websites

• In an emergency please call 999
• Norfolk Constabulary − 0845-4564567
• Suffolk Constabulary − 01479-613500
• Crime stoppers − 0800-555111
• Victim Support −0845 456 5995
• Catch22 formerly Rainer Crime Concern − 01473-581811
• Norwich and Norfolk Racial Equality Council − 01603 611644
• Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality − 01473 408111
• Stonewall (tackling homophobia) − 08000 502020 (information line)

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