We are committed to helping our residents to always feel safe and protected in their homes. Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is a major cause of distress, anxiety or – in severe cases – a fear for personal safety. For people who are not from the same household as those causing ASB, it can be a nightmare.
At Major Housing Association, we do not tolerate ASB in any form, and we aim to respond quickly and effectively to any issues raised.
All our residents are responsible for their behaviour as well as that of their visitors and pets under the terms of their tenancy agreement. Tenancies can be placed at risk if these conditions are broken.
If you are a victim of ASB, or have cause for concern, please contact us 020 7100 7676.
Remember if it is urgent or you see a crime being committed call 999.
ASB Includes: Harassment
Verbal or physical abuse
Racial abuse or hate crime
Criminal damage
Vandalism
Noise nuisance
Graffiti
Threatening or intimidating behaviour
Under-age smoking or drinking alcohol
Selling drugs
Substance misuse and drug taking
Litter and rubbish dumping
Nuisance driving
Our ASB Victim Support programme helps victims throughout our intervention and investigations. Throughout the process, we will keep the complainant informed and – where possible – protect anonymity.
Our ASB Process
To tackle ASB effectively we use preventative and intervention measures. We aim to respond to ASB incidences within 24 hours (48 hours maximum at weekends) and we try to resolve situations respectfully and through early intervention and mediation.
If there are continued and repeated ASB incidences we will take the necessary legal actions to stop it. This could include court action – resulting in a criminal record – and even eviction if the perpetrator’s ASB behaviour is not resolved.
Our multi-agency approach has resulted in an exceptionally high success rate, resolving 99% of all cases without court action, and resulting in very few perpetrator evictions.
We establish early connections and collaborate with local Police, Environmental Health Agency, Social Services, resident witnesses and other relevant organisations, such as mental health experts, to ensure that we achieve the best possible and earliest resolution to the problem.
What to do if you are Affected by Anti-Social Behaviour
Please call as on the number(s) given above.
On receiving your ASB complaint, we will contact you to confirm that we are dealing with your ASB complaint and to gain some more details. We will then try to arrange a meeting with both you and the alleged perpetrator; but only if this is possible and with your consent. We will also consider whether to talk to neighbours or other relevant local agencies. We will take into account any vulnerability or support needs of the parties involved and ensure these are addressed.
As the complainant, you will be given access to a special ASB app which you can download on your computer, tablet or Smart mobile phone. This will enable you to upload photographs and videos, sound clips, and capture evidence. It also has a diary section to log incidences and links to your correspondence with Major Housing Association and ASB officer.
The type of action we will take depends on the situation and will be set out in our action plan.
Examples of action we take include:
Writing to the residents concerned and arranging meetings with them
Arranging mediation sessions with the parties involved – this is where an independent person discusses the problem with everyone involved and helps them find a solution
If the problem persists, and there is strong and accurate evidence against the person causing the anti-social behaviour, we will consider carrying out an intervention or taking legal action
Where we take legal action, we will ensure it is reasonable and we will take the action most likely to produce an effective solution
Rachel has a wealth of experience in management consulting, investment banking and private equity. She holds NED and Trustee positions in the housing and international development sectors, plus an MBA in Finance from the USA’s Wharton Business School. She also gained a Chartered Institute of Management (CIMA) qualification whilst living overseas in Azerbaijan.
