Anti-Social Behaviour
The Council's Anti-Social Behaviour Policy
The law requires Wealden District Council as a social housing landlord to publish its statements of policy and a procedure together with a summary for how we respond to anti-social behaviour.
This provides information to tenants, residents and any other interested party on the main points of our policy and procedure.
What is anti-social behaviour?
Anti-social behaviour means different things to different people. There is a legal definition contained in the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 that can be summarised as:
- conduct capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to any person and affects the housing management functions of the Council
- conduct that consists of or involves using or threatening to use the Council’s housing accommodation for an unlawful purpose.
In a broad context, acts of anti-social behaviour include:
- racial and homophobic harassment
- criminal behaviour
- supply, use and misuse of drugs
- alcohol and solvent misuse
- noise
- misuse of gardens
- verbal abuse
- harassment
- damage to property
- pets and animals
- intimidation
- nuisance from vehicles
- boundary disputes
- nuisance from business use
- rubbish and misuse of communal areas
- begging and street nuisance
The Council’s expectations and approach
We expect our tenants, and their visitors and guests, to show consideration to their neighbours and not to cause nuisance. We also expect our tenants to be reasonably tolerant and understanding towards the lifestyles and needs of others. Unfortunately,there will be times when behaviour is not acceptable or toleration is not being shown.
Making a Complaint about Anti-Social Behaviour
If you are affected by anti-social behaviour or you have witnessed someone else being affected by it, you can make an initial complaint to us regardless of whether you are a Wealden tenant.
Before making a complaint, you should consider whether you can resolve the issue yourself. For instance, a neighbour may not be aware that their behaviour is causing a nuisance. Complaints about residents’ behaviour, or the behaviour of tenants’ family and visitors, should be made to the Housing Section.
What happens next?
Your complaint will be dealt with by your housing officer. Please bear in mind that most days your housing officer will be out on visits so if you telephone or visit the office without having made an appointment, you may be seen or spoken to by another member of staff who will take brief details of the complaint and your contact details for the housing officer.
However you choose to contact us, your housing officer will contact you as soon as he or she can. You will be asked questions to help us understand the problem: who is affected, how they are affected, where it happens, when it happens and why you think the person is behaving as they do.
Depending on the outcome of this interview, you will be given guidance on what action your housing officer intends taking and what you will be expected to do. Tackling anti-social behaviour can only be successfully carried out in partnership with you.
Your housing officer may suggest you talk through the problem with your neighbour.
There is always a better chance of solving a dispute if you try to see each other’s point of view. If you are uneasy about approaching your neighbour, we can try to mediate or can put you through to the Wealden Independent Mediation Service; they are specialist advisers who can help you find a solution you are both happy with.
If your housing officer believes there is no action the Housing Management Service can take, you will be given appropriate advice as there may be other agencies that can help.
After we have spoken to you
We can’t take action against someone simply because a complaint has been made. We will need to investigate and gather evidence.
The most important evidence is the incident diary (pdf 21 kb). You will be given this to complete and your housing officer will explain how to fill this in. It is important to fill the diary sheet in as events happen; record date, time what happened and how this affected you.
We will need to speak to other people affected and we will also need to discuss the case with other sections in the Council, the police and other agencies, depending on the nature of the complaint.
Other evidence may be needed, but we will almost certainly need to interview the person complained about. You can ask us not to do this, but it may be difficult to take further action. They will not be told who has complained. We will tell them what has been complained about and what they need to do to prevent any further action being taken.
If further action is needed
If their behaviour does not change, we will take legal action against them if we can. In order to do this, we will need to gather as much evidence as possible, and also give them the opportunity to change their ways.
More information required?
Wealden has an anti-social behaviour policy and procedure; contact the Housing Management Service if you want a copy and we will send them to you. If you are not a tenant of Wealden District Council, there may be a charge.
If you are not happy?
All our tenants are entitled to get a good service. If you feel the service you received is not good, then make a complaint to us at the above address. In the first instance, it will be dealt with by your housing officer.
