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Poole Housing Partnership Housing Consultative Panel January 2005

Anti- Social Behaviour Policy Report 1.0 Purpose 1.1 To inform HCP members of the policy contents. The policy was submitted to the PHP Board of Directors for approval on 21st December 2004.

2.0 Background 2.1 Section 12 the Anti- Social Behaviour Act 2003 requires all social landlords to produce anti- social behaviour policies and procedures by 30th December 2004. Such legislation has provided a good range of tools available to social landlords and other agencies to tackle anti- social behaviour. PHP has embraced this and uses all available remedies.

2.2 PHP has a clear commitment to tackling anti- social behaviour. This is done through a combination of policy and procedure as well as multi- agency working at both a strategic and operational level. The recent Audit Commission inspection identified that PHP has taken the lead sub- regionally on tackling anti- social behaviour.

3.0 Policy Development 3.1 The Code of Guidance from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and current good practice have been followed in the development of the policy.

3.2 The policy has three main strands:  Enabling tenants to solve minor nuisance problems themselves,  Promoting a conciliatory approach wherever possible,  Taking swift action in serious cases such as racial harassment, or violence or threats of violence.

4.0 Multi- Agency Working 4.1 PHP works in partnership with other agencies to resolve and prevent ASB at two levels. Strategically PHP is represented on all relevant multi-agency task groups including:  ASB Task Group  Domestic burglary and distraction burglary task group  Alcohol fuelled anti- social behaviour task group  Poole action group against racist and homophobic incidents  Violent crime task group  Vehicle crime task group

4.2 In addition PHP works at an operational level with other agencies including the Police, Social Services, the Probation Service, Community Safety at BoP, and the Commission for Racial Equality. Housing Officers frequently work on a one to one basis with Officers from other agencies, or in multi- agency Case Conferences depending on the particular circumstances. 5.0 Consultation 5.1 Tenants were asked for input into the policy at focus groups arranged as part of the Best Value Review, and was discussed with tenant representatives at a recent Tenant Panel Meeting. In addition the policy has been circulated to the Reading Group. Consultation has also taken place with partner agencies.

Sue Howes Housing Officer Poole Housing Partnership Ltd Anti-Social Behaviour Policy December 2004

What is Anti- Social Behaviour? Most of us live in close proximity to our neighbours and most of us get on most of the time, but there are times when relations between neighbours can become strained. There can be many things which cause a problem, lively or unsupervised children, the occasional late night party, a dog barking, or even something as simple as a radio or television being played too loudly. These disturbances do happen from time to time, but it becomes a problem when ‘occasionally’ becomes ‘constantly’. Sometimes something can happen that is serious enough that it only has to happen once to cause a real problem.

Anti- social behaviour is defined in law as:

“Behaviour that is capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to any person that does not live in the same household as the person(s) causing the anti- social behaviour, and can be considered so by any reasonable person.”

In practice, anti- social behaviour can take many forms (covered later in this booklet), but behaviour will be considered anti- social if it breaches tenancy conditions or meets the criteria above.

Why does PHP have a special policy for Anti- Social Behaviour? Poole Housing Partnership (PHP) takes anti- social behaviour very seriously, and is committed to working in partnership with our tenants, leaseholders and other agencies to reduce anti- social behaviour. This booklet sets out PHP’s position on anti-social behaviour, what residents can do to help themselves, as well as the action that PHP can take.

PHP recognises that there are a broad range of visible and non-visible differences that characterise our tenants and leaseholders. Some of these qualities include race, religion, culture, nationality, ethnic background, colour, disability, sex, age, literacy and income levels. PHP embraces and respects this diversity, and places it at the core of its work. PHP is committed to providing information and services equally and without discrimination to meet the needs of all sectors of the community, both housed or seeking to be housed by PHP, and those living near properties managed by PHP.

What kinds of activity might fit the policy? There are many different types of anti- social behaviour. Listed below are some of the most common ones:

Harassment & Violence No one should have to put up with harassment or violence, and it is everybody’s responsibility to ensure that it does not occur. As well as breaking the conditions of tenancy, they are criminal offences, and the Police have powers to deal with harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

Harassment is behaviour deliberately intended to intimidate, dominate or harm another person, or group of people, for any reason. People may be susceptible to harassment or violent behaviour because of their age or gender, their religion, the colour of their skin or the way they look, their sexual orientation, eg. if they are gay or lesbian, or have a mental or physical disability or illness. This type of harassment is also known as hate crime. As this is such an important matter, PHP has separate policies, dedicated to the way PHP deals with the harassment of people from ethnic minority backgrounds or hate crime, and to the way PHP deals with issues of Domestic Violence. Please ask us for our leaflets about Minority Group Harassment and Hate Crime or Domestic Violence.

If you experience harassment or violence yourself, or witness someone else being harassed or threatened, we do NOT advise you to try to deal with the problem yourself, but recommend that you contact your Housing Officer or the Police.

Harassment and violence against the person are the most serious forms of anti- social behaviour and are treated as such by PHP. We will respond to complaints of harassment or violent behaviour within 24 hours or the next working day. PHP will always take a victim-centred approach to dealing with such cases, which means putting the victim’s wishes at the centre of the way in which we respond to the incident.

Noise Nuisance Noise is one of the most common sources of disputes between neighbours. You need to consider several questions before you decide whether the noise that is disturbing you is a matter that should be reported to PHP and/or Borough of Poole’s Environmental & Consumer Protection Department.

The first question to ask is whether it is reasonable or unreasonable for your neighbour to be making the noise. A degree of noise is unavoidable in homes which are often located close together. Domestic noise such as a baby crying or water running in a bath is usually seen as reasonable, as it is a part of everyday life. However loud music at unsociable hours can be seen as unreasonable as it disturbs neighbouring residents and could easily be avoided.

The second question is whether the noise is a one off event, or whether it is proving to be a persistent problem. People can bang a door or shout on the odd occasion. However when this is happening time and time again it can be seen as a nuisance.

If noise is unreasonable, occurs regularly and affects your quality of life then please report it to your Housing Officer and the Environmental & Consumer Protection Service at Borough of Poole. Consumer Protection’s number can be found at the back of this booklet.

Pets and Animals The tenancy agreement allows people to keep pets as long as they do not cause a nuisance. Problems with pets can include fouling and continuous barking from dogs. This can become a real nuisance for neighbours of the pet owner. If your neighbour is allowing his or her pet to cause a nuisance to people in the locality of their home, the matter should be reported to your Housing Officer. Leaseholders must seek permission from the Landlord to keep a pet. However consent is normally granted. Should the pets of either tenants or leaseholders become a nuisance to other residents they would be requested to re-home the animal.

Criminal Damage Graffiti and vandalism spoil the environment you live in by causing an eyesore and destroying the amenities that you have. PHP will arrange to remove offensive obscene graffiti from property managed by PHP within 24 hours (or the next working day) of it being reported to us. Where the perpetrator of the vandalism or graffiti can be identified, appropriate action will be taken against them. Please report all incidents of graffiti and vandalism to your Housing Officer.

Criminal Behaviour Criminal behaviour can take many forms, all of which cause a considerable nuisance. Drug crime, burglary, violence and prostitution are some of the more distressing examples of criminal behaviour. It is important that all criminal behaviour is reported to both your Housing Officer and the local Police. Where a tenant (or member of their household) has a criminal conviction, a Notice of Seeking Possession will be served upon the tenant and may result in eviction proceedings. All complaints about such behaviour will be treated in confidence, however it is important to remember that legal action is unlikely to be successful unless you are prepared to give evidence in Court. We can support and protect you through this process- see the section ‘How Can PHP Support Me as a Witness?’.

Rubbish and Litter Rubbish and litter that is not disposed of properly causes a considerable nuisance. Bags of rubbish put out before bin collection day can be a health hazard and attract vermin such as mice and rats, as well as flies. Where the person dumping the rubbish can be identified, appropriate action will be taken. This may include re- charging them for the cost of removing the rubbish, or supporting them in changing their behaviour, for example if the person is vulnerable. Please report any problems to your Housing Officer.

Abandoned Vehicles Abandoned vehicles are a danger to children and an eyesore. If you think that a vehicle has been abandoned in your area please contact the Helpdesk, or report it to Consumer Protection at Borough of Poole who will investigate and remove any abandoned vehicles. Action may be taken under the terms of the tenancy agreement where the vehicle has been abandoned by a tenant or member of their household.

Children Playing in Unsuitable Areas Some areas around your home are unsafe or not suitable for children’s play. Unsuitable areas include the road, lifts, stairways, or anywhere there is a danger of causing a nuisance to other residents. It is your responsibility to make sure that you find somewhere suitable for your children to play, and ensure that they are supervised if necessary. Where children are playing in an unsuitable area the matter will be discussed with their parents in the first instance.

What is Poole Housing Partnership’s Policy for dealing with Anti- Social Behaviour? PHP aims to ensure that all our tenants and leaseholders can enjoy their home and neighbourhood in reasonable peace and quiet. The best way is for all our tenants and leaseholders to respect this right and go about their lives in a considerate and neighbourly manner. We need to work together to make sure that this can happen.

PHP aims to help all our tenants/ lessees maintain their tenancies/ leases and will therefore stress a peace-making approach wherever possible. However in some circumstances, such as serious harassment, threats of violence or some criminal convictions, we will act swiftly to take legal action to protect our tenants/ lessees from those causing the anti- social behaviour.

To ensure that all our tenants and leaseholders are quite clear about what is expected of their behaviour, it is included in their tenancy or lease agreement respectively. This also helps PHP when we have to take action when things go wrong. The tenancy agreement states that you or any member of your household, including children, as well as any visitors to your household must not do anything which may cause, or is likely to cause, a nuisance, or to annoy anybody, or be convicted of a criminal offence in your property (which includes the garden), or in your neighbourhood. It is PHP’s policy to rigorously enforce the tenancy and lease conditions relating to anti- social behaviour.

The lease agreement also states that lesses and sub-lessees must not do anything that causes a nuisance or annoyance to their landlord, or to the owners or occupiers of neighbouring properties.

PHP ensure that all staff dealing with cases of anti- social behaviour receive regular training about issues related to anti- social behaviour. Our staff work to professional standards to help tackle anti- social behaviour.

Service Standards – Our Promises to You  Record your complaints about anti-social behaviour accurately  Provide advice to you about our policies and procedures and what you can do in response to anti-social behaviour  Investigate and manage the case in accordance with procedures and in consultation with the victim  Provide mediation services where appropriate  Provide support to victims as appropriate by . Referring to Victim Support . Providing help and assistance in going to Court . Installing additional security  Take legal action where appropriate  Liaise with other agencies and sections of the Council to find creative solutions  Keep up to date with patterns of anti- social behaviour within the Borough of Poole area through effective recording and liaison with other agencies  Take whatever measures we can to reduce crime and the fear of crime  Undertake an annual programme of environmental works to try to design out crime and anti- social behaviour  Inform you when we close a case and obtain your feedback on how we dealt with the case

Which Other Organisations do PHP Work with to Tackle Anti- Social Behaviour? PHP recognises the importance of different agencies working together to tackle anti- social behaviour. We work with other agencies such as the Police, Social Services, Victim Support, Youth Offending Team, Community Safety, the Health Service, Schools, Neighbourhood Watch Schemes, Drug Action Team and the Probation Service to tackle anti- social behaviour. Where it is appropriate we will refer victims to other agencies for support. We work with the other agencies to stop perpetrators continuing to act in an anti- social way, and where appropriate encourage rehabilitation. Where several agencies are involved, or need to be involved, in a case of anti- social behaviour, we will hold a case conference, where all the agencies involved meet to discuss the best way to tackle the problem. We are also represented on the following forums linked to BoP’s Crime and Disorder Strategy:  The Anti- Social Behaviour Task Group  The Racist Incident and Homophobic Working Group  The Burglary Task Group What is PHP’s policy for dealing with abuse or violence towards members of staff? The tenancy conditions state that the tenant, members of their household or visitors to their property must not be verbally or physically abusive to our agents, officers or workmen, including behaving in a way that is likely to injure, intimidate or cause alarm or distress. This is behaviour that PHP will not tolerate and where there is evidence that our staff are subjected to such behaviour, legal action, including injunctions and Notice of Seeking Possession followed by possession proceedings, will be used.

How does PHP work to prevent Anti- Social Behaviour Occurring? Prevention is an essential part of PHP’s work to tackle anti- social behaviour, and an area that we are looking to continuously improve through new ideas and initiatives. Prevention work includes:  Membership of BoP’s Anti-Social Behaviour Task Group, which has members from many agencies dealing with anti- social behaviour, and facilitated the provision of a Community Warden to work with communities and focus on ‘hotspots’ of anti- social behaviour.  Remedies (discussed later in this booklet) that prevent minor anti- social behaviour escalating into more serious anti- social behaviour including mediation, tenancy support and the use of Acceptable Behaviour Agreements and Acceptable Behaviour Contracts.  Working to eliminate anti- social behaviour through estate improvements, such as improved lighting and security measures

How Can I, as a Local Resident, Deal with the Problem?

What Should I Do Myself? If you are experiencing problems with a neighbour, then your first step should normally be to approach them yourself. You can explain what it is that they are doing that is disturbing you. It will be helpful if you describe the problem clearly (giving times, dates and the type of behaviour) and explaining how it affects you and your family rather than just complain about it.

It may be that your neighbour is unaware of the problems that they are causing and will be prepared to reach a compromise with you. Remember that your neighbour may have problems and concerns that you do not know about. Try not to shout or lose your temper with your neighbour as this can make the situation worse and could lead to action being taken against you. Try to think how you would like to be approached if someone had a problem with something that you were doing.

If this fails to resolve the problem you could write to your neighbour, explaining the effect their actions are having and politely ask them to change their behaviour. Refer to any previous discussions you may have had and any agreements reached to resolve the problem. It is useful to keep a copy of any letters you send to your neighbour to refer to at a later date if necessary.

These initial steps may resolve the situation. However should you need to take your complaint further, please contact your Housing Officer, who will investigate your complaint and make every effort to help you resolve the problem.

If you have experienced violent behaviour or harassment from your neighbour in the past or feel threatened by them you should NOT attempt to resolve the matter yourself. What Will Poole Housing Partnership Do to Help? PHP aims to resolve the nuisance without the need to go to Court if possible. However, complaints of nuisance and anti- social behaviour will be taken seriously and appropriate action will be taken. Every tenant and leaseholder has the right to contact their Housing Officer or Leasehold Officer for help and advice about a nuisance or anti- social behaviour problem.

The Officer will make every effort to resolve the problem, emphasising the use of peace- making measures wherever possible. However in some situations where the problems are particularly serious, or where peace- making measures have failed, Court action will be considered.

In order to take a matter to Court, PHP must have a strong, accurate case with a fair amount of evidence that a tenant is breaking one or more of their Conditions of Tenancy or Lease conditions. The actions a Court can take are outlined later in this booklet.

If you are experiencing nuisance or anti- social behaviour from a tenant or leaseholder, or a member of their household and discussing the problem with them has not helped, then you should contact your Housing Officer to discuss the situation. You will be asked to keep a record of events, called a ‘nuisance diary’, which may be used as evidence later in Court.

Where there is evidence of serious cases of anti- social behaviour including harassment, violence or the threat of violence, PHP will act swiftly to resolve the problem. In such cases we may take prompt legal action including a combination of an injunction and Notice of Seeking Possession followed by possession proceedings. Specific action is dependent on the individual circumstances of the case. In the case of Lessees, forfeiture of the lease may be sought in extreme cases. This means that as well as losing their home, the lessee loses the equity within their home and pays all the Landlord’s costs. The lease would revert to the freeholder- the Borough of Poole.

How will PHP handle my complaint? When you contact PHP to make a complaint (this can be by phone, letter, e-mail or in person) your complaint is assessed by a Housing Officer to establish the urgency of the complaint.

In cases involving harassment of any kind, violence or a threat of violence (including domestic violence), or a threat to residents safety or property, PHP will contact the complainant within 24 hours or the next working day to discuss the complaint. In such cases PHP also strongly advise you to contact the Police as well.

In all other cases PHP will contact the complainant within 5 working days. If the complaint can be resolved without any further investigation, the Housing Officer will write to you to let you know what action has been taken.

If the complaint is less straightforward, the Housing Officer will contact you to discuss the complaint and agree an Action Plan with you about how to progress. It is important to remember that PHP must remain impartial in any complaint. The Action Plan will include discussing what action is realistic for the type of complaint, what the complainant needs to do, for example keeping a diary of the nuisance they are experiencing, and what the Housing Officer needs to do, for example contacting the alleged perpetrator to discuss the problem. The next stage is usually for the Housing Officer to gather and consider all the evidence, and establish whether the complaint can be proved. This may include talking to other witnesses or neighbours for example. The Housing Officer will consider the options for dealing with the nuisance or anti-social behaviour, contact the complainant to keep them up to date with the case, and let them know what action PHP intend to take. Usually the first action is a warning letter to the person causing the nuisance about their behaviour. The Housing Officer will discuss the specific course of action with the complainant.

When a case is closed, the complainant will be sent a Satisfaction Survey to establish their satisfaction with the way the complaint was handled (not the outcome of the complaint). It is very important to return the survey in order that we may assess the service we provide and ensure continuous improvement.

Is My Complaint Treated in Confidence? PHP takes the issue of confidentiality very seriously. Any information supplied by you or others when making a complaint will be treated in confidence. The identity of the person making the complaint will not be given to the person being complained about. Sometimes the person being complained about may be able to work out who has made the complaint, depending on the nature of the complaint. In some circumstances, for example when taking Court action, the name and evidence of the person making the complaint may be revealed. If your identity needs to be revealed in connection with a complaint you have made in order for further action to be taken, your Housing or Leasehold Officer will discuss the implications of this with you before progressing the case.

What Records do PHP Keep About My Complaint? PHP will keep records about all complaints of anti- social behaviour. This includes notes about conversations with witnesses, perpetrators, and other agencies that may be involved. These records may be used and referred to as part of any further action, including legal action.

Will PHP Share Information with Other Organisations? PHP is signed up to an ‘Information Exchange Protocol’ with other agencies including Dorset Police, Borough of Poole, the Health Authority and the Probation Service. This means that these agencies can share information about individuals where it is directly relevant to stopping or preventing individuals from engaging in anti- social behaviour.

When will PHP close an Anti- Social Behaviour Case? PHP will close a case in the following circumstances:  If the complaint has been resolved.  If, after investigation, the complaints of anti- social behaviour cannot be substantiated the case may be closed.  If the nuisance is the result of a lifestyle clash and the complainant is not willing to participate in mediation discussed in the next section.  If diary sheets have not been returned after three months.

What Remedies do Poole Housing Partnership Have Available to Tackle Anti- Social Behaviour?

Mediation Housing Officers often recommend mediation in cases where there is a dispute between two tenants, lessee and tenant or lessees, often neighbours. PHP use an external mediation agency, that is not biased in any way. It is a very effective way of helping two parties understand each others’ point of view, particularly as the two parties will usually remain living as neighbours. Mediation does not apportion blame, but tries to find the middle ground that the two parties can agree on, and work from there. It is a common misconception that the two parties will have to sit in a room and face each other. This is not the case. Usually a trained Mediator will visit each party in their home to discuss their point of view, before feeding the information back to the other party and gaining agreement from both tenants about the way forward. This process usually takes several meetings with the mediator. Using mediation at an early stage can often prevent the problem escalating.

Tenancy Support PHP provides a Tenancy Support Service to help individuals and families maintain their tenancy. This service is particularly helpful to households who do not realise that their behaviour is causing a problem to their neighbours.

Multi-Agency Working This means that PHP work together with other agencies to resolve and prevent anti- social behaviour. Agencies that we often work with include the Police, the Probation Service, Community Safety Service at Borough of Poole, Commission for Racial Equality and Social Services. PHP will always work with our partners towards helping tenants/ lessees and lessees’ sub-tenants to maintain their tenancy and live peacefully as members of our community rather than take action to evict them wherever possible. However when a situation is too serious, or the tenant , lessee or sub- tenant has repeatedly failed to modify their behaviour, and continues to cause a serious nuisance to their neighbours, then we may work with our partners to take action to evict the tenant or in the case of lessees to forfeit their lease.

Injunctions In very serious cases PHP can ask the Court to order an injunction against a tenant or leaseholder, a member of the tenant’s family or a visitor. In this situation, an injunction usually bans somebody from doing something. For example, an injunction could order a person to stop violent behaviour, or ban them from visiting a particular area. It is usually a temporary measure until the full case can be heard in Court.

Notice of Seeking Possession A Notice of Seeking Possession is a legal document giving PHP’s reason(s) for wanting to take a tenant to Court, and the date when court proceedings can begin. That date must not be less than 28 days after the date of the notice. (However, in exceptional circumstances, we can take action immediately if we want to evict a tenant for anti- social behaviour, illegal use or the tenant has been convicted of an arrestable offence). In most cases of anti- social behaviour PHP would write to the tenant giving them the opportunity to stop their anti- social behaviour before resorting to serving a Notice of Seeking Possession. The exception to this is in cases involving harassment and/or violence.

The Notice of Seeking Possession can be served if the nuisance or anti- social behaviour is caused by the tenants, members of their household or visitors to their home. It gives the tenant the opportunity to comply with their tenancy conditions, and if the tenant does this we would not continue to take them to Court. At the end of the notice period we can apply to the County Court for a date when the case can be heard. The tenant should go to the Court, and will have the opportunity to put their version of events to the Court. The Court will decide if we can repossess the tenants home.

If you receive a ‘Notice of Seeking Possession’ from us (which will either be handed to the tenant personally, or hand posted through your letter box), you must come and talk to us about it, or get independent advice from a solicitor or the Citizens Advice Bureau as eventually you could lose your home.

Forfeiture of the Lease Forfeiture of the Lease under section 146 Law of Property Act 1925 may be sought in extreme cases, which means that as well as losing their home the lessee loses the equity within their home and would have to pay all the Landlord’s costs. The Lease reverts to the freeholder, the Borough of Poole.

We would normally take forfeiture proceedings if a Lessee(s) or their sub tenant(s) were guilty of serious anti- social behaviour.

The Landlord would serve a notice setting out the breach of covenant and asking that it be remedied under the terms of the Lease. We would request that the costs of such action are met by the Lessee. If the breach is not remedied then an action through the County Court is required. Lessees in this position are strongly advised to seek independent legal advice.

Anti- Social Behaviour Agreements An Anti- Social Behaviour Agreement is an agreement made between PHP and an individual and is made with the agreement of the individual. It can often be the first stage in resolving a problem. The agreement lays out acceptable standards of behaviour, which would prevent continued breaches of the tenancy agreement. It can be particularly helpful where an individual is unclear about how their behaviour is causing a nuisance to others.

Anti- Social Behaviour Contracts An Anti- Social Behaviour Contract is an agreement from an individual that they will not do certain things, and may ban them from certain areas where they have been causing a nuisance. It may also give a curfew for the person. An Anti- Social Behaviour Contract differs from an Anti- Social Behaviour Agreement in that it is usually requested by the Police and Borough of Poole as well as PHP, and is done in agreement with the individual. An Anti- Social Behaviour Contract is also a preventative measure, giving the person a chance to recognise that their actions are anti- social and rectify them before their behaviour deteriorates.

Anti-Social Behaviour Orders An Anti- Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) is an order made by the Court against an individual. It is usually requested jointly by PHP, the Borough of Poole and the Police, and can be requested against the will of the individual. To apply for an ASBO the agencies must have sufficient evidence for the Court to be willing to grant the ASBO. An ASBO usually prevents the individual from doing certain things and often bans them from certain areas. An ASBO usually remains in force for a minimum of two years. A breach of an ASBO is a criminal offence and can result in a prison sentence.

Does PHP’s policy cover all incidents of Anti- Social Behaviour?

Can PHP help me if I am a tenant and the nuisance is being caused by a non- tenant? Yes. PHP are committed to promoting the rights of our tenants to enjoy their homes in peace and quiet. Where this right is being interrupted by anti- social behaviour caused by a household that is owner occupied, privately rented or managed by another Housing Association, we will support our tenants in tackling the problem. Although the options available to PHP are more limited than when tackling a problem caused by our tenants, we will liaise with other agencies who have appropriate powers (given later in this booklet) to resolve the problem, in particular the Community Safety Team at the Borough of Poole. We will also consider using appropriate options that PHP has available to tackle anti- social behaviour by non- tenants including mediation and injunctions under Section 13 of the Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003. If you are a tenant of PHP and experiencing anti- social behaviour from a household that are not tenants of PHP please contact your Housing Officer to discuss your situation.

Can PHP help me if I am not a tenant and the nuisance is being caused by a tenant? Yes. The information and advice in this booklet applies equally to tenants and non- tenants where the nuisance is being caused by a tenant in a property managed by PHP.

How do PHP ensure that we act fairly towards vulnerable tenants? All tenants/ lessees are expected to comply with their Conditions of Tenancy or Lease Conditions, however we recognise that some groups of tenants may find it harder to do this than others. We will give tenants/ lessees every opportunity to comply with their conditions of tenancy, by providing appropriate support and safeguards to ensure our duty of care is being met to the following groups of tenants:

. We will ensure information is available in the tenant’s/ lessee’s first language. . We will always do our best to ensure the conditions of tenancy are fully explained and understood. . We will consult with the tenant / lessee about housing support packages where appropriate. . BoP Social Services will be informed if a Notice of Seeking Possession or forfeiture is to be served upon an elderly or vulnerable tenant, or a household with children under 16. . We will inform BoP Social Services when requesting a Warrant for Possession to be executed by the Court upon an elderly or vulnerable tenant, or a household with children under 16. . We will suspend action if BoP Social services or other agency offer a support package that will resolve the problem. . We will consult with BoP Social Services and the Police before commencing an Anti- Social Behaviour Contract or Anti- Social Behaviour Order against a person under 16. . Where a tenant / leaseholder causing a nuisance or annoyance is suffering from drug or alcohol dependency, action will be suspended at any stage prior to Court if the perpetrator enters a recognised treatment programme or centre.

How can PHP Support Me as a Witness? PHP recognises that being a witness in an anti- social behaviour case can be a daunting experience for many people. However it is often essential to the success of a case, particularly if the case goes to Court, that witnesses are prepared to be involved. Supporting and protecting witnesses is a high priority for PHP, and we make a commitment to support them throughout the process, including after a Court case if necessary. We will work with partner agencies including the Police, Community Safety and Victim Support to provide appropriate support tailored to individuals needs. Where necessary we can work with Consumer Protection Services to arrange video surveillance equipment for witnesses, we can also provide mobile phones or ‘lifeline’ which is an emergency alarm, which uses a two way speech system connected to a control centre. In addition PHP will help prepare all witnesses by giving advice on what will happen in Court and answering concerns and questions. A pre-visit to the Court can also be arranged.

Where there is a genuine risk to the security of a victim supported by Dorset Police, we will seek the assistance of Housing and Community Services at Borough of Poole to provide temporary accommodation.

If you need to attend court as a witness PHP will reimburse any out of pocket expenses you incur, such as child care costs. We will also arrange transport to and from the Court for you and make sure that you are accompanied by an appropriate person to offer support.

What Timescale will Tenants be given for Rectifying Breaches of Tenancy? Following a substantiated complaint, tenants who are breaching their tenancy agreement will be given a timescale in which to sort out the problem and comply with the conditions of tenancy.

A letter will be sent to the person causing the problem, advising of the timescale within which to stop the activity that is breaching their tenancy conditions. The following timescales apply:

Immediately . Harassment or threatening behaviour . Noise nuisance . Criminal damage . Children playing in unsuitable places . Remove obstructions from communal areas . Remove illegally parked cars causing an obstruction . Refusing to allow access to authorised people

7 Days . Remove garden rubbish . Stop repairs to vehicles

28 Days . Apply for permission for unauthorised alterations . Re-home Pets . Improve the condition of the property . Clear untidy gardens . Cease unauthorised parking, which is not causing a major nuisance . Lodgers & Subletting . Unauthorised business use

What Powers Do other Agencies Have to Deal With Anti- Social Behaviour? Other agencies have powers to deal with some aspects of anti- social behaviour. If you report anti- social behaviour to PHP we will normally organise a co-ordinated approach with any other agencies that have powers to help solve the problem. However you can report directly to other agencies if you wish, or seek advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau, (Phone: 0870 7510937) who are independent and can advise you on the best course of action.

Problem Solution Who To Contact Dog nuisance Council bye laws to keep dogs Consumer Protection including Fouling on a lead and not to foul in Services: 01202 public places 261700 Noise Pollution Abatement Order to stop the Consumer Protection noise pollution or a fine Services: 01202 261700 Abandoned Vehicles (Not Remove and dispose of the Consumer Protection on a private or Council vehicle Services: 01202 Property) 261700 Racial Harassment Arrest the person responsible. The Police: 01202 667766 Stray Dogs Dog Wardens round up stray Consumer Protection dogs Services: 01202 261700

What Do I Do If I Am Unhappy about the Way PHP is dealing with my case? If you are unhappy about the way in which your complaint about anti- social behaviour has been handled by a member of staff at PHP, you may wish to follow our complaints procedure. Please ask us for our leaflet about making a complaint, or refer to your copy of the Tenants Handbook for full details.

How often do PHP review the Anti- Social Behaviour policy? The policy will be reviewed periodically to reflect any changes in legislation and good practice.