What to do if you spot a nuisance in your neighbourhood

We know that nuisances and anti-social behaviour can be upsetting and stressful for all those who are affected by it. That is why we want to help as much as we can to make sure you are able to enjoy the peace and quiet of your own home without feeling scared or frustrated.

It’s important that you are able to live free from nuisances and anti-social behaviour in your neighbourhood which is why we have a process in place to make it easy for you to report a problem. This way we can work together alongside our partners such as the police and local council to solve any issues as quickly as possible.

What you can expect from us

We will:

• Investigate and review all reports of ASB.
• Work with our partners and specialist agencies where appropriate.
• Be clear with you from the beginning about what we can and can’t do, and what we need you to do to help us undertake a thorough investigation of your report.
• Use the tools available to us when dealing with ASB, these include but are not limited to; mediation referrals, written warnings, good neighbour agreements, acceptable behaviour agreements, civil Injunctions and possession proceedings.
• Enforce breaches of tenancy agreement when we have sufficient evidence.

Local Nuisance

Riverside may not consider all instances of nuisance reported to us to be ASB, and we consider these as local or neighbourhood nuisance.

Types of nuisance that may not be considered ASB include:

• Normal domestic noise, such as vacuuming, ordinary conversations, babies crying, children playing, footsteps or walking in properties.
• Neighbour fall outs, cooking smells and parking or boundary disputes.
• One off incidents of noise nuisance, such as a party or DIY work, radio or TV use during the day.
• Boundary disputes

In these situations, we ask that you be neighbourly, where appropriate and in circumstances of local nuisance, we encourage residents to try talking to your neighbour first. Try to remember that everyone has different tolerance levels and high-density neighbourhoods are made up of people with different lifestyles. Be understanding of those that may have a vulnerability or struggling.

Your Housing Officer can help in these circumstances through signposting to other agencies and arranging support. Try to remember that everyone has different tolerance levels and high-density neighbourhoods are made up of people with different lifestyles.

What is Anti-Social Behaviour?

• Unacceptable noise nuisance (such as loud music or parties).
• Selling drugs and drug use
• Intimidation or harassment
• Verbal abuse (this could be shouting and swearing).
• Criminal damage
• Violence or assault

We want to help make a real difference in your area by tackling these issues head on and to make sure your voice is heard. We want your community to be a safer and more enjoyable place to live.

Whether you are one of our tenants or you are a witness making a complaint about one of our tenants, we are here to listen and help in the best way we can. You don’t have to worry because all reports of nuisance and anti-social behaviour are treated with complete confidentiality as we take the safety of our tenants and witnesses seriously.

However, in some cases we may have to share information with police or social services but we always try to ensure that we ask your permission first and let you know how this information will be used.

There will be times when Riverside is not the appropriate organisation to investigate your report, such as crime or criminal behaviour, but we will consider each case on its own circumstances and support you in the best way we can and signpost you to appropriate agencies such as the police.

How do I report anti-social behaviour?

If you are experiencing any sort of nuisance or anti-social behaviour in your neighbourhood, remember it is important that you contact the right people to deal with your case quickly and efficiently.

• Call 999 if you are in immediate danger or concerned for the safety of a neighbour.
• The non-emergency police number is 101.
• Call 0800 555 111 to report suspicious behaviour to CrimeStoppers.
• Contact us to report problems to Riverside or to ask our staff for more advice.

Do I need to keep evidence?

To help us and any other partner we work with resolve your nuisance or anti-social behaviour complaint in the best way possible, it is important that you keep any sort of evidence which may help with your case. But only if it is safe to do so.

Here are a few things you can do to help:

• Take a photo of anything that could be used as evidence.
• Write down the time and place or any other significant details of when it has occurred.
• Write down the names of any witnesses
• If you have called the police or crime stoppers, make a note of any reference numbers you have been given and the names of any police officers involved.

ASB Case Review

Regardless of which agency is investigating your ASB case, the ASB Case Review is a process which allows members of the community, or advocates on their behalf, to ask for a review of the responses to their complaints of anti-social behaviour. The ASB Case Review should only be used if no action has been taken as a result of repeat reporting of ASB.

The use of the ASB Case Review does not interfere with your right to follow our internal complaints procedure; both processes can run at the same time. The ASB Case Review cannot be used to report general acts of crime which should be reported to police.

More detailed information on the process, which is administered by your Local Authority, following procedures set out in the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, including the threshold for and the ways to apply for a ASB Case Review can all be found by accessing your local council’s website.

The following link to the site of “asbhelp” a national charity for victims of ASB provides links to most community trigger application pages for councils nationally: https://asbhelp.co.uk/ct-directory/