Anti-Social Behaviour


Worthing Homes know that pleasant, safe communities and neighbourhoods free from anti-social behaviour are good places to live.  We treat reports of anti-social behaviour very seriously and are committed to doing all we reasonably can to deal with and prevent anti-social behaviour.

We will work with residents and other local agencies to provide the best possible environment for you to live in.


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What is anti-social behaviour?

The Crime and Disorder Act, 1998 formally defines anti-social behaviour also know as ‘ASB’ in terms of behaviour that:

‘caused or was likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one or more persons not of the same household as [the defendant].'


A list of examples may include:                                                                                                    


Respect standard

In signing up to the Respect Standard for Housing Management we are committed to doing all we reasonably can to provide excellent, accessible and effective services to deal with anti-social behaviour and create a society of respect.


Respect logo

The six core commitments are:


For more information go to: www.respect.gov.uk


You have a responsibility to respect your neighbours and the local environment and be aware of and keep to the conditions of your tenancy.  You are also responsible for the behaviour of your family, visitors and pets.

Following the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 we are required to produce a summary of our policy and procedures which explains our commitment and how we will deal with reports of anti-social behaviour.

You can obtain a copy :


The full ASB Policy and Procedures are also available to anyone that requests them.     

 

 

Our commitment

We aim to provide an accessible and effective service to encourage residents to report incidents and ensure that all complaints of anti-social behaviour are dealt with promptly and effectively.  We will:


We will also comply with the duties and obligations placed on us by existing legislation, and any subsequent amendments to the acts such as:



What you can do if you experience ASB?

Talk to person causing the problem, this will often be a neighbour.  A friendly, reasonable approach to discuss the problem is usually the best approach. It is more likely to be successful than putting a note through the door, which can seem unfriendly.  Remember, people are often unaware that they or someone in their household are causing you a nuisance.

Before you speak to the person, here are some helpful tips to help you prepare:


Tips for when you speak to the person:

In an emergency call 999.


What if talking to my neighbour makes no difference?

There are a number of things to help resolve the problem.  These are the steps you can take: 


How Worthing Homes will deal with reports of anti-social behaviour

Reports of anti-social behaviour can be made to your Neighbourhood Housing Officer by:


Your Neighbourhood Housing Officer will:


Once your Neighbourhood Housing Officer has taken all the details from you they will agree an action plan with you to resolve the problem. 


Depending on what happened, the action could be:


If the anti-social behaviour involves criminal acts, you will be advised to contact the Police so that they are aware of the situation and can take any necessary action.


What Worthing Homes is doing to prevent anti-social behaviour

We have a range of initiatives which are essential in preventing anti-social behaviour these include:


We will also undertake projects and work in partnership with other agencies to provide activities for the young and the wider community which will help to prevent anti-social behaviour, some examples of our work are:


We have also sponsored the Children’s Safety Education Foundation to provide a local school with an innovative educational programme which cover these topics:


Legal action

We have the powers to take legal action against tenants and members of their household, if there is strong supporting evidence.  If we are to successfully take action we will need your help in providing this evidence. 

Action we can take could be:


Action against Leaseholders or Shared Owners

Leaseholders and shared owners are bound by the terms of their lease.  The Sales and Leasehold Adviser will investigate reports of anti-social behaviour caused by leaseholders or shared home owners. In serious cases we may:

Action against owner-occupiers

We will work in partnership with the Worthing and Adur Anti-Social Behaviour Partnership to resolve the problem and take appropriate action.


What will we do to support you?

As well as keeping you informed and maintaining contact with you, your Neighbourhood Housing Officer will discuss with you what type of support you feel you will need and will refer you to other support agencies as necessary.

If court action is necessary we will help to support you through this and provide ongoing support after the hearing for as long as you feel necessary or as long as reasonably practical.

Support we will provide could be:


How to complete the incident diary forms

The incidents sheets are your own personal record of what you see or hear, you cannot write down something that other people (including your wife, husband or partner) have witnessed. They must complete their own incident record sheets.

Fill in the incident diary as soon as possible while the incident is still fresh in your mind. Do it on the same day if you can.

Download an Anti-social behaviour incident diary