Anti-social behaviour

Anti-social behaviour - including hate crime/incidents

Everyone is entitled to live in peace and quiet in their own home, and not be disturbed by the behaviour of neighbourrs.

Habinteg will work with tenants and other agencies such as the police, local support agencies and local authorities to ensure your estates are a safe place to live.

Everyone has a right to live in a safe environment, free from Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) and Habinteg strives to create households and neighbourhoods that promote this. We aim for communities where customers:

take responsibility,
have information to make choices,
are healthy and happy,
and where everyone makes a valuable contribution.

We will classify each ASB case we receive into one of three categories and will create an action plan.

What can I do if I am having problems with my neighbours?

Your neighbours may not be aware that their behaviour is causing you a problem. The best thing to do is to speak to them first, if you think you can do so in safety. Remember to remain polite and try not to be angry.

If the situation does not improve, let them know. If the problem doesn’t stop, contact your Neighbourhood Co-ordinator and explain the problem and the steps you have taken so far.

For example, you should keep written notes of incidents and the action you have taken, including the dates and times. Use a diary sheet to keep a record. This will help us enormously in trying to assist you to deal with the problem.

If you witness any criminal act, you should call the police. If you don’t want a member of staff or the police to call at your house, phone and arrange a different, private meeting place.

What can Habinteg do?

We will always work with you if you are experiencing anti-social behaviour or harassment, but remember we will be much more effective with your help.

The level of action we take depends on how severe the problem is.

We can:

Try to resolve disputes informally and help those involved to resolve their differences
Arrange mediation if this is appropriate
Set up an acceptable behaviour agreement
Take legal action, such as an injunction which ultimately may lead to possession of the property or imprisonment.
Work with other agencies such as the police to institute criminal proceedings.

It is important to realise that if you do not provide us with information, witness statements or some form of evidence, it is very difficult for Habinteg as a landlord to take action.

How to report anti-social behaviour (ASB) including hate crime/incidents

The easiest way to report anti-social behaviour is by using our online form .

Please remember to include your name and address so that we can identify you for our records. You can report anonymously, however, any action we take may be limited if we are unable to substantiate any allegation made. If the matter is urgent, please include a contact number.

Or you may want to report an incident/crime directly to the police. You can contact the police by:
Telephoning 999 – EMERGENCIES ONLY
Telephoning 101 – NON EMERGENCIES

Contact your local Policing unit online: www.report-it.org.uk.uk/YOUR_POLICE_FORCE .

You can also download an anti-social behaviour diary sheet below. You can use it to keep a detailed record of the nuisance and harassment you are experiencing, including the type of incidents and when they occur. This evidence can be helpful for us to resolve the situation.

If you don't want to report a hate crime/incident to Habinteg or the police, you may wish to consider reporting it to a third party reporting centre, such as your local authority or the Citizens Advice Bureau. They can report the incident on your behalf and provide you with advice and support.

Report-it.org.uk also has a list of organisations that may be able to help you.

Summary advice

Do:

Think about neighbours when you are doing something noisy and let
them know first
Turn TV or music down if you neighbour asks you to — remember that
noise travels through walls and floors
Be tolerant when neighbours and their children are engaged in the ordinary activities of daily living
Let your neighbours know if you are planning a party
Remember that you are responsible for the behaviour of your
children, family, pets and visitors.

Don’t:

Play music so loud that it can be heard outside your home
Carry out noisy work in your home or on your car in the early hours
of the morning or at night
Hold frequent late-night parties
Drink alcohol outside the front of your property or in communal or shared areas such as gardens, corridors or walkways
Sound car horns, rev engines or slam doors
Use abusive or violent behaviour
Harass anybody, racially, sexually or in any other discriminatory way.

More information

You can find out more information in our anti-social behaviour guide below.

This guide covers:

responding to nuisance and harassment
what is and is not anti-social behaviour
avoiding anti-social behaviour
how to tackle anti-social behaviour
what we will do when you report anti-social behaviour.

Reasonable Behaviour Policy

We also have a Reasonable Behaviour Policy 2023i.pdf [361KB], which sets out the behaviour we expect from our tenants, their household members and their visitors, towards our staff and contractors. It includes our stance on:

zero tolerance
anti social behaviour
unreasonable demands
formal actions we will take.

Useful Definitions

Racism: Prejudice, discrimination or hatred towards people because of their actual or perceived race, colour or ethnic origin. “A racist incident is any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person.” (Stephen Lawrence Inquiry)

Homophobia: Prejudice, discrimination or hatred towards a person because of their actual or perceived sexuality (lesbian, gay or bisexual).

Transphobia: Prejudice, discrimination, or hatred towards members of the trans community (those who are transgender, transvestite, or transsexual).

Religious hatred: Prejudice, discrimination or hatred towards people because of their actual or perceived faith or religious belief.

Disability hatred: Any incident that appears to be motivated by a person’s prejudice, discrimination or hate towards someone because of their actual or perceived disability, for instance targeting someone because they are visually impaired, have a learning disability, a mental health condition or they are physically disabled.

Marital or civil prejudice: Discrimination or hatred towards someone because of their marital or civil partnership status, for instance targeting a same sex couple who are in civil partnership.

Discrimination by prejudice: Discrimination, hatred towards a person because of their association with someone who actually or is perceived to belong to one of the above groups.

Useful Contact Details

Victim Support
A national charity for victims and witnesses of crime in England and Wales.
0845 3030900

Crimestoppers
An anonymous free phone line where you can report any criminal activity that you are ware of in your community, in complete confidence.
0800 555111

Stop Hate UK
Provide 24 hour independent support to people who have been affected by Hate Crime.
Email: talk@stophateuk.org
By phone 0800 1381625 or text 07717 989025

Voice UK
A national charity supporting people with learning disabilities and other vulnerable people who have experiences crime or abuse.
0808 802 8686

Galop
Work to prevent and challenge homophobic, transphobic hate crime.
02077042040

Samaritans
The Samaritans provide confidential, non judgemental, emotional support 24 hours a day, for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which could lead to suicide.
08457 90 90 90
Email: jo@samaritans.org