We want you to be able to enjoy your home and local surroundings without being affected by anti-social behaviour.

In the 12 months to March 2023, we managed nearly 800 cases of anti-social behaviour (ASB) and over 300 cases of domestic abuse. Through both interventions and strong partnership work, we were able to resolve 97% of these cases.

Some highlights included:

• contributing to national policy changes in ASB practice for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and to the national ASB awareness campaign in July 2022
• being an accredited member of the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) to ensure we’re delivering best practice support for domestic abuse victims and survivors
• delivering regular customer awareness campaigns on topics including scams, fraud and county lines (where drugs are trafficked into smaller communities).

We’ve also been successful in supporting our communities on a local level:

• we’ve introduced a specialist ASB service in Devon and Cornwall, and extra hours of support each week for our Hampshire region, to support our new homes
• we’ve donated money to a summer sports programme for youth related work in Wiltshire, and to the Yellow Brick Road Projects charity for youth intervention in Andover, Hampshire
• three ASB Officers graduated from the Leadership Programme and another two have completed an NVQ in ASB Case Management.

We’re currently looking at a new policy to manage noise and cannabis complaints, using more data-led approaches to manage hot spot areas of ASB, and making investments in communities in a more localised approach to tackle local issues.

How we support our communities through tackling ASB

When customer X moved into their home in October 2020, we received reports almost immediately that they had been breaching their Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC), a voluntary agreement some customers sign up to if we have been made aware of previous poor behaviour. We put home visits and partnership meetings in place.

Unfortunately, the customer continued to breach their ABC and an injunction was served, restricting drug use and visitors to their home, along with restrictions of customer X attending other homes we own. However, the home continued to be used for drug-related activities, and other very serious incidents were reported.

We engaged with the courts and argued that customer X was in the wrong home for their needs, and that they required supported housing so that behaviour and visitors could be monitored closely. Following a 10-month process, the judge agreed with us, awarding us outright possession of the home with the condition that customer X could remain for six months while a more suitable, supported home could be found.

In the meantime, other customers in the property have been granted extra protections, should customer X continue to breach his ABC.

Claire Dzuda

ASB Officer

Keeping our

homes safe