ASB Awareness Week: feel safe in your home and proud of your neighbourhood
"My life is so much better; I am far less stressed now. Homes Plus took action and my neighbour has now gone. I feel a lot safer and can sleep at night knowing I am not going to be threatened or woken up by noise. Life in the area is so peaceful now and we all get on really well. It did take a while to get this result, but I kept on reporting it as I knew Homes Plus were listening to me. I was kept updated by the officers dealing with my case and would feel confident to report ASB in the future.” - A Homes Plus customer.
ASB Awareness Week takes place between 3 – 9 July.
This year, the theme for the awareness week is ‘Know Your Rights’. The campaign aims to encourage people to report incidents of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) and raises awareness of the ASB Case Review (previously known as the Community Trigger), which is designed to give victims of anti-social behaviour the right to request a review of their case and bring agencies together to take a joined-up, problem solving approach.
The main aim of the ASB Case Review process is to find a solution to the core problem causing the anti-social behaviour.
If you live in Staffordshire you can request an ASB Case Review by calling Staffordshire Police on 101 or by completing an online form on their website.
Further advice is also available on your local council’s website:
We take ASB seriously all year. In ASB Awareness Week we are:
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Reminding customers what is and what isn’t ASB and explaining what we can do to help
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Urging victims and witnesses to report hate incidents and crimes (look out for our special feature here, this week)
What is (and what isn’t) ASB
ASB can cover a range of problems from minor disputes between neighbours to serious criminal incidents.
Examples of ASB include
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Littering or fly-tipping
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Dog fouling
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Graffiti
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Foul and abusive language
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Threats of or actual violence
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Threats of or actual criminal damage
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Harassment
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Persistent and unreasonable noise
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Drug use or activity
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Loud music, shouting, regular parties
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Irresponsible or dangerous parking on land owned by us
Sometimes, you might experience issues with your neighbours which don’t meet the legal definition of ASB. That doesn’t mean we don’t understand the distress that these problems can cause, or that we can’t try to support you.
Examples of the kind of behaviour which isn’t ASB, include
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Differing lifestyles including shift patterns
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Small amounts of litter in communal areas
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Children playing ball games on green spaces
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Domestic noise in neighbouring homes, such as talking, footsteps or vacuuming
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One-off parties
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People being rude
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Cats roaming or fouling
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Disputes on social media
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Inconsiderate parking
If you are experiencing this kind of problem, we will still try to help you. Let us know and we will provide support, advice and mediation. We may also put you in touch with other organisations, for other assistance.
Reporting ASB
Report ASB using this form or by contacting our customer service centre on 0800 048 8955
How we respond to ASB
At the start of each case an action plan will be created with you detailing what action we will take with timescales. Throughout the case we will keep in regular contact with you and give you updates on how the case is progressing or request further information.
We will always use informal methods such as mediation and neighbourhood support to relieve the distress of ASB quickly and effectively. In the most serious cases, options including court injunctions and possession orders will be considered as a last resort.
We recognise that no two cases of ASB are the same and that there is usually a reason why someone is behaving in a particular way. We are working hard to understand the causes of ASB and supporting everyone involved to reach a lasting resolution.