Antisocial behaviour

Our approach to tackling antisocial behaviour 

River Clyde Homes recognises that everyone has the right to life in a peaceful environment and to feel safe within their homes and their communities. We take reports of antisocial behaviour very seriously and are committed to tackling and investigating all reports of antisocial behaviour if one or more of the individuals involved is a River Clyde Homes tenants.

We have an antisocial behaviour policy (download below) and procedures that ensure we:

• Take timely, consistent and effective action against people who behave in an anti-social manner
• Provide support to victims of antisocial behaviour, and where appropriate to perpetrators to help them change their behaviour, and to sustain tenancies
• Work in partnership with relevant local agencies to reduce antisocial behaviour and its impact on our customers by maximising prevention, intervention, reassurance and engagement activities.

What is antisocial behaviour?

There are various types of antisocial behaviour, including:

• Noise – e.g. Excessively loud music or parties
• Environmental -  e.g. Communal gardens are not being looked after or items continually being dumped, for example
• Harassment - Low level continual bad behaviour
• Aggressive Behaviour – Threatening or violent behaviour from others
• Criminal – Drug issues or racial abuse
• Pets – Fouling in communal areas or barking/noise etc.

How does RCH tackle antisocial behaviour?

Where it is appropriate, and safe to do so, we would ask that you resolve issues with your neighbour by talking to them. If you are unable to do so, or this does not resolve the issue, please contact us in confidence on: 0800 013 2196 or by email to customerexperience@riverclydehomes.org.uk, or speak to your housing officer.

When you report antisocial behaviour to us, your housing officer will make contact with you within the following timescales:

• 1 working day in the case of extreme or serious ASB and
• 3 working days where the complaint relates to a neighbour dispute.

Extreme antisocial behaviour includes drug dealing, violence and or threatening behaviour and serious harassment (including racial harassment).

Serious antisocial behaviour, includes persistent disturbances, excessive noise, extreme incidents of nuisance resulting from alcohol or drug misuse and damage to property.

Neighbour disputes includes minor vandalism, breach of the peace, failing to control pets, behaviour of children and noise nuisance.

Your housing officer will:

• Carry out a risk assessment of your circumstances to provide appropriate support, advice and assistance;
• Agree an action plan with you i.e. methods of communication, frequency of updates and steps required to resolve the situation, including the assistance that we require from you;
• Speak with the perpetrator of the behaviour (with your permission and in confidence) to discuss the complaint;
• Investigate your complaint - this will generally involve speaking with witnesses, other neighbours and liaising with other agencies as appropriate to confirm/substantiate reports;
• Maintain regular contact to support you and keep you informed of developments;
• Liaise as appropriate with our partners in Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and various teams within Inverclyde Council, including Antisocial Investigation Team, Community Wardens and Environmental Enforcement to support you and progress appropriate interventions;
• Take appropriate action in accordance with the outcome of investigations – this may include referring you to Inverclyde Council's Community Mediation Service in the case of neighbour disputes and
• Seek your feedback on how we are performing and how we could improve our service.

Our targets - We aim to resolve all antisocial behaviour cases within 12 weeks.

What outcome could there be to my complaint?

Antisocial behaviour is often resolved quickly as neighbours will often adjust their behaviour when they realise that it is having a negative impact upon someone else.

In other circumstances the individual may require support to help change their behaviour and we will create an appropriate support package to help them to sustain their tenancy.

Other tools available to us include:

• Acceptable Behaviour Contracts – early intervention tool designed to change individuals behaviour;
• Formal Tenancy Warnings – progressed where an incident of ASB has been substantiated;
• Intervention Visits – often carried out with partner agencies, designed to prevent further serious issues arising;
• Interdicts – legal action that prevents someone carrying out particular behaviour and has greater legal penalties if breached;
• Antisocial Behaviour Order (ASBO) – order obtained through the court to prevent someone carrying out specific ASB associated actions and is obtained via close liaison with Inverclyde Council's Social Protection Team and Police Scotland and
• Possession Orders for Evictions – used where the perpetrator refuses to adjust their behaviour or in extreme cases and is considered as a mechanism of last resort as it does not change an individual’s behaviour but moves the problem elsewhere. Such an order requires a legal case to be presented to a sheriff for judgement.

Eviction proceedings are not straightforward and can take a period of time to progress as the landlord is required to demonstrate that they have taken all appropriate steps to resolve the situation, including the provision of support and must build a case with evidence, which can take time.

We work closely with our partner agencies to address antisocial behaviour and in the case of extreme/serious incidents, refer cases to Inverclyde Council's ASIST Team, whose specialist officers provide valued assistance and may offer an out of hours’ service to victims in appropriate circumstances.

In the event of serious antisocial behaviour will I need to act as a witness in court?

Where a case is presented at Court, we will try to progress evidence via Officers accounts and evidence that they have collated. This may include evidence being presented by Officers of River Clyde Homes, Inverclyde Council and Police Scotland.

In the event that a victim was required to present evidence, we will work with Victim Support and the Court Services to support you through this process.

How can you help?

Firstly, be a good neighbour. Be aware of your behaviour may impact on others who live around you or in your community.  Secondly, if you are reporting an issue or an incident of antisocial behaviour, please lets us know the following information:

• Do you know the perpetrator?
• When did the incident occur?
• How often does it happen?
• Did you contact the police or the noise team?
• Did you get an incident report number?
• Did you speak to the tenant yourself?

If you are working with your housing officer regarding an ongoing antisocial behaviour issue, it is helpful to keep a log or diary of all the events, with dates, times, details, any witnesses and if you reported this to another agency. This will help your Housing Officer to pursue the perpetrator and may help should the case go to court.

Report an issue

You can report antisocial behaviour to us 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 0800 013 2196 for free from a mobile or landline.  Alternatively you can use out contact form to report an issue.

In an emergency you can call Police Scotland on 999.  Please use the 101 number to contact Police for all non-emergency issues.

Other useful contacts

• Inverclyde Council ASIST Team – 0800 013 1701
• Community Wardens – 0800 013 1701
• Inverclyde Community Mediation Service – 01475 714200
• Crimestoppers – 0800 555111
• Victim Support Scotland – 0845 6039213