Tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB), and the harm that it can cause, is a priority for us. We are committed to working with you to manage and minimise ASB where we can.
Everyone is entitled to live in peace at home. It goes without saying that we should always treat one another with respect and avoid causing any disturbance to our neighbours.
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What is ASB?
Behaviour which results from different lifestyles, or which would not be considered unreasonable by most people is not anti-social behaviour.
We expect our customers to show consideration to their neighbours and have an understanding that we all have a right to live our lives.
The following are the sort of day-to-day behaviours which are a normal part of daily life (unless they are frequent, persistent, or intended to cause a nuisance):
- noise from children when they’re playing
- family disputes
- Babies crying
- smells from cooking
- sounds of normal day to day living (doors, use of stairs etc.)
- one-off parties providing they don’t cause an unacceptable disturbance
- clashes of lifestyle, including cultural differences
- minor personal differences
- putting rubbish out on the wrong day
- parking in the wrong bay.
Some examples of ASB cases where Thrive can investigate and will liaise with Community Safety Partnerships include, but are not limited to (in all situations the person committing ASB must be a Thrive Tenant in order for us to investigate):
- assault
- arson or attempted arson
- gun / Knife crime
- hate Crime
- sexual Offences
- threats (of abuse or violence)
- drug use / dealing
- drunk/rowdy behaviour
- group disorder
- harassment / intimidation
- noise nuisance
- pet nuisance (e.g. dog straying, barking).
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What should I do if I am experiencing ASB?
You should take first take steps to resolve minor neighbour disputes or problems yourself. Where appropriate, and if it safe to do so, speak to the person causing the ASB – they might not be aware of the effect their behaviour is having on others.
One way of doing this is to make use of our ‘Dear Neighbour’ card where you can notify residents about a disturbance they may have caused.
If you witness or experience ASB that is violent or poses an immediate safety risk, you should always ring the police on 999.
Customers found to be the perpetrator of ASB put their tenancy or lease at risk - you may lose your home and we will not offer you a tenancy in future.
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How do I report ASB?
If the behaviour is persistent* during the day or during the night-time**, and you do not feel safe approaching your neighbour, or you have tried and the situation has not improved, please complete one of our diary sheets with dates and times of the incidents.
Completed diary sheets help us to gather evidence and know what has happened and how it has impacted you so we can take appropriate action.
Criminal offences should be reported to the Police in first instance on 101, online www.police.uk or 999 if there is an emergency.
Alternatively, incidents can be reported anonymously to CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111 or online crimestoppers-uk.org
You can report ASB to Thrive in any of the following ways:
- by email to enquiries@thrivehomes.org.uk
- via the myThrive hub
- by phone on 0800 917 6077.
*Persistent means the disturbance lasts for continuous periods of over 30 minutes a day for at least 5 days within one week.
**Night-time – after 11pm and before 7am.
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What does Thrive do when a case is accepted?
When you report an ASB incident we will:
- clarify the nature of the incident and the risk it poses
- agree an initial action plan with you
- agree a timescale with you for keeping you informed of the progress of your case
- contact you before we close the case.
We aim to deal appropriately with all cases to resolve them at the earliest opportunity. The length of time this can take varies depending on the nature of the case and whether we need to involve other authorities.
Where ASB is criminal, we will immediately involve the police and advise you to cooperate with their investigation. We will support and work with them, and our own actions will be guided by their findings and outcome.
Our response to allegations of ASB will be proportionate. We will where appropriate, seek the cooperation of statutory agencies in carrying out their duties to protect the public and will commit to working in partnership with residents and other agencies.
With regard to domestic abuse we will work with partners, our direct involvement in domestic abuse or hate crime will be limited to sanctions related to breaches of tenancy. Investigations of these allegations will be carried out by the police and/or the local authority in line with their responsibilities.
To help us understand how well we are handling your case, we may contact you to ask a few questions a few weeks after you’ve first reported the ASB to us and/or when your case has been closed.
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Can I request for my case to be reviewed?
The Community Trigger (also known as the ASB Case Review) is a national tool for individuals to request the local authority to for a review of how their ASB complaint has been dealt with.
Each local area sets a threshold which must be met for the Community Trigger to be used. This is usually set at three complaints of anti-social behaviour, either made by you or someone else. Your local police or local council will be able to provide you with further information about the Community Trigger process in your area.
This tool cannot be used to report new cases of anti-social behaviour and does not replace Thrive’s Complaints process. Instead, this tool is to provide you with additional support to resolve ASB matters.
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How can I give feedback on the way my case has been handled?
To help us understand how well we are handling your case, we may contact you to ask a few questions a few weeks after you’ve first reported the ASB to us and/or when your case has been closed.
We are always keen to learn about your experiences of our services, and you can give feedback at any time. If you are not happy with the way we have handled your case, you can also make a complaint.
The easiest way to give feedback or make a complaint is at: thrivehomes.org.uk/give-feedback
ASB Policy
Our ASB Policy provides more information on what we will do if you are a victim of ASB, making a complaint about ASB or are acting as a witness.