I live in a Barnet Homes Property 

 

Please telephone us on 0800 389 5225 or email us. A housing officer from the Anti-Social Behaviour Team will contact you to make a full report.


We will contact you quickly to confirm who is dealing with your case and make arrangements to discuss your concerns. In serious cases, we will want to see you within 24 hours and we can meet at your home, in the housing office or elsewhere.
We will carry out a full investigation, which can involve gathering evidence from a range of people including other residents, the perpetrator and agencies such as the police.


We will only contact these people with your consent but if you refuse it may be difficult to take the case further.


Action Plan


After contacting you, we will then draw up an action plan listing what we will do and what you should do to get the problem sorted out. The case will be a partnership.
We are working for you but you must help us by keeping your side of the action plan.
If the nuisance concerns a young person, we may consider an Acceptable Behaviour Contract. This is a signed agreement between a young person, their parent or guardian, the police and Barnet Homes. It requires the youth to cease acting in a specific way and if broken can result in legal action
We will only proceed to gather evidence or interview the perpetrator with your permission. If you refuse it could be difficult to take the case further.


Legal Action


If anti-social behaviour continues after the warning or if someone is in danger we will start legal action. Depending on the case we will ask the court to give us:

  • Possession proceedings, which involves getting a court order to evict the perpetrator from their home. 
  • An anti-social behaviour order (ASBO), which is a court order that requires a person to cease their nuisance behaviour or prevent them from going to a specific place. If breached the person can be fined or given a prison sentence. 
  • An injunction, which is a court order designed to stop a person from behaving in a certin way. If breached some injunctions can have the power of arrest and the person can be fined or given a prison sentence. In most cases it has to be proved that there is a significant risk of harm before we can use an injunction.

All these legal orders can only be used if the court agrees to grant them. We have to convince the judge that the nuisance is serious and having a real effect on the quality of life of others.


We will support you at all times, especially if taking legal action. We will keep you informed about what is happening and can improve the security of your home.
If there is clear danger to you we can arrange alternative temporary accommodation or assist you to bid for a permanent move. We prefer not to do this because you have the right to live safely in your home and we want to take action against the people causing the problems.


Harassment


Harassment is a special kind of anti-social behaviour where someone is deliberately targeted for example because of their race or sexuality. Barnet Homes will not tolerate any form of harassment against staff or residents. You have agreed by signing your tenancy agreement not to cause or allow others to harass any person on the basis of their race, gender, sexuality, disability, age or religious beliefs.


If you are suffering from harassment Barnet Homes will:

  • Contact you within 24 hours to discuss your concerns and can arrange an interpreter if needed. 
  • Remove any offensive graffiti and repair damage within one working day 
  • Help the police to take action to prosecute the offender if there is adequate evidence. 
  • Agree an action plan and keep you informed about the progress of your case 
  • Improve security to your home 
  • Work with other agencies to provide support and assistance 
  • Take legal action if necessary if there is enough evidence 
If there is clear danger to you, we can arrange alternative temporary accommodation for you or may rehouse you permanently. We prefer not to do this, because you have the right to live safely in your home and we would prefer to take action against the person harassing you.


Mediation


What is Mediation?
When neighbours have a dispute they may find it hard to talk to each other. Mediation can help with this stalemate.
Mediation is provided by experts from an independent firm who are specially trained to help tenants who are in dispute with their neighbours.
You may be having problems with noise, children, pets, parking or a boundary dispute.
Whatever the problem our mediation services may help you find a solution.