Broxbourne Housing Association is much more than just a landlord and plays an active part in the community. We aim to develop better homes and better communities. To help us achieve this we re-structured in 2008. We now have the Estate Teams responsible for caretaking, Safer Communities and the Housing Officers under a new post of Community services manager. This has helped us to be more responsive to issues and improve our own communication. We have developed excellent partnerships with local agencies such as the Police and Fire service, in addition to other agencies, organisations and voluntary bodies.
Neighbour Issues - How We Can Help
Problems with neighbours
The Borough of Broxbourne is a relatively safe place to live and work. However, Broxbourne Housing Association does work closely with other agencies to help ensure this remains so. The Association is the landlord for around 4,000 properties and each tenant is subject to the tenancy conditions, which detail 'nuisance' and 'harassment' for which breaches can lead to eviction. Other properties are managed within the Borough on behalf of other Housing Associations, which have similar conditions of tenancy.
Broxbourne Housing Association has written guidance for dealing with nuisance and harassment in a consistent manner. The vast majority of reports of nuisance and anti-social behaviour are dealt with via letters, visits, discussions or mediation, although a small proportion do result in legal action. This can take the form of injunction or possession (eviction) action. The Association also meets regularly with the police and other partners to tackle anti-social behaviour locally under the powers in the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act. These are additional and often complementary powers to the landlord powers described above. They can also be used on people in the private housing sector usually in a multi agency approach.
The Association can and will initiate swift and effective action by way of;
Injunctions
-Can either enforce compliance of the tenancy conditions or prevent certain types of behaviour. This is particularly useful as it allows a very quick response, in the most extreme cases within days of the incident.
Undertakings
-Similar powers to an injunction and is a voluntary agreement signed in the county court by those alleged to have committed anti social behaviour. They are like a promise to the court not to behave in an anti social manner in the future and are not an admission of guilt for previous acts.
Possession
-Usually considered as a last resort for serious anti-social behaviour. They can be either outright possession (eviction) or suspended possession which is similar to be given one last chance by the court. Those evicted are rarely re-housed by either the association or the council.
Demotion of tenancy
-The association can apply for a demotion of tenancy where the court makes an order to reduce the security of tenure of those causing anti social behaviour. This prevents certain rights the tenant would have enjoyed otherwise and a continuation of anti social behaviour can lead to eviction.
Legal Remedies under the Crime and Disorder Act
Acceptable behaviour contracts (ABC's)
ABC's are agreements signed by young people who have been committing anti-social behaviour, their parent or guardian and both a housing and police officer. It is hoped that the signing of such an agreement will prevent further anti-social behaviour. Where nuisance continues then the ABC or indeed a refusal to sign one can be used in evidence to obtain an ASBO or possession order. The benefit of this is the person responsible for the anti-social behaviour becomes responsible irrespective of whether or not they are a tenant of the Association. In addition, often catching people at a young age to confront such behaviour can prevent an escalation of such behaviour as they get older.
Anti-social behaviour orders (ASBO's)
ASBO's are designed to protect the community or individuals from the anti-social behaviour of a person or a group of people over the age of 10. Acting in an "anti-social manner" is defined in the Act as "a manner that caused or was likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one or more persons not of the same household as himself".
They are preventative orders and can prohibit someone from continuing to act in an anti-social manner. Although an ASBO is a civil order that lasts for a minimum of two years, breach of one is an arrestable offence. If an order is breached the police can bring a prosecution through the Crown Prosecution Service. There is a maximum penalty of six months imprisonment and/or a fine on a summary conviction and five years and/or a fine on indictment. This is why close liaison with the police is key to any application.
Reporting anti-social behaviour to the Association
The reporting of any allegation of harassment can be made to the Association by telephoning 01992 453700 during office hours or 01992 639561 outside of office hours.
You can now also report anti social behaviour to Broxbourne Housing association online.
We set up a dedicated team to help create safer communities when we were formed on 23rd January 2006. We are proud of the work of this team and their latest annual report can be
Fire safety
We don’t just work with the Police to help create safer communities; we also work with a range of other organisations.
On the 20th March 2008 we worked with the fire brigade to assist them in their efforts, to ensure that our residents are kept as safe as possible, by them familiarising themselves with the fire prevention equipment in our larger blocks of flats. As a part of this aim, the fire brigade practiced out a number of scenarios in lifelike conditions.
This involved a number of fire engines turning up at Grove House and crews practicing entering the communal areas via the stairwell fully kitted up. In addition they charged the dry riser to simulate what they what they would need to do in the event of a real fire, and carried down three dummies representing real casualties.
On the evening residents of Grove House were fully supportive and a number came out of their homes and thanked fireman for their work.
The Fire Service will also be helping train our staff for the Caretakers new role as Community Rangers. This will help us keep you safe, by helping to prevent the possibility of fire through our work, particularly in the communal parts of our blocks of flats. Our residents can help by keeping communal areas clear of belongings at all times as these are key fire escape routes.
Other work we are doing with the fire brigade, includes ;
BHA recently funded 6 young people to attend the Life Project at Hoddesdon Fire Station; the Life Project is a full 5 day week of hard work and self discovery for youngster’s who are being supported by BHA’s Safer Communities Team.
The Life Project is designed to teach discipline and boundaries to teenagers who are either expelled from school, or close to it, or at risk of offending.
The project took place on the week commencing 10th of March 2008 with great success and concluded on Friday the 14th with candidates being presented with certificates as part of the Passing Out.
The Course is very beneficial to the individual, their families and the community as it shows that by giving the teenagers a chance, it can give them the discipline to perform at school and go on to further education or into a job, and makes an impact in reducing anti-social behaviour by encouraging them to do something productive with their time.
We will be holding a programme of community audits on our larger estates over the next few months – and you could be part of them.
A community audit is where residents come together with our representatives to look at the general area and tell us about the issues which are causing problems for you and your neighbours. We can then jointly agree a plan of action to improve your environment and the community.
