Neighbourhood quality standard

believe housing is committed to maintaining neighbourhoods and estates in a clean, tidy and safe condition.

We want people living in our homes to be proud of their neighbourhood and where they live, and in order to achieve this have created a
Neighbourhood Quality Standard that sets out how we will work with partners and what you can do as a resident to help.

Car parking

• Work in conjunction with the council to look at parking provision on estates as part of our environmental improvement programme.

Provide clean and tidy estates

• Deliver a litter picking service in conjunction with Durham County Council
• Carry out regular estate inspections with volunteers (where requested) to identify any issues and act on these within published timescales
• Work with the council and any other relevant organisations
• Ensure that any of our empty properties are secure, are not unsightly, and their gardens are well maintained until the next customer moves in
• Remove any graffiti in a timely manner; with offensive and hate crime writings being removed within 24 hours
• Carry out a fencing programme and making environmental improvements in line with our business plan.

Gardening and grounds maintenance on believe housing land

• Provide a grass cutting service to open spaces
• Provide hedge cutting to open spaces twice a year to ensure that they do not exceed 6ft (183cm)
• Ensure prompt action is taken to deal with trees on our estates that may present a danger to the person or property.
• Carry out two chemical weed control sprays a year
• Ensure that the gardens of our empty properties are tidy and have the grass regularly cut prior to a new tenant moving in.

Tackling antisocial behaviour to help you feel safe in your neighbourhood

• Take action against customers who breach their tenancy agreement
• Work with the police, council and other organisations to deal with any antisocial residents
• Take swift, appropriate and proportionate action against those who cause a nuisance, whether the tenant of the property, a household member or visitor
• Keep complainants up to date on the progress of a reported antisocial behaviour case
• Continue to work with the council to reduce incidences of dog fouling and fly tipping on estates, and to investigate the possibility of taking action against those who refuse to co-operate
• Ensure that dangerous items such as used hypodermic needles are removed as quickly as possible
• Liaise with the council’s pest control service to reduce damage to properties and distress caused to tenants.

Working together to create happier communities

How our neighbourhoods look and feel is both our responsibility and that of other agencies.

We work in partnership with a range of organisations to ensure all efforts are maximised for the better of our customers.

These organisations include:
Durham County Council, who are responsible for:

• Refuse collection and recycling
• Antisocial behaviour by non-tenants
• Street lighting
• Private landlord enforcement
• Neighbourhood wardens
• Roads and most pavements
• Street cleaning
• Fly-tipping on their land
• Provision of salt bins
• Parking offences and traffic calming measures in conjunction with Durham Constabulary.

Durham Constabulary, who are responsible for:

• Policing and crime
• Police Community Support Officers
• Parking offences and traffic calming measures in conjunction with the council.