support for victims and witnesses
If you are a believe housing tenant, and you’re a victim or witness of antisocial behaviour, please get in touch if you need advice and support.
We may offer referrals to partner agencies or specialist support agencies. If required, we may also offer additional home safety measures such as window or door alarms.
When you contact us, we will discuss the options available to deal with your complaint and agree a plan with you as to how this will be taken forward. We will also ask for your consent to share information with our partners, such as the police or local authority, where appropriate, in order to assist with our investigation.
how can we help?
- We may consider a referral to an independent mediation service.
- We may issue a verbal or written tenancy warning.
- We may consider the use of an Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC).
- In serious cases, we may consider serving a Notice of Seeking Possession or taking legal action to bring a tenancy to an end, or we may seek an injunction.
Each case is treated on its merits and enforcement action will not always be appropriate.
The Antisocial Behaviour (ASB) Case Review gives victims of persistent antisocial behaviour reported to any of the main responsible agencies (such as the council, police, housing provider) the right to request a multi-agency case review where a local threshold is met.
In County Durham, for example, the threshold is as follows:
If you have previously reported three (or more) incidents of antisocial behaviour within the last six months and the antisocial behaviour continues, you can request a case review.
Please note : If the local threshold is not met, consideration will be given to the persistency of the antisocial behaviour, the harm or potential harm caused, and the adequacy of the response from the agencies involved. If your case is considered high risk, you may also qualify for a case review.
To request an anti-social behaviour case review and for further details of the local threshold and request process please click on the following link dependent on the area in which you live in:
Where an antisocial behaviour review is requested and the threshold met an independent chair will be appointed to lead a multi-agency case review. The case review will bring together relevant agencies to take a joined-up, problem-solving approach to find a solution.
Please note: This review process cannot be used to report general acts of crime, including hate crime and does not replace the complaints procedures of individual organisations.
If you have reported antisocial behaviour and received a service but are unhappy with that service or the action taken you should submit a complaint under that agency’s complaints procedures.