What is ASB?

Please see the information below on ASB, and advice and how to deal with specific issues:

  • Key Information

    Southway Housing considers Anti-Social Behaviour generally to include:

    • Serious assault
    • Serious harassment
    • Aggressive or abusive behaviour
    • Drug-related activity
    • Noise nuisance
    • Vandalism or damage to property
    • Hate Crime
    • Domestic abuse

    Some behaviours or actions may affect you but are not considered to be anti-social behaviour. However, it may still constitute a breach of a tenant's tenancy agreement. This includes:

    • Fly Tipping, including the dumping of rubbish. 
    • Untidy Gardens
    • Dog fouling 

    REPORT ANY OF THE ABOVE HERE

    We refer to these as Environmental Anti Social Behaviour and deal with these reports slightly differently. Further information can be found below.
  • Environmental ASB

    Southway’s approach to tackling Environmental Enforcement covers a range of issues including;

    • Car parking problems - more guidance here
    • Green space management
    • Untidy gardens
    • Fly tipping, littering and graffitti

    We take a proportionate response having regard to the nature and seriousness of the Environmental Anti-Social Behaviour being committed, the person or persons engaging in the said conduct and the impact of the behaviour on the complainant(s) and the local community. A strong partnership approach between statutory agencies working together is central to resolving and preventing Environmental Anti-Social Behaviour.

    For more information on how we can help you resolve Environmental ASB you can view our full policy here.

    You can report Environmental ASB here.

  • Noise nuisance

    Please note that normal everyday household noise such as footfalls, household equipment such as washing machines, vacuuming, pets barking or children playing football and games in a reasonable manner should be respectively discussed with your neighbour.

    Noise nuisance is subjective and different people react in different ways. A noise may irritate the person complaining, but may not be classed as noise nuisance in the legal sense.

    What you need to consider when you are talking to the person complaining is what is reasonable, and you need to consider certain factors to the complaint such as what type of noise, how often it occurs, and how loud it is.

    It is usually better if the person complaining approaches the person responsible for the noise directly, in a friendly manner, as they may not know they are causing you a nuisance.

    Please see our guide on approaching your neighbour by clicking here.

    If the noise continues, log the incidents as follows:

    • Dates
    • Times (when it starts and when it stops)
    • Who was involved
    • Where you were at the time
    • How it impacted on you and your family

    If speaking politely to your neighbour hasn't resulted in any change, please contact Southway with this information.

    • A guide to approaching your neighbour

      If you are experiencing problems with your neighbours we would expect you to try to discuss it with them in the first instance. Here are some pointers you may find helpful:

      DO

      • Be courteous, calm and polite as you are far more likely to receive a courteous response yourself.
      • Choose a time that’s convenient for everyone. For example, not at meal times or late at night.
      • Try to create the right atmosphere to discuss the problem. For example, invite your neighbour to discuss the problem over coffee.
      • Plan what you are going to say beforehand
      • Describe the nuisance and be prepared to quote some examples of the disturbance if asked, particularly times and dates and how it affects you in your home and garden
      • Bring all relevant issues into the open from the start. Keep to the relevant issues.

      DO

      • Give them plenty of time to express their views. For example, you may need to accept that there may be something that you do that causes your neighbour a problem too.
      • Listen carefully
      • Accept differences on attitudes and ways of life
      • Be open to suggestions for resolving the problem
      • Talk about how both sides can compromise. Take the view that together you can sort the problem out.

      DON’T

      We strongly advise that you DO NOT try the following

      • Do not retaliate – this will only make the problem worse and increase tension with your neighbours, who may make a counter complaint against you. It will undermine any legal action that we may want to take on your behalf, even if you have a justified complaint.
      • Do not go round to your neighbours when you are angry
      • Do not wait until you are at the end of your tether. You will be angry and less likely to be willing to compromise
      • Do not use threatening behaviour. If you are threatened, walk away immediately, and do not retaliate or become involved in an argument.
      • Do not go round with the sole intention of getting an apology. This will make your neighbour feel guilty and inadequate.


      DON’T

      • Do not exaggerate the problem. This will make your neighbour defensive and less likely to compromise with you.
      • Do not use the opportunity to drag up other issues. Avoid raising past problems you may have had with your neighbours. Remember that you are trying to find a solution to a specific problem that you and your neighbours can live with, and you are relying on your neighbour’s cooperation to achieve this informally.
      • Do not go round when the nuisance is occurring. They may not be in the best condition to appreciate your point of view. In addition, if they are hosting a party, they may be resentful of being embarrassed in front of their guests, or they may have been drinking. However, if you feel that the situation is safe enough to approach your neighbours, limit your request to simply asking for the volume to be turned down, and call round on another occasion to discuss the incident as a whole.
      • Do not gang up on your neighbour. If other people are bothered by the same problem, ask only one of them to accompany you.

      Remember

      If you go round on your own let someone know where you are going, how long you expect to be and arrange for them to call you on your mobile if you’re not back by a certain time.

      If you don’t feel able to go round to the person’s property, you could try and arrange to bump into them when they are in their garden, or look for them returning to their home. The other option is to write to them. Make sure you keep a copy for your records. It is useful evidence that you have tried to resolve the matter on your own and offered your neighbour the opportunity to address the problem, and may be useful to us if they are involved in investigating your complaint and need to resort to legal action.

      Before you approach your neighbour, it is important to think about the risk to your personal safety and property.

       

  • Off Road Bikes

    We are aware of the concerns that residents have about Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) caused by off-road bikes. We want you to know that Southway is working with the Police and the Council to address the problem.

    The Police have the authority to issue fixed penalty notices and confiscate the bikes being used. They also have a specialist off-road motorcycle unit, who focus on the problem. Meanwhile, Manchester City Council can issue different types of order to the perpetrators, such as a Community Protection Notice or an injunction. To assist the Police and the Council, we are asking you to give us as many details about the problem as possible, so that we can understand what action and resources are needed to tackle the issue of off-road bikes. The most effective way we can address it is if we know who the culprits are, as all legal powers available depend on this.

    If you have any information about who is riding bikes illegally, or using them to carry out ASB, it is vital that you report them. Details about which properties the bikes are taken to, what the riders look like, and a description of the bike and location concerned are all very helpful. Previous reports from residents stating ‘they have heard’ the bikes are unfortunately not actionable and, in some cases, mistaken for other vehicles. You can report off-road bikers by calling the Police’s non-emergency line, 101, phoning Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or by phoning Southway on 0161 448 4200. When we know the identity of the culprits, we can collaborate with the Police and the Council, and do all that we can to clamp down on off-road bikes for good.

    Did you know?

    The rider:

    • Must be over 16
    • Must wear an approved crash helmet
    • Must hold a valid driving license
    • Must have appropriate motor insurance

    The bike:

    • Must be built for road use
    • Must be registered
    • Must have an MOT certificate
    • Must be taxed

    Failure to comply with the law could result in:

    • Court appearance for rider, owner and even parents
    • Hefty fine
    • Disqualification
    • Court Costs
    • Getting an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO)
    • Confiscation of bike
    • Serious injury or even death

  

How can we help with ASB? 

  • What should you do if you experience ASB?

    In first instances we advise that residents talk to the person that is causing the problem. Often the person may not be aware that they are causing a problem. (See below for advice around this.)


    There are certain circumstances where it is not appropriate to speak directly to the person causing the problem, for example if someone has been assaulted, verbally abused, threatened or a crime has been committed such as drug dealing. See further details on this page about steps we can take.

    • Advice on talking to Neighbour (ASB)

      If you are experiencing problems with your neighbours we would expect you to try to discuss it with them in the first instance. Here are some pointers you may find helpful;

      DO

      • Be courteous, calm and polite as you are far more likely to receive a courteous response yourself.
      • Choose a time that’s convenient for everyone. For example,not at meal times or late at night.
      • Try to create the right atmosphere to discuss the problem. For example, invite your neighbour to discuss the problem over coffee.
      • Plan what you are going to say beforehand
      • Describe the nuisance and be prepared to quote some examples of the disturbance if asked, particularly times and dates and how it affects you in your home and garden
      • Bring all relevant issues into the open from the start. Keep to the relevant issues.
      • Give them plenty of time to express their views. For example, you may need to accept that there may be something that you do that causes your neighbour a problem too.
      • Listen carefully
      • Accept differences on attitudes and ways of life
      • Be open to suggestions for resolving the problem
      • Talk about how both sides can compromise. Take the view that together you can sort the problem out.
      • Let someone know where you are going, how long you expect to be and arrange for them to call you on your mobile if you’re not back by a certain time.

      DON’T

      We strongly advise that you DO NOT try the following;

      • Do not retaliate – this will only make the problem worse and increase tension with your neighbours, who may make a counter complaint against you. It will undermine any legal action that we may want to take on your behalf, even if you have a justified complaint.
      • Do not go round to your neighbours when you are angry
      • Do not wait until you are at the end of your tether. You will be angry and less likely to be willing to compromise.
      • Do not use threatening behaviour. If you are threatened, walk away immediately, and do not retaliate or become involved in an argument.
      • Do not go round with the sole intention of getting an apology. This will make your neighbour feel guilty and inadequate.
      • Do not exaggerate the problem. This will make your neighbour defensive and less likely to compromise with you.
      • Do not use the opportunity to drag up other issues. Avoid raising past problems you may have had with your neighbours. Remember that you are trying to find a solution to a specific problem that you and your neighbours can live with, and you are relying on your neighbour’s cooperation to achieve this informally.
      • Do not go round when the nuisance is occurring. They may not be in the best condition to appreciate your point of view. In addition, if they are hosting a party, they may be resentful of being embarrassed in front of their guests, or they may have been drinking. However, if you feel that the situation is safe enough to approach your neighbours, limit your request to simply asking for the volume to be turned down, and call round on another occasion to discuss the incident as a whole.
      • Do not gang up on your neighbour. If other people are bothered by the same problem, ask only one of them to accompany you.

      If you don’t feel able to go round to the person’s property, you could try and arrange to bump into them when they are in their garden, or look for them returning to their home. The other option is to write to them. Make sure you keep a copy for your records. It is useful evidence that you have tried to resolve the matter on your own and offered your neighbour the opportunity to address the problem, and may be useful to us if they are involved in investigating your complaint and need to resort to legal action.


      Before you approach your neighbour, it is important to think about the risk to your personal safety and property. Contact us if in doubt.

     

  • If talking won’t/does not work… (How Southway can help)

    If you do not feel that you are able to approach the other person you can report the problem to Southway Housing by clicking the link here.

    If you are unsure of the identity of the person causing the problem then we may still be able to help, so do get in touch.

    If you've spoken to the person causing the nuisance and it has continued you should report the matter to us. 

  • Mediation service - what is it?

    If the problem persists, we may discuss mediation with you and carry out an assessment to see if it is appropriate.

    Mediation is the process of having an impartial, third party work alongside the parties at conflict. This is done to ensure that everyone is treated fairly whilst working towards a solution to their issues. The video below offers an idea of how mediation is carried out and the impact it can have:

    Our mediation services are run in collaboration with ADR mediation - https://www.adrmediation.org.uk/mediation/

    Following a referral for mediation, you can expect:

    • An initial phone call, so we can discuss the issue
    • An appointment for a home visit from our mediators, to explore all options that are available.
    • A structured approach to from our mediators, to help you find a solution to your issues.

    The above process keeps the solution in your hands, rather than having one imposed upon you by other agencies which may not result in an outcome you are happy with.

    If you are interested in seeking a mediated settlement to a dispute with your neighbour, please contact us.

    Southway keep detailed information on each stage of every case and ensure it is always confidential.