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Anti-Social Behaviour

Race / hate incidents - A guide to dealing with harrassment

ASB will be tackled not tolerated

Anti-Social Behaviour - A guide to dealing with harassment2

Accessing our services

This leaflet gives you information about Anti-SocialBehaviour. If you would like a copy in large print, Braille, on audiotape or CD, please contact the Social Inclusion Team on 0161 474 2860, email: inclusion@stockporthomes.org, text: 07891 949 399 or fax: 0161 474 2869.

Anti-Social Behaviour - A guide to dealing with harassment 3

What is a hate incident?

Stockport Homes defines a race / hate related incident as:

any type of behaviour or action that is carried out against another person on the grounds of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, social class or age.

All reports of racial harassment and hate related behaviour received by Stockport Homes are sensitively investigated. Stockport Homes treat all racist or other hate incidents very seriously and will take prompt and effective action wherever possible. Stockport Homes has a separate but complimentary policy and procedure for dealing with such incidents.

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Anti-Social Behaviour - A guide to dealing with harassment4

Our approach

Stockport Homes is committed to ensuring that good tenancy relations are maintained on all of its estates. It is also committed to ensuring that customers and leaseholders enjoy their right to peace, quiet and security in their own homes. Stockport Homes will take positive action in conjunction with its partners where appropriate to deal with disruptive tenants and any other persons causing nuisance or harassment on its estates or on any of its dwellings.

Tell us about it

There is no need to suffer in silence or to be subjected to this type of behaviour in your community / home. Stockport Homes encourages you to report this to the police via:

• telephoning Greater Manchester Police on 0161 872 5050;

• reporting it online via Greater Manchester Police website www.gmp.police.uk; or

• telephoning Dennis Bishop, Race Relations Officer on 0161 856 9662.

Anti-Social Behaviour - A guide to dealing with harassment 5

Tell us about it

Stockport Homes have a dedicated and specialist Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Team to deal with your complaint. You can contact the team on 0161 218 1498.

Your complaint will be treated in the strictest of confidence. No action will be taken without your consent.

What will happen?

One of Stockport Homes’ dedicated ASB Officers will contact you within 24 hours and arrange to meet with you to agree an action plan which may include a range of solutions. These may include involving Stockport Homes’ specialist Witness Support Team, additional security measures, referrals to other support areas and legal action taken against perpetrators where appropriate.

In extreme circumstances Stockport Homes may consider temporary accommodation to protect you and your family. Stockport Homes believes that the health and wellbeing of your family is our responsibility. Each customer of Stockport Homes has the right to a quiet enjoyment of his / her home. This right will be respected and protected.

Anti-Social Behaviour - A guide to dealing with harassment6

Legal action

If the incident/s are appropriate for legal action and only if you are willing to support action, Stockport Homes can apply to the courts for one or all of the following:

• An Injunction - A legal order for people aged 18 years or more which prevents the perpetrator from participating in certain acts. It prohibits them from causing you or your family distress.

• An Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) - This is usually used in younger perpetrators but can be used for anyone aged 10 years or older. It prevents them from acting in an anti social manner or from causing you harassment, alarm or distress.

• A Possession Order - This will involve Stockport Homes

taking back possession of a property with a court order. This can only happen if the perpetrator is a Stockport Homes tenant. The judge must assess the evidence presented and decide whether it is reasonable for the perpertrator to continue to occupy the premises.

Stockport Homes has an overall policy for how it will deal with ASB and a summary is available on request.

The Anti-Social

Behaviour Team

Anti-Social Behaviour - A guide to dealing with harassment 7

The Anti-Social

Behaviour Team

CASE STUDY

Positive Action

Stockport Homes is

committed to tackling hate

crime. Detailed below is an

example of the positive action

Stockport Homes can take

when hate crime is reported.

In August 2009 Stockport

Homes received a complaint

from a customer in Adswood.

They alleged that they had

been the victims of hate

incidents, including hate

crime, since 2008. They

had been too afraid of

repercussions to report this. It

was only once the family fled

the property they informed

Stockport Homes of the

situation. A full investigation

was launched and the ASB

Team and Witness Support

Officer supported the

customer application for an

interim ASBO on the youth

concerned.

We also secured an

injuction with the power of

arrest attached against his

Grandfather who was part of

the ASB.

Stockport Homes recognises

that all residents have

the right to the peaceful

enjoyment of their home.

Equally every resident has a

responsibility not to interfere

with their neighbours right to

the peaceful enjoyment of their

home. We are committed to

ensuring that residents are

able to enjoy peace, quiet

and security in and around

their homes, and will take any

action necessary to deal with

problems of ASB.

Anti-Social Behaviour

TOGETHER WE CAN

STAMP IT OUT

Ref: 784/February 2011