ASB FAQs
The most frequently asked questions regarding anti-social behaviour.
What is anti-social behaviour?
•Anti-social behaviour (ASB) ranges from serious acts of violence and harassment to more everyday incidents and situations like noisy dogs or overgrown gardens. Anti-social behaviour includes general nuisance and different types of conduct or activities that could cause interference and annoyance in the community.
What can I do before reporting ASB to Twin Valley Homes?
•Before contacting Twin Valley Homes, we would advise that you firstly talk to your neighbour. Often they are not aware that their actions are causing a nuisance to you. The issue can be resolved quickly and easily.
•When you report an ASB complaint to us we will ask if you have spoken to your neighbour.
Who is my case investigation officer?
•Once you have logged your complaint with us, you will receive a letter from our Anti-Social Behaviour Team who will inform of the name and contact details of the case officer.
How do I report an incident?
•You can report an incident on anti-social behaviour by ring our ASB line 01252 269099
•Through this website or e-mail the ASB Team
•You can report an incident at Prospect House, Wharf Street, Blackburn.
•You can report an incident through ‘looking local’ on TVTV – Press 8888 on your remote control.
What will happen once I've reported an incident?
•To help us provide a better service we have a grading system to categorise your complaints of ASB. This means that when you tell us about a problem, we will give it a grade between 1 and 4.
•Grade 1 complaints being the most serious cases and Grade 4 complaints being those which relate to lifestyle/tolerance issues.
•Twin Valley Homes aims to make contact with the complainant / witness within our service standard requirements.
•Grade 1 – To contact the complainant within 1 working day
•Grade 2 – To contact the complainant with 3 working days
•Grade 3 – To contact the complainant within 5 working days
•Grade 4 – To contact the complainant within 7 working days
How long does it take to investigate an incident?
•The length of the investigation is dependent upon each individual case. The more complex cases will take longer to investigate. Your investigating officer will keep you informed about the progress of your case.
•In most cases you will be required to complete incident report sheets to record any incidents you may witness. These Incident Report Sheets are very important and are used as evidence in any future court proceedings.
Is my case going to go to court?
•In cases of nuisance where Twin Valley Homes decide to take legal action against the perpetrator, it's important to be aware that the legal process can take some time, and a significant amount of evidence is required to enable a judge to make the decision. You may well be required to give evidence at court. You may feel that appearing as a witness at court can be intimidating, but Twin Valley Homes will support you throughout the process.
Do I have to give my details?
•You may report an incident anonymously, but if you do we cannot contact you. We encourage you to give your details, as this will make the investigation process more efficient and effective. We will not share your information with other agencies without your consent.
Who can help?
•NOISE - If you experience noise nuisance contact the Blackburn with Darwen Borough Councils Environmental Protection Department on 01254 585585.
•COMMUNITY SAFETY TEAM - For neighbourhood issues contact the Community Safety Team at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council on 01254 585585.
•POLICE - Lancashire Police website for details of you local police officer: http://www.lancashire.police.uk
Who are SMILE Mediation Service?
•People in dispute with their neighbours often find it hard to talk to them or make them understand what the problem is. Mediation provides a neutral third party to bring people together, and hopefully find a way forward. Twin Valley Homes, with your co-operation, will refer cases to SMILE Mediation Services to try and resolve the issues. During mediation everything that is discussed is confidential, and this information would only be passed to Twin Valley Homes with your permission.
I have youths hanging around outside, what can be done?
•If you have any local policing concerns, contact your Community Beat Manager. You can find details of your local police officer, and get details of public meetings (PACT) and priorities where you live, by calling 01254 51212
I think gangs of youths are about to fight, what can be done?
•In an emergency call 999 only when:
•life is threatened
•people are injured
•crime is in progress
•offenders are nearby
•The 999 service should be used when immediate help is needed. The response team will respond to any incident involving groups of youth that is likely to escalate into serious youth disorder and violence. This would include:
•fight involving groups of youth
•incident involving youth, which is likely to escalate
•serious or life threatening injury
•any serious incident likely to have a adverse impact on the community
•discovery of weapons
I am a private resident, can you still help me?
•Yes, we can help you if the ASB is occurring on one of our estates.
Where do I go, I've been attacked?
•If you have just been attacked please report it immediately to the police on 999.
What type of support can I get?
•The team will endeavour to help victims and witnesses feel safe at their residence and can provide further safety advice.
•The team will also brief and prepare witnesses throughout the court process to provide evidence in court.
I am not satisfied with the case investigation outcome, where do I complain?
•If you are not happy with the way your case is being conducted please contact the ASB Manager. If you are still not happy after discussing the matter with the ASB Manager you can go through our official customer complaints procedure.
What about CCTV? will you use it?
•Yes, Twin Valley Homes work in partnership with organisation who support & install covert cameras where there is the necessity for them.
•The installation of cameras is not undertaken lightly and the needs have to be justified.
What is an ASBO?
•Anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) are civil orders made by a court which prohibit the perpetrator from specific anti-social acts and from entering defined areas on a map (exclusion zones). An order lasts for a minimum of two years. The purpose of an ASBO is to protect the public from behaviour that causes, or is likely to cause, harassment or alarm or distress, not to punish the perpetrator.
•ASBOs are community-based orders that involve local people in collecting evidence and helping to enforce breaches of the prohibitions in the order. They are designed to encourage local communities to become actively involved in reporting crime and anti-social behaviour, thus building and protecting the community.
•The police, council, registered social landlords and the British Transport Police can apply for these orders.
What is an ABC?
•An acceptable behaviour contract (also known as acceptable behaviour agreement) is an intervention designed to engage an individual in acknowledging his or her anti-social behaviour and its effect on others, with the aim of stopping that behaviour.
•An (ABC) is a written agreement made between a person who has been involved in anti-social behaviour and their council, youth inclusion support panel (YISP), landlord or the police. ABCs are not set out in law, which is why they are usually called agreements. Any agency is able to use and adapt the model.
•Although ABCs have often been made with young people, they are a tool that can be used for a person of any age. The informal, flexible nature of the contract means they can be used for various types of anti-social behaviour.
•ABCs can be used to promote effective partnership work with a range of agencies. For example, it is important that the youth offending team is contacted and becomes involved when completing an ABC with a young person.
