Agencies to Contact

LEICESTERSHIRE POLICE

You should report anti-social behaviour that is of a serious and criminal nature to the Police Examples of behaviour that you should report to the Police include:

Criminal damage
Harassment – this include racial harassment
Use or threats of violence
Drug or alcohol misuse
Vandalism
Graffiti – this includes racist graffiti
Dangerous dogs
Public disturbances

To report a problem to the Police, phone 0116 222 2222
In an emergency – dial 999

When you call the Police, you will be asked for your name, address and telephone number. You do not have to give this information, but it is far more helpful if you do. Providing your contact details means that the Police can keep in touch with you to let you know the outcome of your complaint.

What happens next?

Once you have reported a problem, the information will be passed onto a local Police officer who may wish to contact you to discuss the matter further. When this happens, they will either speak to you over the telephone, visit you at home or arrange for you to come into your local Police Station. Once the Police officer has taken further details, they will advise you on the types of action that the Police can take.

Further action can include:

Simply making a record of your complaint with a view to taking action if it happens again
Recording your complaint and then advising, warning the offender (s) about their behaviour and the impact it is having
Arresting the offender (s) and taking them to court if there is enough evidence. If you want court action to take place, you may have to complete a witness statement and attend court to give evidence. If you have to attend court you will receive advice and support.

CHARNWOOD BOROUGH COUNCIL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

Environmental Health is responsible for dealing the statutory nuisance from private housing and business e.g. shops, offices and factories. A statutory nuisance is something that is likely to cause injury to health or something that causes the average person ‘unreasonable interference with the enjoyment of their property’.

The main types of statutory nuisance are:

Unacceptable levels of noise
Build up of refuse, animal faeces or waste materials
Fumes, gases and offensive odours
Smoke from burning materials
Premises in an unacceptable condition

To report a problem to Environmental Health, phone 01509 634636 during office hours or 01509 643979 outside office hours.

Write to:

Director of Housing and Health
Southfields Road
Loughborough
Leicestershire
LE11 2TN

E-mail: env.health@charnwood.gov.uk

You must give your name, address and a contact telephone number when making a complaint. Anonymous complaints will not be dealt with. All complaints will be treated in the strictest confidence – your identity will not be revealed to the person you have complained about without your prior permission. However, in some cases, the person causing the nuisance may be able to guess who has complained due to the nature of the complaint e.g. noise nuisance.

What happens next?

An officer will contact you to discuss your complaint and you will be sent diary sheets on which to record the specific dates/times when the nuisance disturbs you. When the diary sheets are returned, the case officer will assess the information to decide if there appears to be a significant problem. If there is, the person responsible will be sent a letter telling then that they may be in breach of the law.

If the nuisance continues the case officer may carry out some form of monitoring, such as noise recording or personal visits. If enough evidence can be gathered to prove that a statutory nuisance exists, an Abatement Notice will be issued. If the person responsible fails to comply with the conditions of the Abatement Notice, Environmental health can take legal action to enforce them. This can result in the person being fined for breaking the terms of the notice.

CHARNWOOD NEIGHBOURHOOD HOUSING

Housing Services are responsible for dealing with nuisance and anti-social behaviour caused by Charnwood Neighbourhood Housing tenants. All Charnwood Neighbourhood Housing tenants have signed a Tenancy Agreement agreeing to keep to the conditions of their tenancy. It is a condition of the tenancy not to cause a nuisance, annoyance or disturbance to any other person. Charnwood Neighbourhood Housing tenants are responsible for their own behaviour and the behaviour of every person – including children living in or visiting their home.

If you are experiencing nuisance and you believe that the person causing the nuisance is a tenant of Charnwood Neighbourhood Housing, you should report the problem to Housing Services either in writing, by telephone or in person. You should give your name, address and a contact number when reporting a problem. This is because it is very difficult to take action against anonymous complaints. All complaints will be treated in the strictest confidence – your identity will not be revealed to the person you have complained about without your prior permission.

To report a problem to Housing Services: telephone 01509 634567

Write to:
Charnwood Neighbourhood Housing
Southfields Road
Loughborough
Leicestershire
LE11 2TN

E-mail:

What happens next?

When they receive a complaint, Housing Services will try and build up a clear picture of the problem by speaking to the person the complaint is about. If they agree that a nuisance is being caused, they will draw up an action plan. Part of this may be to ask you to keep diary records to show what sort of nuisance is going on. Housing Services may also liaise with Charnwood Borough Council or the Police, if necessary. If the problem continues despite evidence that a nuisance exists and efforts to stop it have failed, Housing Services will take further action against the person causing the nuisance.

REGISTERED SOCIAL LANDLORDS

Registered Social Landlords are better known as Housing Associations or non-profit organisations who provide affordable housing in the community for people in housing need.

All tenants have signed a Tenancy Agreement to keep to the conditions of their tenancy. It is a condition of the tenancy not to cause a nuisance, annoyance or disturbance to any other person. As such, tenants are responsible for their own behaviour of every person, including children living in or visiting their home.

If you are experiencing nuisance and you believe that the person causing the nuisance is a tenant of a particular Housing Association, you should report the problem to that organisation either in writing, by telephone or in person. You should give your name, address and a contact number when reporting a problem. This is because it is very difficult to take action against anonymous complaints.

Contact details of various Housing Associations can be found in the Yellow Pages under ‘Housing Associations’. Contact details of the Housing Associations found within Charnwood can also be obtained from:

Charnwood Neighbourhood Housing
Southfield Road
Loughborough
Leicestershire
LE11 2TN

Other Sources of Advice and Assistance

If you are experiencing anti-social behaviour, the people/organisations below may be able to provide you with additional support, advice or assistance.

Charnwood and District Victim Support

This organisation provides support to victims of crime and can compliment the work of the Police and the Council by listening and offering specific advice and help. Victim Support can also provide advice and assistance to people suffering from racial harassment.

Loughborough: 01509 268545

Charnwood Racial Equality Council

This organisation provides advice and support to ethnic minority groups and to members of the community that have been subjected to racial harassment, domestic violence and crime.

Loughborough: 01509 261651

Community Safety Officer

The community safety officer co-ordinates the work around anti-social behaviour issues across the Borough of Charnwood and has links with a number of different agencies, including the Police, Housing Services, Environmental Health, Youth Services and probation. The Community Safety Officer can provide advice and assistance to people wanting to set up a local action group with other residents to address particular anti-social behaviour problems in their neighbourhood.

Loughborough: 01509 634522

Citizens Advice Bureau

The Citizens Advice Bureau offers free, confidential, impartial and independent advice on a wide range of issues, including anti-social behaviour, neighbour disputes, civil rights and legal matters.

Loughborough: 0870 1264096