Time to behave

Over the past 13 years, the Labour government transformed the law relating to neighbour nuisance. Although the old remedies remain, society has become used to the discourse of anti-social behaviour orders, acceptable behaviour contracts and crack house closures. Social housing providers have had to develop new ways of addressing anti-social behaviour, navigating the hard rhetoric of the Home Office, Housing Corporation and latterly the Tenant Services Authority.

Landlords have had to manage the needs and often high expectations of tenants in relation to anti-social behaviour, balancing the cost of bringing a legal action against the cost of inaction in terms of loss of reputation and public approbation.

It can be difficult to remember that only 13 years ago social landlords had very little muscle when dealing with anti-social tenants, short of bringing possession proceedings. Now, the emphasis has shifted to a two-pronged policy of supporting anti-social tenants to maintain their tenancies or, if necessary, making an increased and realistic threat of legal action.

Multi-agency working in all parts of the UK is now a legal requirement, and social landlords have been brought inside the tent and co-opted onto crime and disorder reduction partnerships.

ASB is for some social landlords a ‘Cinderella service’, no more than a box ticking exercise to satisfy the Audit Commission. Positive strategies to prevent ASB are likely to be jettisoned as landlords cut costs, and funding streams dry up.

The new Lib-Con government has yet to come up with its policies on ASB, but now should be a time of consolidation within the sector, not a time of tough talking and downward pressure from central government.

Jon Mack ACIH trained as a barrister and is an anti-social behaviour officer for Genesis Housing Group