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Northern housing association works with police to target families breaking coronavirus rules
Sunderland-based housing association Gentoo has issued warnings to eight families for ignoring government guidance and holding parties and welcoming multiple visitors.
In the past week 24 households were investigated by Gentoo’s neighbourhood enforcement officers using intelligence from Northumbria Police and the associations’ neighbourhood co-ordinators.
Officers found cases of tenants holding garden parties, engaging in street violence and having regular visitors to and from properties.
Nigel Wilson, chief executive of Gentoo, said: “We take our responsibility as a landlord extremely seriously and our work with Northumbria Police means we have been able to help tackle suspected lockdown breaches across Sunderland and emphasise the importance of abiding by government guidelines.”
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Mr Wilson noted that the majority of tenants have kept to government guidance and have been practicing social distancing.
The move by Gentoo follows actions by other associations aimed at ensuring tenants adhere to social distancing rules. Two weeks ago Mosscare St Vincent’s served one of its residents with a ‘coronavirus injunction’ after they hosted a 20-person house party despite the government restrictions. Inside Housing understands that similar judgements have been enforced by other landlords.
Chief superintendent Sarah Pitt of Northumbria Police said: “From the outset, we have been clear that we will engage with members of the public to explain the restrictions and encourage people to follow them.
“We resolve issues every single day by talking to people and reasoning with them and we will continue with this approach.
“However, if it becomes the case that people are putting others at risk, where appropriate we will make use of whatever legislation available to us to stop this from happening.”
