Objectives of Family Mosaic’s ASB service

• Take steps to prevent and deter ASB.
• Make the best use of Family Mosaic’s resources and powers together with available legal remedies to resolve ASB problems promptly and efficiently. 
• Work with other local agencies who may be better placed to deal with ASB. 
• To work with an independent mediation unit to help tenants resolve ASB disputes themselves. 
• Keep the complainants informed of progress in dealing with ASB cases. 
• Monitor the outcomes of ASB cases and satisfaction with the service. 
• Seek to continuously improve the service through the use customer feedback and development of good practice. 

Defining ASB

What is ASB?
Anti-social behaviour can be noise or other action that disturbs or upsets other people in the neighbourhood. Family Mosaic has adopted the Shelter definition of anti-social behaviour:
‘Behaviour by one household or individual(s) in an area which threatens the physical or mental health, safety or security of other households or individuals’

What is not anti-social behaviour?

We believe it is important to focus our resources on dealing with genuine ASB problems. It is therefore important to define the sort of behaviour which may be complained of but which does not constitute ASB according to Family Mosaic policy.

‘Behaviour which results from different lifestyles and/or which would not be considered unreasonable by most people is not anti-social behaviour’.
Although such matters will not be recorded as ASB we may offer advice and assistance such as mediation to help resolve disputes.

Key principles of our ASB service

Mediation
Family Mosaic strongly promotes the use of mediation in the resolution in all ASB disputes and uses an independent mediation unit to help tenants resolve ASB disputes themselves.

Publicity and prevention

Family Mosaic will work to prevent anti social behaviour and reassure residents that action will be taken by promoting our policy and service standards, raising awareness and publicising successful cases.

Performance standards

We aim to handle all ASB cases in line with the timescales detailed in our published ASB service leaflet ‘Dealing with ASB’. We aim to deliver a positive outcome for our residents and will check their satisfaction at the closure of cases.

Communication

We will keep complainants informed of progress in tackling reported ASB.

ASB tool box approach

We are committed to dealing with ASB cases in an efficient and effective way. Following an initial investigation our staff will employ the most effective tool(s) to promptly resolve the ASB.

Working with partner agencies

We recognise that other local agencies may be better placed than Family Mosaic to deal promptly and effectively with ASB. Where possible Family Mosaic will work in conjunction with other agencies to deal with ASB.

Case management and monitoring

Family Mosaic will carefully manage and monitor all reported ASB cases with the aim of recording the number and type of cases. We will monitor the types of action being used to deal with ASB and assess which are proving most effective. Monitoring will also enable us to identifying BME and diversity issues.

Confidentiality

Family Mosaic will treat as confidential any information provided by the complainant. Such information will only passed to external agencies with the resident’s prior consent.

Transfers and re-letting void property

Family Mosaic recognises that transferring the complainant to a new home is a victory for the perpetrator. However, in extreme cases it may be in the best interest of the resident to offer them a priority transfer, whilst continuing with action against the perpetrator. Family Mosaic will employ a sensitive approach to re-letting property, which becomes void because a resident has transferred to escape ASB.

Tackling harassment

If a complainant describes the ASB as racial harassment it will be dealt with under Family Mosaic’s Racial Harassment procedure.

Dealing with dissatisfaction

Where a resident is dissatisfied with the way Family Mosaic’ deals with an ASB case, they may make a complaint through Family Mosaic’s formal complaints procedure.

Non housing matters

Family Mosaic will not take action based on anonymous complaints or get involved in personal arguments or non-housing matters.