This is just a friendly set of hints re complaints about antisocial behaviour in the block, to hopefully make the process clearer to everyone…
Our full, formal complaints procedure is here: https://www.homesforchange.co.uk/hfc_wp_2017/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/HFC-Complaints-Procedure-2024.pdf
ALL SERIOUS INCIDENTS, EG VIOLENCE, THEFT, ETC: YOU MUST FIRST AND FOREMOST CONTACT THE POLICE STRAIGHT AWAY.Complaints are confidentially dealt with bythe committee, and should be addressed to complaints@homesforchange.co.uk Please keep them as brief as possible.
We encourage you to try to resolve less serious complaints informally, by talking to the person or people involved.
It’s important to understand we can’t firmly act upon any complaint unless there’s some form of evidence, eg:
> Keep a log of any incidents you want to complain about, eg time and date, what happened. Particularly for persistent problems where the frequency is part of the issue, eg noise.
>If you think the incident may have been recorded on CCTV, let us know the time and date so we can have the footage looked at.
>If you have a photo or video to back up the complaint, that’s also useful.
> We can’t just take one person’s word about a given incident, particularly when two residents are in a personal conflict. If there was a witness to an incident, their confirmation is crucial- please get them to anonymously contact us. We will keep what they say and their identity confidential.
We are always happy to offer some ‘in-house’ mediation as a way to try and resolve a more personal conflict between tenants, where possible, eg if both sides agree to that.
>If the complaint is about a committee member, or you have strong, proven grounds to feel a given committee member may be biased about your complaint, we will ask them not to participate in the discussion of the complaint.
>If the incident was serious enough to involve contacting the police, tell us the crime number you were given by them, and if possible the officer dealing with it.
>As a rule, if a complaint seems non-trivial and valid, at the very least, as a first step, we will write to the person telling them a complaint was made about their behaviour, reminding them if it continues they are in breach of their tenancy agreement. We will, if asked, not name the person who made the complaint. We also offer them the chance to refute the complaint, as is fair.
That letter is often all that’s needed to curb an antisocial behaviour.
And again: for anything very serious you should first contact the police.