Anti-Social Behaviour

Anti-social behaviour includes any actions that cause or are likely to cause fear, alarm, or distress. At North Star, we want everyone to feel safe and comfortable in their home and we believe everyone has the right to enjoy their home without disruptions from others.

We know that sometimes, this isn’t the case. We’re committed to addressing issues related to anti-social behaviour, harassment, neighbour nuisance, and hate crimes.

Examples of Anti-Social Behaviour

Anti-social behaviour can include a range of actions, from less serious disturbances to more severe incidents:

• Noise nuisance: Loud music, frequent late-night parties, or constant dog barking
• Threatening behaviour: Verbal abuse, intimidation, or harassment
• Hate crime: Acts motivated by prejudice towards someone’s race, religion, sexuality, or other personal attributes
• Property damage: Graffiti, vandalism, or breaking of shared property
• Drug use: Illegal substance use in shared spaces or common areas

We take all reports of anti-social behaviour seriously and act promptly to resolve issues.

What Isn’t Considered Anti-Social Behaviour?

Not all activities are considered anti-social behaviour. Generally, lifestyle differences, cultural practices, or minor inconveniences do not qualify. These may include:

• DIY work during reasonable hours
• Occasional dog barking
• Young people socialising or children playing
• Lawful parking outside your home
• Cooking smells or normal household noises, such as low-level TV or appliances

How to report anti-social behaviour?

You can report anti-social behaviour by:
• Contacting our Customer Services Team on 03000 11 00 11
• Via our email address asb@northstarhg.co.uk
• Direct to your housing/supported housing officer

If you are threatened with violence or are concerned for the safety of yourself or others, you should call the police immediately on 999 or in a non-emergency on 101.

What you can expect from us?

When you report an incident to us, we will:

• Decide if it is anti-social behaviour and if it is, will then prioritise it dependent on its nature and how it is affecting you.
• Ask you for as much detail as possible to make sure we fully understand the issue and the impact this behaviour is having on you.
• Always ensure your report is treated in confidence.
• Contact you to agree on an action plan and what action we can take.
• Make sure you are kept updated throughout the case and explain if we are unable to share specific details with you.
• We will work closely with other agencies including local authorities, police, community safer partnership and resident groups.

What if I am facing repeated instances of anti-social behaviour?

The anti-social behaviour case review (formerly known as “community trigger”) gives victims of persistent anti-social behaviour who have reported it to the council, police, or a housing provider the right to request a multi-agency review of their case. This means that several organisations will get together, review your case, and find the best possible solution, as well as decide if changes are needed to prevent similar issues in the future.

The process is managed by the local council and each sets their own threshold. Usually, an application will be considered if an individual has reported 3 or more separate incidents regarding the same issue in a 6-month period and nothing has been done.

For further information, contact your local council or visit the Government website: Anti-social behaviour case review – GOV.UK

Hate Crime

What is Hate Crime?

Hate crimes and hate incidents include acts of verbal, written, or physical abuse, as well as harassment or intimidation, that target a person or group because of their personal characteristics. These may be related to someone’s age, gender, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or beliefs.

Examples of Hate Crimes

Hate crimes can take many forms. Some examples include:

• Racial abuse: Harassment or offensive comments aimed at someone’s race, culture, country of origin, or immigration status
• Sexist abuse: Targeting someone with abusive language or behaviour because of their gender
• Ageist abuse: Insults or discrimination aimed at someone because of their age
• Homophobic abuse: Targeting someone with harassment or derogatory remarks because of their sexual orientation
• Transphobic abuse: Abuse or discrimination against transgender or gender-diverse individuals

Hate crime is a criminal offence. We take all incidents of hate crime seriously and encourage you to report any incidents to us and the police right away.

Why Report Hate Crime?

Reporting hate crime is important, as it helps you get the support you may need and may also help prevent these incidents from happening to someone else.

How to Report Hate Crime

In an emergency where you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call the Police on 999.

To report hate crime directly to the police in a non-emergency:

• Phone 101 or visit a police station

If you prefer not to go directly to the police, you can report hate crime to:

• Crimestoppers: Call 0800 555 111 or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org
• Stop Hate UK: Visit www.stophateuk.org for further information

Report to North Star

If you have experienced hate crime, you can also report it to us. North Star takes hate crime very seriously, and we encourage you to let us know about any incidents.

Our tenants are responsible for ensuring that they, their household members, and visitors do not harass or abuse others.

Ways to Report Hate Crime to North Star:

• Customer Services Team: Call us at 03000 11 00 11
• Contact your housing/support officer
• Email: Send us a message at hatecrime@northstarhg.co.uk

Our Approach to Hate Crime

We take a victim-centered approach to all reports of hate crime. This means we will:

1. Handle all reports with care and confidentiality.
2. Consider all reports of hate crime as high-risk and respond accordingly.
3. Conduct a thorough investigation of all reported incidents.
4. Offer advice, and information, and connect you to support agencies if we can’t provide direct assistance.
5. Work closely with other agencies to ensure the best level of support.
6. Take action against those responsible where appropriate.
7. Agree on an action plan with you and keep you updated throughout the process.

We’re here to support you and help keep our community safe.