Supporting vulnerable tenants affected by ASB

Julie Jackson, our Neighbourhood Officer received a high number of complaints from tenants living near a property that was experiencing ongoing anti-social behaviour, including frequent visitors, suspected drug use and associated nuisance.

After speaking to the neighbours, Julie completed risk assessments for both complainants, which scored as high risk. It quickly became clear that both tenants were vulnerable and needed additional support. She arranged target-hardening measures to help them feel safer in their homes and ensured they received regular welfare calls from the Safer Neighbourhoods team.

Both tenants faced barriers to communication. One had a language barrier and the other suffered from severe anxiety, making telephone conversations difficult. Julie made sure reasonable adjustments were put in place and tailored her approach to suit their individual needs. During an early home visit, she noticed that one tenant was much more comfortable communicating by text message, so she adapted her communication style accordingly. This helped build trust and allowed the tenant to open up about how the ASB was affecting her day-to-day life and wellbeing.

By identifying these needs early on, Julie was able to provide the right support and ensure both tenants felt listened to, understood and kept informed throughout the case. Julie regularly updated them on progress, supported them in reporting incidents to the police and worked closely with partner agencies to address the issues being experienced.

As a result, appropriate tenancy action was taken, helping to resolve the ASB and improve the tenant’s quality of life. One of the tenants later contacted us to thank Julie for the support she had received, and the Safer Neighbourhoods team also provided positive feedback.

This case highlights the importance of recognising vulnerability, adapting communication to meet individual needs and making sure residents feel supported every step of the way. By taking the time to understand the challenges they were facing and putting the right measures in place, Julie was able to help them feel safe in their homes again and achieve a positive outcome.