HE: Report anti-social behaviour

Housing Executive staff in the Coleraine office work to resolve problems of anti-social behaviour through early intervention and mediation.

This approach is often successful, preventing the need for more serious action to be taken.

However, where such action is required, the organisation has a range of legal powers.

The local office is advising residents that in the case of noisy and disruptive tenants, neglected gardens, illegal structures, dog nuisance and using Housing Executive premises for business or illegal purposes, complaints should be directed to the Housing Executive.

In the case of incidents such as criminal damage, assaults, violence, intimidation and public drinking the public should contact the PSNI. Where there has been a hate incident the Housing Executive and PSNI can be contacted and in the event of behaviour such as littering, dog attacks, waste dumping and vermin Coleraine Borough Council should be contacted.

The Housing Executive’s Housing Services Manager in Coleraine, Brendan Doherty, said: “We know that anti-social behaviour can cause misery and anxiety for local residents. It is a blight on all our communities.

“We want to work closely with the local community to ensure that anti-social behaviour does not take hold and we need people to come forward and report incidents as and when they occur.

“Unless we know about such incidents, we cannot tackle them.”

He concluded by appealing to the local community for its continued support.

“I would ask anyone who has experienced or witnessed anti-social behaviour to come forward and report it to the local office in Coleraine.

“The problems created by anti-social behaviour are not always easy to resolve.

“Individual victims are often fearful of coming forward and this is understandable. However it is vital that we have the support and evidence provided by local people, because, without it, the job becomes even more difficult,” he added.

The Housing Executive has made significant progress in recent years in identifying and dealing with individuals who have been involved in unacceptable behaviour and this work will continue wherever these incidents occur.

Anyone who has experienced problems relating to anti-social behaviour can contact the Housing Executive on 03448 920 900.

The PSNI can be contacted on the new non-emergency number, 101. Coleraine Borough Council can be contacted on 028 7034 7171.