Looking after your neighbourhood
Highlights of the year
Fly-tipping is an issue that crops up again and again, and one we are keen to eradicate. One way of doing this, is to transform the fly-tipping spot using our estate improvement fund.
We were receiving regular complaints about the constant fly-tipping of mattresses and refuse bags outside 111 Lyveden Road in Tooting. No sooner did we clear the fly-tipping, more would be dumped, and it was impacting residents' wellbeing.
A solution was needed to fix the issue, and residents suggested the area be transformed into a communal garden for them to grow their own plants and vegetables, as well as deter fly-tipping.
We used the estate improvement fund to pay for the works and the fence. The area can now be used by residents and looks much nicer than before.
Derelict area outside the block that attracted fly tipping.
After estate improvement works, the area is fenced off and ground prepared so that the residents can use it to garden.
Learnings and improvements made this year
Our learning log and service improvement plan tracks learnings found through to implementation and monitoring. Here are some of the changes we made in 2023/2024:
Estates
Our estates team had received several complaints over a period of time about the poor standard of cleaning in their block.
To sort the problem out, we met with residents to listen to their concerns, and they said that the bin cupboard in the communal hallway was making the building smell very bad.
We agreed that this was unacceptable, and organised regular cleaning of the bin cupboard and installed extra bins.
We learnt how important it is to be out and about, visiting blocks and talking with residents about the issues impacting them. A lot of the time, the issues are very easy to solve but need a collaborative approach.
Neighbourhoods
The team received an Fire Risk Assesment (FRA) request to remove a bike from a communal hallway because it posed a fire risk. They issued a TORT notice advising the bike would be removed by a certain date if not removed.
Unfortunately, when the team arrived on the agreed date to remove the bike, the resident refused to get off the bike, and we couldn’t move it. The resident was advised that we would have to serve her an injunction to remove the bike.
She eventually calmed down and requested for somewhere safe to store her bike as she needed it for her daily commute. We agreed on an estate improvement fund project to install a bicycle store outside the main entrance to the block. The works are currently underway, and we have a happy customer.
This situation taught us the importance of working with residents to resolve issues without escalating it straight away. A lot of situations require a bit of patience and understanding.
Anti-social Behaviour (ASB)
We received many reports of anti-social behaviour taking place in one of our blocks in Sutton. A resident had been threatening a neighbour, including racial abuse for over a year. Unfortunately, due to a lack of concrete evidence, we couldn’t prove the anti-social behaviour, or involve the police.
The harassment and abuse continued, and understandably was impacting the victim’s quality of life. The other residents living in the block were also disturbed by this problematic behaviour.
We installed a ring doorbell camera on the victim’s front door so we could collect evidence of the anti-social behaviour. We managed to gather enough evidence to involve the police, who arrested the perpetrator on one count of harassment and six public order offences.
The victim now feels safe and comfortable in their home. And the perpetrator is scheduled to be sentenced in the next few months.
What we are focussing on in 2024/25
We know that sometimes, only speaking to your housing officer will do. That’s why we’ve reviewed our team structure and we’re increasing the number of housing officers we have.
Each housing officer will have a smaller patch size, and be more visible to the residents on their patch – including through introducing tenancy visits to get to know you better.
We will visit every tenant once every two to three years to give you the chance to talk about any issues you may have with your home or neighbourhood, and how we can support you.
The visits will give you the opportunity to discuss your tenancy, update your household information, let us know about any vulnerable residents who might need further support, and inform us if you are struggling with problems such as debt.
These regular visits don't replace those you request when you want us to visit you, or to resolve an issue.
A customer story
Residents living in a block in Rotherhithe have historically endured drug use and gangs in their block. This isn’t fair and made them feel unsafe in their homes.
We were keen to resolve this quickly and created an action plan by taking detailed reports and speaking with affected residents. We organised and attended joint police visit on Friday 29 March and patrolled with local police team, knocking on residents' doors to offer some reassurance. In addition, we also reported any repairs on their behalf, and made safe the communal areas to deter the alleged perpetrators and minimise risk to the residents. Since our visit we have received no further reports of ASB, and we continue to monitor.
We're still working out what our targets for these measures will be in 2024/25.
ASB cases (NM01)
ASB cases per 1000 homes
ASB cases per 1000 homes (that involved hate incidents)
ASB cases total
Satisfaction with approach to ASB (TP12)