What to Expect
What can I expect if I contact the community safety team?
When you contact the team to report an incident of anti-social behaviour we will discuss your complaint in detail, and your complaint will be categorised which will determine our response time.
There are three categories of response which are
Category A : Serious Criminal Anti-social behaviour
- response within one working day
- behaviour includes racial harassment, domestic violence, assault, drug dealing
Category B : Anti-social behaviour
- response within five working days
- behaviour includes threats and intimidation, verbal abuse, bullying, vehicle damage, vandalism
Category C : Other Anti-social behaviour
- response within 10 working days
- behaviour includes persistent vehicle repairs, loud music, noisy dogs, dog fouling, rowdy behaviour, riding motorbikes other than on the highway
After your complaint has been categorised
- a letter of acknowledgement will be sent to you to let you know your unique case reference number and who is dealing with your case
- contact will be made with you, the complainant
- contact will be made with the person or people causing the problem
- we may ask you to keep a diary of incidents detailing when the problems are occurring as it is difficult to take action without evidence
- we may ask you to attend a court hearing to give evidence. We will support you through this process
In dealing with your complaint we promise to
- assess any report of anti-social behaviour promptly
- support complainants and witnesses
- investigate the complaint
- offer mediation for disputes between neighbours where appropriate
- make people aware of the need to comply with their tenancy conditions
- take enforcement action on serious cases such as pursuing, for example, possession proceedings, injunctions, anti-social behaviour orders or closure orders
- work with other agencies to find solutions
- work with residents to make clear what is acceptable behaviour
We will always try to sort out the problem without taking legal action, but we will not hesitate to take legal action if it proves necessary. Before we get to that stage, we will always give the person(s) causing the problem the opportunity to explain their behaviour.
A Community Safety Officer can
- visit them in their home, or
- arrange an interview for them in the Area Housing Office, or
- send a letter
Usually there will be a combination of all three, unless the behaviour stops after the first discussion. We may also involve other agencies, such as Education or Social Services, to help us solve the problem.
We must give the person a reasonable opportunity to discuss the problem and time to change or stop the behaviour. This helps if we take legal action later.
We will not usually take action in circumstances such as
- small petty arguments between two households
- parking disputes on roads, pavements etc
- minor lifestyle disagreements, such as cooking smells, noise of children playing in their own home
- children falling out with each other
- one-off party, bonfire etc.
However, you can usually resolve these issues through mediation.
Who else can help?
There are other agencies who can also assist in certain circumstances. Below is a list of examples.
Noise Nuisance
- Maidstone Borough Council - Environmental Health 01622 602202
- Racial, Domestic Violence or other Harassment
- Kent Police 01622 690690 (non emergencies)
- Women’s Support Services 01622 761146
- Women’s Aid National Domestic Violence Helpline 0800 2000 247
Dog Nuisance
- Maidstone Borough Council Civic Warden 01622 602202
Drugs
- Kent Police 01622 690055
Neighbour Disputes
- Maidstone Mediation Scheme 01622 692843
Concerns about a Child’s Welfare
- Social Services 01622 691640
Criminal Matters
- Kent Police 01622 690055 or in an emergency 999
Remember, If you do seek help from any other agencies you may also wish to let the Community Safety Team know so they are kept informed.
When will an anti-social behaviour case be closed?
An anti-social behaviour case may be closed when
- a successful resolution to the problem has been achieved
- an agreement has been reached between the people involved
- the Trust feels that no further action is required or can be taken
Upon closing a case we will write to you to get feedback on how you feel the case was handled so we can improve the service we offer.
More Community Safety information
- What to do if you are suffering from anti-social behaviour
- What is mediation and what do the Maidstone Mediation Service do?
- What to expect if you contact the Community Safety team
- Recording incidents and keeping an incident diary
- Legal action and being a witness
- Other remedies to tackle anti-social behaviour
View our Community Safety leaflet
date published: 24/01/2007