We want everyone to feel safe, respected, comfortable in their home.

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) can seriously affect neighbours and the wider community. This leaflet explains what anti-social behaviour is, what’s expected of our tenants, and what happens if a problem arises.

What we expect from our tenants:

• Treat neighbours with respect and consideration.

• Keep noise to a reasonable level, especially at night.

• Use shared areas responsibly.

• Resolve minor disputes calmly and respectfully, where possible.

• Report problems early before they escalate.

What is anti-social behaviour?

Anti-social behaviour is any action that causes nuisance, harassment, alarm, or distress to others. This includes (but not limited to):

• Loud music, shouting or noise late at night.

• Aggressive, threatening or violent behaviour.

• Harassment, intimidation, or verbal abuse.

• Not controlling pets (e.g. fouling, aggression).
• Damage to property or vandalism.

• Drug-related activity.

• Allowing others in the property to behave anti-socially (including visitors).

Anti-social behaviour does not include reasonable, everyday living noises or minor one-off arguments. Examples include (but not limited to): children playing, babies crying, cooking smells, DIY during reasonable hours, using kitchen appliances, vacuuming, doors closing, or walking around a home.

If you are experiencing anti-social behaviour:

• Keep a record of what’s happening (dates, times & details).

• Report it to us as soon as possible.

• Report emergencies and criminal activity to Police Scotland.

• record the matter and send you an acknowledgement.

• discuss the matter with you and explore ways to resolve the matter. This may include agreeing a plan to monitor ongoing incidents, to help have robust evidence.

• speak with the other parties involved (and third parties, where appropriate), to gather as much information as possible.

Timescales

We aim to investigate and resolve straightforward complaints within 2-weeks, with more complex cases taking up to 4-weeks.

Where we are investigating a serious complaint, that requires information to be sought from third-parties, we may take up to 8-weeks to resolve.

We will make you aware of expected timescales, keep in touch with you throughout the process and update you with an outcome.

Next steps

Once we have fully investigated the complaint of anti-social behaviour and gathered all the evidence available, the complaint will be reviewed to determine whether a breach of tenancy conditions has occurred.

Where a breach has occurred, the relevant party will be invited to attend a meeting to discuss the breach and any potential warning they may be given.

Outcomes & actions

There are limits to the actions we can take when a tenant is behaving in an anti-social way. In all but the most serious cases, our first steps will involve warnings about unacceptable behaviour.

Where there has already been a first formal warning issued (or the matter is considered serious), the warning may be escalated to a second formal warning. Where a second formal warning has already been issued, the Association may proceed to court action.

We cannot seek to evict a tenant without (1) warning them that their behaviour is unacceptable, (2) serving them with a notice that we intend to take them to court and (3) then applying to a court for a hearing.

The authorisation to evict sits with the court. Therefore, we then need to provide robust evidence that proves it is reasonable to evict the person because of their behaviour. Even in extreme cases this process takes time.

What is a complaint? Any expression of dissatisfaction about our action or lack of action, or about the standard of service provided.

Complaint examples (1) Failure to provide a service, (2) Poor quality service, (3) Not meeting timescales, (4) Poor attitude or treatment, (5) Policy decision disagreement.

Non-complaint examples (1) Request for service, such as reporting a repair, (2) Reporting anti-social behaviour, (3) Request for information, (4) Previously closed complaints, (5) Concerns about a different organisation.

Who can complain? Anyone who receives, requests or is directly impacted by our services.

How do I complain? (1) In person to any employee, (2) Phone | 0141 763 1317, (3) Email | info@tollcross-ha.org.uk, (4) Online | www.tollcross-ha.org.uk, or (5) In writing to Tollcross Housing Association 868 Tollcross Road | G32 8PF

When complaining, please tell us (1) your full name and contact details, (2) full details about the complaint, (3) what has gone wrong; and (4) what outcome you are seeking.

Complaints must be made within 6-months of (1) the incident or (2) when you find out you have reason to complain. In exceptional circumstances, timescales may be altered. If you feel that the time limit should not apply to your complaint, please tell us why.

Help to make a complaint: We accept complaints from a friend, relative, or an advocate, if you have given them your consent to complain for you. You can find an advocate through either (1) Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance | 0131 510 9410 | www.siaa.org.uk or (2) Citizens Advice Scotland | www.cas.org.uk

What can I expect when I complain?

• We will listen to what you have to say.
• We will carry out a thorough and fair investigation.
• We will try to resolve the complaint, where possible.
• We will respond as soon as possible.
• We will apologise for failures and take action to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.

Our complaint process

We have adopted the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) complaint handling procedure, summarised below. A full copy of this procedure can be found on our website.

Stage 1 - straightforward complaints

• We will seek to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
• We will take immediate action or offer an explanation where no action is possible.
• We will provide an outcome within 5-working days.

If you remain unhappy with the outcome of your complaint, you can escalate it to stage 2.

Escalated complaints (from stage 1 to stage 2) must be made within 2-months of receiving your outcome.

Stage 2 - complex complaints or complaints escalated from stage 1

• We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 3-working days.
• We will confirm our understanding of the complaint and the outcome you are looking for.
• We will investigate the complaint fully and try to find a suitable resolution.
• We will provide an outcome within 20-working days.

What if I am still unhappy with the outcome?

If you remain dissatisfied after you have received our final decision, or you are unhappy about how we dealt with your complaint, you can seek a review from one of the following independent bodies:

• Housing Association Complaints: Scottish Public Services Ombudsman www.spso.org.uk
• Factoring & Mid-Market Rents Complaints: Housing and Property Chamber First-tier Tribunal for Scotland www.housingandpropertychamber.scot

Serious concerns and complaints

If your complaint is a serious concern and impacts the wider tenant group, you can report this matter to the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) via their serious concerns form.

A serious concern is when a landlord regularly and repeatedly fails to achieve the regulatory requirements for social housing; and this failure affects a group of the social landlord tenants.

Find out more on the SHR website, www.housingregulator.gov.scot

• Treat our employees with courtesy, dignity and respect.
• Give us information we need to help you.
• Keep appointments made or contact us to arrange a suitable alternative.
• Provide us with your views and suggestions on how to improve our services.

• Provide comfortable and accessible facilities, including private rooms for confidential / sensitive discussions and access to welfare facilities.
• Ensure the location is open during the published operating hours. Communicate, in advance, any changes to these standard hours.
• Welcome you to the facility, quickly establish the reason for your visit and arrange for the relevant employee to respond to your query.
• Keep your waiting to a minimum and keep you informed if there is a delay in arranged appointments.

• Answer telephone calls as promptly as possible and provide an answerphone service for periods of closure (and provide an out of hours emergency repairs reporting line).
• Provide options to allow for customer to select the correct department and option to speak to a specific employee.
• Where necessary, take clear messages for relevant employees (and respond to queries by the following working day).

• Contact you within 5-working days to discuss your query or where possible provide an outcome.
• Ensure correspondence is passed onto the relevant department or employee for action.
• For emails, ensure an up to date ‘out of office’ message is on for absent employees.

• Let you know when we are visiting and reason for the visit.
• Arrive promptly for a pre-arranged appointment or telephone to advise of any change.
• Ensure all employees are easily identifiable (i.e. ID badges).
• Provide you requirements for the visit in advance (e.g. dogs kept in separate room).
• Provide outcome of visit within 5-working days.

Photographs and/or film footage are taken at Association run events.

These images will be used by Tollcross Housing Association for promotional purposes, which may include printed publications, press releases, websites, social media, posters, banners, and any other marketing by Tollcross Housing Association. They will be stored securely and will not be kept longer than they are needed for.

If you would prefer for you or your child, not to be photographed, please speak to an employee of Tollcross Housing Association.

For further information about what we do with your image or data, read our Privacy Statement online at www.tollcross-ha.org.uk.

We believe that our customers have a right to be heard, understood and respected. We work hard to be open and accessible to everyone and to provide a good service to all our customers.

We also believe that our staff deserve to be treated fairly and with respect, free from intimidation, harassment or threats of violence.

Aggressive, violent or abusive behaviour will not be tolerated and may result in your services being restricted. In extreme cases, we may contact Police Scotland.

We understand that customer may be frustrated or angry about a situation raised with the Association. If that anger escalates into aggression towards staff, where our staff member feels threatened or unsafe, we consider that unacceptable.

Any violence or abuse towards staff will not be accepted. Violence is not restricted to acts of aggression that may result in physical harm – it also includes behaviour or language (whether verbal or written) that may cause staff to feel offended, afraid, threatened or abused. We will judge each situation individually and appreciate individuals who come to us may be upset.

Language, which is designed to insult or degrade, is derogatory, racist, sexist, transphobic, or homophobic, or which makes serious allegations that individuals have committed criminal, corrupt, perverse or unprofessional conduct of any kind, without any evidence, is unacceptable.

We may decide that comments aimed not at us, but at third parties, are unacceptable because of the effect that listening or reading them may have on our staff.

When you attend the Association for an appointment, we expect you to be sober. If you appear to be under the influence of alcohol or any other substance, you will not be seen for your appointment and will be asked to re-arrange.

Further information can be found in our Unacceptable Action Policy.