As part of ASB Awareness Week Resolve and the Housing Ombudsman worked together pushing for a harm-led, trauma-informed approach to ASB, meaning ensuring victims are supported from the outset, expectations are managed, and communication is regular and empathetic. They were both focused on finding timely action led response with Resolve’s call for guaranteed victim support and the Housing Ombudsman’s emphasis on early intervention, working collaboratively to provide the right framework to find a more pro-active approach.
Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is a deeply rooted challenge for social housing providers and the wider community as it disrupts the fundamental right to feel safe and secure at home, a right that social housing is intended to uphold. When it comes to finding a collaborative approach that supports community safety the issue of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) clearly demonstrates how the role of a social landlords goes beyond bricks and mortar. The impact of these issues is felt by communities as well as the individual residents, and by the landlord staff handling them.
Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is not ‘low-level’ as it is a persistent and escalating threat to public safety and wellbeing. A recent YouGov report commissioned by Resolve has found that more than 1 in 4 people (27%) say ASB has made them feel unsafe, 15% have considered moving home because of its impact and 6% have already moved.
The Housing Ombudsman has seen a 400% increase in ASB related complaints over five years, making it the second highest driver of complaints. While some landlords demonstrate good practice through clear policies, early intervention and empathic communication 55% of ASB complaints are still upheld, revealing systemic gaps. Too often, landlords fail to carry out risk assessments, produce action plans, or coordinate effectively with partner agencies. In some cases, this leads to missed opportunities, unmanaged risk and further harm to both residents and staff.
The most recent YouGov data supports this stating:
· 62% of people say more needs to be done to tackle ASB.
· 42% say ASB has increased in their area over the past three years and 17% say it has increased a lot.
· Only 1 in 4 people report ASB to the police and 56% of victims or witnesses don’t report it at all.
· An estimated 5+ million ASB incidents occur annually, far beyond the 1 million recorded by police.
· 11% of people experience ASB weekly and 1.7 million people face it daily.
· 50% of UK adults say ASB is a problem in their area and 13% say it’s very problematic.
Together as part of ASB Awareness we called for urgent action on four fronts:
1. Guaranteed support for victims, regardless of postcode.
2. Specialist housing courts, to unblock backlogs and prioritise harm reduction.
3. A national information-sharing agreement, so practitioners can collaborate swiftly and effectively.
4. A public awareness campaign and centralised reporting system, with anonymous options and simple guidance to empower residents and build trust.
Rebecca Bryant OBE, Chief Executive of Resolve, said: “Anti-social behaviour is not low-level as it is devastating, persistent and far too often ignored. A partnership led approach and policy model is a key to finding the right solutions, with the political will and sector-wide commitment to work together. From our recent YouGov report data we can clearly see that too many people feel unsafe in their own homes and we must work to make communities safer. We need urgent, joined-up action across housing, policing and government. That means guaranteed support for victims, faster access to justice, and a national framework that empowers practitioners to act swiftly and effectively. This is a moment for leadership and we’re proud to stand alongside the Housing Ombudsman in calling for change.”
In summary, ASB Awareness Week is a call to action, and Resolve and the Housing Ombudsman will continue to work closely with housing providers, local authorities, and national policymakers to ensure ASB is treated with the seriousness it demands.
