Working together to improve how we respond to anti-social behaviour
We know how important it is for residents to feel safe in their homes and neighbourhoods. Over the last year, in response to resident feedback, we’ve made a number of improvements to how we manage and respond to anti-social behaviour (ASB).
Tackling ASB can be complex, but by listening to residents, working more closely with partners and improving the way we work, these changes are already making a difference.
What’s improved
Between April 2024 and March 2025, we spoke to over 1,200 residents as part of Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs). These surveys give us valuable feedback to help us understand what residents think about our services and where we can improve.
We’re pleased that satisfaction levels have increased during this time, with nearly 61% of residents who completed the survey, now happy with how we manage and respond to ASB.
We also capture residents’ views in many different ways, including transactional surveys, Big Door Knocks, and Settle Connect. Last year, 43.48% of residents told us they were satisfied with how we handle ASB. This year’s survey cycle, which began in September 2025, is already showing an encouraging 51.43%, a positive sign that we are making progress in how we respond to concerns.
Behind the scenes, we continue to take strong action to keep homes safe and comfortable. In September 2025, we were managing 111 ASB cases, and have successfully recovered several properties through proceedings.
What’s changed
In January 2024, we launched a new demand-led way of working in neighbourhoods, with a stronger focus on community safety. This means our Neighbourhood teams are out and about more often, talking with residents and tackling issues earlier. As a result, we investigated 159 serious or high harm ASB cases in 2024/25 – an increase of 61% compared to the year before.
We’ve worked with the Voice of the Resident Panel to develop and test a new online reporting tool in My Settle Portal. This makes it easier to tell us about ASB, with clear categories, space to explain what happened and how it affected you, and the option to upload photos or videos. The portal also includes a triage tool that explains how we’ll respond to different types of ASB and when we may refer concerns to other agencies.
We’ve also reviewed our ASB policy with residents and created policies on hate crime and CCTV. We’re now working with the Voice of the Resident Panel to review feedback, and revised policies will be published on Settle Connect and on our website later this year.
To support colleagues, we’ve introduced more training on dealing with hate-related incidents and ASB. We’ve also updated our website with clearer information about what counts as ASB (and what doesn’t) and explained how we work closely with partners such as the police, councils, NHS and fire service. See more on our Anti-social behaviour web page.
Alongside this, we’ve reviewed and updated our ASB procedure in line with Housing Ombudsman guidance. This includes carrying out risk assessments within 10 working days, making earlier contact with those involved to address behaviour quickly, and regular case reviews every six weeks.
What’s next
We’re in the final stages of launching a new ASB app for mobile phones to make reporting issues easier. The app lets residents upload photos, videos, noise recordings, and diary notes directly to us, with information sent live to Settle.
We’re also exploring purchasing noise recording equipment to better support residents where noise is a concern.
Thank you to everyone who’s shared their feedback. We’ll keep building on this, so all residents feel safe, supported and confident in their communities.
