Maladministration Reports, Best Practice with Dogs & More…
In this weeks edition:
- New Housing Ombudsman Severe Maladministration Report
- Clarke Willmott Publish Full ASB Awareness Week Series
- Addressing Delays In The Civil Justice System – Sector Perspectives
- London Metropolitan Police LEAD Initiative For Dog Related ASB
- Free Webinar – Review – Recommend – Deliver: Reflections On The ASB Case Management Process
- Housing Community Summit Liverpool Fringe Event – More Details To Share!
- Janine & Darren’s Weekly Round Up
New Housing Ombudsman Report: Severe Maladministration in ASB Handling
The Housing Ombudsman’s latest publication highlights repeated failures in the handling of ASB reports, including missed risk assessments, delays to essential repairs, and poor communication with residents. In one case, a resident submitted 115 noise recordings over nine months with little meaningful response. In another, windows smashed during an ASB incident remained unrepaired for over a year.
The report encourages landlords to reflect on five core themes:
- Hate crime and harassment: Under-recording and poor recognition of incidents linked to protected characteristics.
- Multi-agency working: Ineffective information-sharing that limits impact.
- ASB and repairs: Delayed works that worsen the situation for residents.
- Action planning and risk assessment: Missed opportunities to prevent harm.
- Report handling: Lack of empathy and disjointed responses that erode trust.
Despite the serious findings, the Ombudsman notes that ASB cases show fewer service failings than other areas, and credits practitioners who are committed to learning and improving.
You can read the full report here.
Clarke Willmott Publish Full ASB Awareness Week Series
Clarke Willmott have published a four-part series following their activity for ASB Awareness Week, offering practical insight on some of the key challenges in tackling anti-social behaviour.
- Part 1: Supporting victims of ASB, including how landlords can use existing tools more effectively
- Part 2: Examines delays in the civil justice system and whether a dedicated Housing Court is needed
- Part 3: Calls for a single, national information-sharing agreement to support cross-agency working
- Part 4: Focuses on improving how residents can report ASB and the barriers that still remain
The series is a useful overview of current sector conversations, with clear takeaways for both frontline officers and strategic leads.
You can access Part One and all the subsequent articles directly on Clarke Willmott’s website
Addressing Delays in the Civil Justice System: Sector Perspectives
Court delays remain one of the biggest barriers to timely and effective responses in serious ASB cases. Both Bevan Brittan and Forbes Solicitors used the recent ASB Awareness Week to call attention to the growing impact on communities, victims, and landlords alike.
Bevan Brittan
Their article focuses on practical steps landlords can take when urgent cases risk being held up in the courts. These include:
- Using faster County Courts for ex parte injunctions before transferring the case locally
- Seeking expedited possession hearings in serious ASB cases
- Communicating clearly with courts and making complaints where delays are unreasonable
You can read the full article here.
Forbes Solicitors
Forbes offer a broader view, linking justice system reform with housing and community safety. Their piece reflects on:
- The Sentencing Review’s proposed shift away from short prison sentences
- The knock-on effects for housing providers managing persistent ASB
- The urgent need for well-resourced probation services and stronger multi-agency working
- The growing pressure on courts and prisons, and what it means for victims and communities
You can read the full article here.
Clarke Willmott pick up on this too in Part 2 of their series, asking whether a dedicated Housing Court might help move things along more effectively.
Taken together, these pieces reflect a growing consensus that without reform and resource, ASB enforcement risks being held back by systems beyond the control of those working on the frontline.
London Metropolitan Police LEAD Initiative For Dog Related ASB
Dog-related ASB may not always meet the threshold for formal enforcement, but the impact on communities is very real. The Metropolitan Police’s Local Environmental Awareness on Dogs (LEAD) initiative offers a proactive model for tackling irresponsible dog ownership through early engagement, partnership working, and information sharing.
Recently added to the College of Policing’s Practice Bank, LEAD was first launched in Sutton and has since been adopted more widely across England and Wales. It follows a two-stage process:
- Education first: Engagement with dog owners through roadshows, patrols, and microchipping initiatives
- Enforcement if needed: Use of ASB tools like Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) and Community Protection Notices (CPNs)
With a 94% early intervention success rate, the initiative shows how well-coordinated responses can reduce incidents and reassure communities. Housing providers are key delivery partners, expected to follow up on police warnings, maintain tenancy record-keeping, and contribute to a shared auditable trail. This one’s well worth a read if you’re looking for a clear example of partnership working in action.
Read more on the College of Policing’s Practice Bank
Free Webinar – Review – Recommend – Deliver: Reflections On The ASB Case Management Process
How many times have you reviewed an ASB case and thought, “We know what needs to happen – so why hasn’t it?” This free lunchtime webinar coming at the end of July gets to the heart of that question.
Too often, good recommendations fall flat in practice – lost in the day-to-day, blocked by lack of buy-in, or simply not tailored enough to stick. In this session, we’ll explore what it really takes to turn reviews into results.
With a focus on person-centred approaches, barriers to engagement, and the practical realities of partnership working, guest speaker Jon Bull – CEO and qualified counsellor joins partner Darren Burton to bring valuable insights from the world of counselling, social care and mental health.
If you’re working on ASB case management and want to reflect on what’s working (and what isn’t), join Darren and Jon for a grounded and honest discussion, packed with reflections, ideas, and shared experience from across the sector. This session will contain valuable information for all officers managing ASB cases.
Date: Tuesday 29 July 2025
Time: 12:30 – 1:30pm
Housing Community Summit Liverpool Fringe Event – Book Your Space Now!
We’re excited to be hosting an exclusive fringe event on the evening of Monday 8 September as part of the Housing Community Summit. If you are attending the main conference during the day, this is the perfect way to continue the conversation.
- Monday 8 September – 4pm – 7pm
- Nova Scotia Bar, Liverpool (just minutes from the main summit venue)
Join us for a lively panel talk and round table discussion with sector leaders and practitioners, followed by live music and informal networking.
Panellists include:
- Ben Osu – EDI Lead, Everton Football Club
- Tracey Gore – Director, Steve Biko Housing Association
- Mushtaq Khan – CEO, Housing Diversity Network
- Charlie Hamilton-Kay – Deputy CEO, ASB Help
- Louise Murphy – Partner & Head of Housing, MSB Solicitors
- Kim Logan – Director, ADR Mediation & Training
- Specialist from Merseyside Police Hate Crime Team
- Trina O’Connor – Criminologist (Ireland)
Kindly sponsored by MSB Solicitors, Case Management Solutions Group, and ADR Mediation, this is an evening for honest conversation, shared learning, and fresh perspectives.
Spaces are limited – Register for your ticket now:
Janine & Darren’s Weekly Round-Up
Everything in this week’s edition points to one thing… The importance of genuine partnership working. Whether it’s sharing information across agencies, coordinating action early, or simply making time to reflect on what’s working, it’s clear that no single organisation can do this alone.
That’s why we’re so energised about what’s coming up. From the upcoming free webinar to the fringe event in Liverpool, and of course the #ASB11 Conference in October – it is all systems go. Each event is designed to bring people together around the very theme that underpins all of this: partnership.
We’re having some brilliant conversations behind the scenes with plans coming together and we can’t wait to share more in the coming weeks as the Conference Countdown begins with momentum.
If anything in this edition has sparked an idea or challenge, get in touch. We’re always happy to talk it through. Get in touch to see how we can support you.
Have a great week,
Janine & Darren