This week: Policing reform, housing standards, our new case study series and our upcoming courses…
In this week’s edition:
- Open access training courses starting this month
- The new Decent Homes Standard and implications for ASB teams
- Policing reform White Paper
- What recent ASB cases tell us about practice
- Janine Green speaking at the SHLA Annual Conference
- Weekly round up
Get booked onto our open access courses for Q1 2026
Bookings for our open access courses for quarter one of 2026 are now well underway, with the early sessions focusing on judgement, case progression and the practical realities of ASB decision making. The programme is designed to support officers who are already working in complex environments, and who need space to step back, reflect and strengthen how decisions are reached and evidenced.
Applying Judge Craft: Good judgement sits at the heart of effective ASB work. This course, led by partner Janine Green, explores how professional judgement is formed, what influences decision making under pressure, and how to apply it consistently in cases that are likely to be challenged.
Level 2 ASB Case Management Principles (Level 2 accredited): This course supports officers to make confident, timely and defensible decisions in ASB cases. It covers the full case management journey, from assessing initial reports and risk, through investigation and action planning, to monitoring outcomes and closing cases appropriately. It is suitable both as an induction for those new to ASB and as a refresher for experienced practitioners.
The new Decent Homes Standard and ASB practice
The government has published the policy statement for the new Decent Homes Standard, which will apply to both social and private rented homes in England
While this is framed as a housing quality and regulatory change, it has direct relevance for ASB and community safety teams, particularly where reports of behaviour overlap with property condition, health impacts or vulnerability.
The updated standard strengthens expectations around safety, repair, thermal comfort and the prevention of damp and mould. It also reinforces the principle that tenants should live in homes that are safe, decent and fit for occupation.
For ASB practitioners, this is likely to sharpen expectations in several areas of practice:
- Clearer differentiation between behaviour-led ASB and issues driven by disrepair or environmental conditions
- Greater scrutiny where enforcement action is considered without parallel action on property condition
- Stronger links between ASB casework, repairs, asset management and housing management teams
- Increased importance of recording how housing conditions and landlord responsibilities have been considered in decision making
In practical terms, ASB teams will increasingly be expected to demonstrate how proportionate responses have been reached, particularly in cases where behaviour is linked to poor housing conditions, health impacts or repeat complaints.
This reinforces the importance of professional judgement, joined-up working and clear case recording, rather than default escalation or enforcement. Read more on this policy statement here.
Policing reform, the Crime and Policing Bill and ASB
The government has published a new Policing Reform White Paper, setting out proposals for structural reform, national standards and a renewed focus on tackling everyday crime and anti social behaviour.
While the White Paper is new, it sits alongside existing legislative changes including the Crime and Policing Bill, which is referenced throughout as part of the wider framework for reform.
Across both, anti social behaviour is positioned as a core concern, particularly in relation to neighbourhood policing, visible presence and public confidence.
Key themes with direct relevance for ASB practitioners include:
- A renewed emphasis on neighbourhood policing and visible, local response
- Clearer national expectations around consistency, standards and performance
- A continued focus on tackling anti social behaviour as part of community safety
- Strengthened expectations around partnership working and problem solving
- Less tolerance for long-running cases drifting without clear outcomes
For housing providers and local authorities, this reinforces a direction of travel that is already familiar. ASB work is increasingly seen as central to place-based policing, community confidence and early intervention, rather than a peripheral issue.
As reforms progress, and legislative changes continue to be implemented, ASB teams are likely to see closer alignment with police priorities, clearer thresholds for action, and greater scrutiny of how decisions are reached and recorded.
In this context, professional judgement, proportionate use of tools and clear, defensible reasoning remain critical. How decisions are made and evidenced will continue to matter just as much as the outcomes themselves.
What recent ASB cases tell us about practice
Over January, we shared a series of ASB case studies drawn from real situations across the country. Rather than looking at each case in isolation, we have now brought these together into a single article exploring what they collectively tell us about ASB practice.
The article looks across hotspot policing, borough-wide PSPOs, closure orders and Criminal Behaviour Orders, drawing out common themes around judgement, proportionality, thresholds and the use of enforcement powers in practice.
It focuses on how decisions are being reached, how tools are being combined, and what is increasingly expected of practitioners when cases are scrutinised.
The full article is now available to read on our website – we would love to have your feedback on this new initiative and if you think it is useful for you.
Janine Green speaking at the SHLA Annual Conference
We are pleased to announce that partner Janine Green will be speaking at the Social Housing Law Association Annual Conference 2026, taking place in London this March.
The conference brings together housing and legal professionals to explore current developments in regulation, enforcement and practice. Janine’s contribution will draw on her experience of ASB case management, professional judgement and defensible decision making in complex and contested cases.
The conference will take place on:
Thursday 12 March
The Law Society
113 Chancery Lane
London WC2A 1PL
This session will be particularly relevant for those working in housing law and the wider legal profession with an interest in ASB, regulation and enforcement. Find out more via their LinkedIn page.
Weekly round up
The legislative and policy landscape around ASB, housing and community safety continues to shift and evolve with these latest announcements, and what is clear is that expectations around standards, decision making and service delivery are becoming more clearly articulated and subject to scrutiny.
As these changes take shape, many organisations are reviewing whether their ASB provision is properly equipped to respond. That includes having clear thresholds, confident use of tools and powers, robust case management and the ability to evidence proportionate, defensible decisions when practice is scrutinised.
Our work with organisations across the sector continues to focus on supporting effective ASB provision that reflects current expectations, local context and the realities of frontline practice. Whether through training, service reviews or advisory support, the emphasis remains on strengthening confidence, consistency and professional judgement.
As always, we will continue to share updates, learning and opportunities that help services stay aligned with an evolving landscape and deliver effective outcomes for communities. Get in touch if we can support your organisation through training, service reviews or wider ASB advisory work.
Have a great week,
Janine & Darren