ASB repossession for Executive

In September, the Housing Executive went to court and secured an Order for Possession of the property on the grounds of proven unacceptable behaviour by the tenant. The order required the occupant to vacate the property by January 2015.

Commenting on the successful action, the Housing Executive’s local manager, Breige Mullaghan, said: “This is not action the Housing Executive has taken lightly, but was a last resort after all other attempts to resolve the problems were unsuccessful. As a housing authority, we do not want to see people losing their homes. However, we have a duty to the vast majority of residents in our housing areas who are law-abiding and have a right to be able to live in peace. In dealing with anti-social behaviour, staff in the Ballymoney office work with the Community Safety Team to resolve problems through early intervention and mediation. This approach is often successful, preventing the need for more serious action to be taken.

“We know that anti-social behaviour can cause misery and anxiety for local residents and these actions show our commitment to protecting them. We are working closely with the local community to ensure that anti-social behaviour does not take hold and we need people to come forward and report incidents as and when they occur. Unless we know about such incidents, we cannot tackle them.”

The manager concluded by appealing to the local community for its continued support.

She added: “I would ask anyone who has experienced or witnessed anti-social behaviour to come forward and report it to the Ballymoney office.

“The problems created by anti-social behaviour are not always easy to resolve.

“Individual victims are often fearful of coming forward and this is understandable. However it is vital that we have the support and evidence provided by local people, because, without it, the job becomes even more difficult. ”

The Housing Executive has made significant progress in recent years in identifying and dealing with individuals who have been involved in unacceptable behaviour and this work will continue wherever these incidents occur. Anyone who has experienced problems relating to anti-social behaviour can contact the Housing Executive on 03448 920 900.