Brent Housing Partnership wants you to enjoy your home in peace and comfort, free from nuisance and harassment.

Irresponsible behaviour on the part of a minority of tenants disturbs their neighbours and can lead to a great deal of stress. Tenants should show consideration and tolerance towards each other and aim to resolve any disagreements between themselves, before involving anyone else.

Brent Housing Partnership respects the rights of all people. It will take firm action against tenants who harass other residents, members of their households or their guests.

Harassment takes many forms, including abuse, threats, hostility, violence, graffiti and damage to property. The person who is harassed may suffer physical injury, mental stress and anxiety, or insecurity and fear. Brent Housing Partnership will not tolerate actions that lead to harassment of other tenants and will take firm action against perpetrators.

Racial harassment

BHP is committed to evicting any tenant who racially abuses or threatens another resident.

"A racist incident is any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or by any other person"

Racial harassment is hostility towards people because of their ethnic origin.

Threatening, insulting or abusive words and behaviour (spoken or written) are a criminal offence and perpetrators should be reported to the community safety unit at your police station or a BHP officer. BHP will not tolerate any harassment due to race, ethnicity, nationality, culture, sexuality, gender, age, marital status, religion or disability.

Harassment of gay men and lesbians

Sometimes people are harassed on the basis of their relationships with partners of the same sex, because others do not respect their right to have sexual preferences which are different from the majority.

Harassment of people with HIV/AIDS

People with HIV/AIDS are not a health risk to anyone, except through unsafe sexual practices, or through sharing drug injecting equipment. Sometimes, however, fear and ignorance amongst neighbours leads to harassment. Staff in the council's HIV unit on 020 8937 4622 offer specialist advice and assistance to those with AIDS or who are HIV positive and to their partners and families.

Other forms of harassment

Harassment can include physical and verbal abuse of women and include unwanted sexual advances. It may also take the form of abuse towards elderly people or people with physical and/or learning difficulties. We want all tenants to enjoy their homes without harassment. Any kind of harassment is unacceptable.

Brent Housing Partnership will treat any complaint about harassment in confidence, and we will investigate it thoroughly. Where necessary we may call in the Police. If we find there has been harassment we will take action to deal with it if the person committing the offence is a council tenant. This may involve enforcing the tenancy agreement by using our powers to evict. If the person committing the offence is not a council tenant we will help you get advice about legal action you can take for yourself. In some cases we may consider applying for an injunction or an anti-social behaviour order in the council's name.

What you can do

If you are experiencing harassment:

• write down the details of the incident including the time, place and anyone who saw it
• report the incident to the local police
• report the incident to your housing officer or the council emergency service if the incident occurs during the night.

If the incident is repeated inform the police and your housing officer immediately.

Brent Housing Partnership will investigate your complaint and advise you what action can and will be taken. Brent Housing Partnership will consider taking possession proceedings and other legal action against tenants causing harassment to others.

If you see an incident

• report it to the police and your housing officer
• keep a record of what happened and when
• tell the victim if you are prepared to be a witness and give your name and address.