UPDATED: Anti-social families will get 48 hours to leave their homes, pledges Littlemoor housing chief (From Dorset Echo)
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UPDATED: Housing authority cracks down on problem tenants in Littlemoor after rise in crime
11:20am Thursday 7th March 2013 in News By Rachael Burnett
Littlemoor tenants facing eviction
PROBLEM families in Littlemoor could be facing eviction with housing authority Synergy taking legal action on a number of tenants.
Dozens of residents came together at a public meeting in St Francis Church on the Weymouth estate to discuss the anti-social behaviour and crime that has been plaguing the area.
It comes after a spate of arsons and car break-ins in Littlemoor, with one woman suffering serious burns in a malicious fire in a park last week.
Christine Wallis, anti-social behaviour offer for Synergy Housing, said tenants causing significant trouble will be given 48 hours notice to leave.
She said: “Synergy have commenced legal action on a number of families in the Littlemoor area.
“We are pursuing this through the courts and it is currently with our solicitors.”
Police, firefighters, councillors, youth groups and other local authorities came together with around 50 residents to tackle the rising level of crime.
Weymouth and Portland Inspector Les Fry said officers working under Operation Guardian are targeting criminals in Littlemoor.
He said: “Littlemoor is the only area that has had an increase in crime since December.
“Criminal and anti-social behaviour is up which bucks the trend in the rest of Weymouth, Portland and the surrounding area.
“I think it will take 12 months to two years to achieve our aim of making the estate a better place to live and work.”
There have been more than a dozen arrests in recent weeks on the estate which has led to one youth being handed an anti-social behaviour order, seven more subject to Acceptable Behaviour Contracts and another person in prison.
A Section 30 dispersal order is now in place for the area as part of the clampdown which has also seen CCTV cameras installed and extra police patrols.
Inspector Fry said the police need the community to work with them by reporting crime and urged residents to join the Home Watch scheme which is being rolled out across the estate.
He said the force is listening to the community and urged people to ensure they report crimes and other problems.
Inspector Fry added: “A number of people have been allowed to exist and carry on their criminal activities on this estate.
“They have carried on that behaviour for a number of years. That's no longer going to be acceptable behaviour.”
Another community meeting will be held in six months’ time.
The next Littlemoor PACT will be on April 10.
Estate welcomes new policy
MANY residents in Littlemoor have welcomed the news that problem tenants will be moved out of the area.
Suzette Lonsdale, of Brisbane Road, said: “Synergy making evictions is good news and should force the problem out.
“Hopefully any other families coming in know what will happen to them as well and won’t cause any more trouble.
“Let’s hope it works. We will be glad to see the back of them.
“I’ve signed up for the Home Watch scheme as well, it’s been brought in other areas where I’ve lived and it makes a difference.”
However some residents are sceptical about how much difference the new measures will make.
Speaking at the meeting Tony Alee, of Bincombe Rise, said: “We have heard all this before.
“Where does Inspector Les Fry think he will succeed where others have failed.
“Other inspectors have come and said this and things got better for a few months and then they move manpower out again.
“If we signed up for Home Watch you can guarantee your car would be torched and your home would be attacked.”
Tell us what you think?
Are you a resident of Littlemoor? Were you at yesterday's meeting? Let us know your thoughts below.
To talk about the issues in confidence contact the Littlemoor reporter Rachael Burnett on rachael.burnett@dorsetecho.co.uk or call 01305 830982
Comments(49)
axzl32
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10:10am Thu 7 Mar 13
Donkey Oatty
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10:16am Thu 7 Mar 13
Mr_Blue_Sky
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10:19am Thu 7 Mar 13
Their actions now have repercussions and not controlling their kids now means it's time to move to a lesser slum.
PS. I have found Rachel ROGERS (get the name right for starters), to be a very good councillor, so I believe that comment above to be nothing more than the usual mud slinging that all political parties and their supports involve in.
stench
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10:19am Thu 7 Mar 13
Be good to see them out the town, but i feel sorry for those who get them as neighbours next.
Scummers!
stench
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10:21am Thu 7 Mar 13
Mr_Blue_Sky wrote:yeah, cos it's forums like this that swings votes... ha!
If this is true, it's good to see some real action being taken about the small handful of families that give the entire estate a bad name. Their actions now have repercussions and not controlling their kids now means it's time to move to a lesser slum. PS. I have found Rachel ROGERS (get the name right for starters), to be a very good councillor, so I believe that comment above to be nothing more than the usual mud slinging that all political parties and their supports involve in.
LouisCypher
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10:56am Thu 7 Mar 13
I am sure Littlemoor has its fair share of ne'er-do-wells, but surely just moving them to somewhere else isn't the answer.
shy talk
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11:21am Thu 7 Mar 13
The family were threatening neighbours, noise issues,drugs, vandalism and the two young children were caught setting fire to cars. Police and Social Services were all involved. Social Services informed me they would not be rehoused due to intentionally making themselves homeless. However they were rehoused in Littlemoor.
Were the Housing Association aware they were housing a problem family? Did they ask for references? Were Social Services economically with the truth? As pointed out the problem was moved on.
I wish the good people of Littlemoor the best of luck in dealing with the small minority of people causing trouble.
stench
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11:31am Thu 7 Mar 13
shy talk wrote:Tis a joke what measures landlords need to go to, to get nuisance tenants out their property.
I would like to know how a landlord can give a tenant forty eight hours to leave? It took me seven months to remove a tenant legally. References were given and checked, all seemed well. After two months things changed. The family were threatening neighbours, noise issues,drugs, vandalism and the two young children were caught setting fire to cars. Police and Social Services were all involved. Social Services informed me they would not be rehoused due to intentionally making themselves homeless. However they were rehoused in Littlemoor. Were the Housing Association aware they were housing a problem family? Did they ask for references? Were Social Services economically with the truth? As pointed out the problem was moved on. I wish the good people of Littlemoor the best of luck in dealing with the small minority of people causing trouble.
I understand the rules should be tight the other end, so landlords cant abuse the system, but if you have a familly destroying your property, abusing neighbours and generally being scummers, they should be evicted straight away!
cj07589
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11:48am Thu 7 Mar 13
Mr_Blue_Sky
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12:18pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Problem solved.
Mr_Blue_Sky
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12:20pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Sends a warning sign to others on this and other estates.
annotator1
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12:24pm Thu 7 Mar 13
I can see a year or so passing before they leave.
cj07589
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12:28pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Mr_Blue_Sky wrote:Haha the moon would be a better location, the poor Iraqis don't deserve their vial behaviour.
I think Synergy and Magna housing need to buy some property on the outskirts of Baghdad, and move the scumbags there...
Problem solved.
shy talk
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12:39pm Thu 7 Mar 13
This coined the phrase “Rachmanism”
The Labour government of the time passed the Rent Act 1965 to give tenants protection. However the act was not well thought out. It in effect wiped out the rental market overnight. Reason being the act give all the power to the tenant and not any to the landlord. Today the landlord has more say after the act was amended.
bobby1966
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12:43pm Thu 7 Mar 13
cj07589
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1:02pm Thu 7 Mar 13
bobby1966 wrote:Is the waiting list queue really that long, I know of a family in West Dorset that applied for a council house got one and moved in all within a 4 month period may be worth befriending someone in the housing association to get bumped up the queue....seems to work for some.
most of these families are outsiders i would like to know how come they got a house so fast in littlemoor when locals who need it have been stuck on a housing list for years.
bobby1966
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1:39pm Thu 7 Mar 13
cj07589 wrote:been on it 4 years myself and my parents who need to move are nearing 6 years :(
bobby1966 wrote:Is the waiting list queue really that long, I know of a family in West Dorset that applied for a council house got one and moved in all within a 4 month period may be worth befriending someone in the housing association to get bumped up the queue....seems to work for some.
most of these families are outsiders i would like to know how come they got a house so fast in littlemoor when locals who need it have been stuck on a housing list for years.
woodsedge
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2:35pm Thu 7 Mar 13
cj07589 wrote:So you don't live in Poundbury?
I always make sure there is no social housing where I move. This ensures tranquility, peace, harmony and reduces the chances of the house being burgled whilst hard at working paying for the scum bags benefits.
UpweyGardener
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3:01pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Councillor ROGERS wasn't texting. She was live tweeting the meeting with the agreement of the Safer Neighbourhood Team in an attempt to bring the meeting to a wider audience. Check her twitterfeed @DorsetRachel to find out whether she was successful.
Wellbalanced
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4:09pm Thu 7 Mar 13
unexpected error wrote:I, too, wonder where they go. Wherever they go, some other poor families have their lives made a misery. Oddly enough, they never go to live anywhere near those who "move them on" but invariably to areas where problems already exist.
Totally agree these families need to be evicted but I always wonder where these problem families go. Do they just move on and create havoc elsewhere?
CoogarUK.com
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5:10pm Thu 7 Mar 13
cj07589
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5:26pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Mrjon1
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6:14pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Dorset Boy
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7:04pm Thu 7 Mar 13
niceonecyril
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7:26pm Thu 7 Mar 13
bobby1966 wrote:Outsiders???? What century are you from? no such thing as outsiders in a transient town like Weymouth I'm afraid, without the so called outsiders you would still be using an outside toilet!
most of these families are outsiders i would like to know how come they got a house so fast in littlemoor when locals who need it have been stuck on a housing list for years.
common cence
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7:35pm Thu 7 Mar 13
ksmain
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8:07pm Thu 7 Mar 13
bobby1966 wrote:Dosen't it depend on a number of factors - where the family have indicated they want to reside/size of house required, etc?
cj07589 wrote:been on it 4 years myself and my parents who need to move are nearing 6 years :(
bobby1966 wrote:Is the waiting list queue really that long, I know of a family in West Dorset that applied for a council house got one and moved in all within a 4 month period may be worth befriending someone in the housing association to get bumped up the queue....seems to work for some.
most of these families are outsiders i would like to know how come they got a house so fast in littlemoor when locals who need it have been stuck on a housing list for years.
I know a friend who can't afford a mortgage, both him and his wife work, who was told he faces an 8 year wait on a list where he was behind (amongst others) teenage pregnancies and immigration cases.
Chav_Scum
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8:31pm Thu 7 Mar 13
annotator1
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9:33pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Get a grip
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9:12am Fri 8 Mar 13
woodsedge wrote:Poundbury has social housing and has been in the press with problems about drugs
cj07589 wrote:So you don't live in Poundbury?
I always make sure there is no social housing where I move. This ensures tranquility, peace, harmony and reduces the chances of the house being burgled whilst hard at working paying for the scum bags benefits.
JamesYoung
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10:51am Fri 8 Mar 13
cj07589 wrote:If memory serves they used to house families like this in an old army camp in Piddlehinton. This can surely be the only answer.
Put them all together in the same area put a fence around the lot with suitable vial to health safety warning signs and leave em to it. They can enjoy each other vial anti-social behaviour......now that would be real justice.
At least in the good old days these people were confined to council estates. These days any new development has social housing - and a percentage of those people are unpleasant. It's wrong that homeowners have to suffer financial loss and misery just because the PC brigade think that everybody should enjoy the same rights
FooWoo
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11:12am Fri 8 Mar 13
JamesYoung wrote:Totally agree. You get a mortgage and bust a gut working to get away from certain people only to find them popping up near you because of social housing schemes.
cj07589 wrote: Put them all together in the same area put a fence around the lot with suitable vial to health safety warning signs and leave em to it. They can enjoy each other vial anti-social behaviour......now that would be real justice.If memory serves they used to house families like this in an old army camp in Piddlehinton. This can surely be the only answer. At least in the good old days these people were confined to council estates. These days any new development has social housing - and a percentage of those people are unpleasant. It's wrong that homeowners have to suffer financial loss and misery just because the PC brigade think that everybody should enjoy the same rights
It must be the harder you work the more benefits you get. Not the other way round.
I hope Littlemoor and Weymouth get rid of the problems once and for all. Good luck.
cj07589
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1:14pm Fri 8 Mar 13
FooWoo wrote:Spot on fella! We've experienced the misfortune of buying a house and the next door neighbour moved out and scum breeding chavs with a huge rottweiler moved in. We then had to tolerate months of fighting and foul language and dog barking throughout the early hours of the morning it was hell. To make things worse try marketing a property for sale with the scum of the earth for neighbours, you can't even complain to the authorities as it gets recorded which will deter a potential buyer. Its a lovely world we live in hence why I am especially careful now when we move houses to ensure pond life don't live nearby as it can ruin your life and sleep patterns.
JamesYoung wrote:Totally agree. You get a mortgage and bust a gut working to get away from certain people only to find them popping up near you because of social housing schemes.
cj07589 wrote: Put them all together in the same area put a fence around the lot with suitable vial to health safety warning signs and leave em to it. They can enjoy each other vial anti-social behaviour......now that would be real justice.If memory serves they used to house families like this in an old army camp in Piddlehinton. This can surely be the only answer. At least in the good old days these people were confined to council estates. These days any new development has social housing - and a percentage of those people are unpleasant. It's wrong that homeowners have to suffer financial loss and misery just because the PC brigade think that everybody should enjoy the same rights
It must be the harder you work the more benefits you get. Not the other way round.
I hope Littlemoor and Weymouth get rid of the problems once and for all. Good luck.
woodsedge
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1:57pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Get a grip wrote:Exactly my point, every area has its problems and I do not disagree with the view that these problems need to be sorted out. What I take objection to is everyone being associated with a few bad families and extremist views like burn it to the ground. Sounds like some of the posters on here should be relocated to Baghdad, god forbid that any of your children end up making some wrong life choices, what would you do then disown them?
woodsedge wrote:Poundbury has social housing and has been in the press with problems about drugs
cj07589 wrote:So you don't live in Poundbury?
I always make sure there is no social housing where I move. This ensures tranquility, peace, harmony and reduces the chances of the house being burgled whilst hard at working paying for the scum bags benefits.
cj07589
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2:03pm Fri 8 Mar 13
woodsedge wrote:It's not about generalisations but more a case of taking responsibility for your own actions and choices. Of course we all make mistakes in life but its what you do to overcome or rectify those mistakes that counts.
Get a grip wrote:Exactly my point, every area has its problems and I do not disagree with the view that these problems need to be sorted out. What I take objection to is everyone being associated with a few bad families and extremist views like burn it to the ground. Sounds like some of the posters on here should be relocated to Baghdad, god forbid that any of your children end up making some wrong life choices, what would you do then disown them?
woodsedge wrote:Poundbury has social housing and has been in the press with problems about drugs
cj07589 wrote:So you don't live in Poundbury?
I always make sure there is no social housing where I move. This ensures tranquility, peace, harmony and reduces the chances of the house being burgled whilst hard at working paying for the scum bags benefits.
innocent others should not be inflicted with anti-social behaviour it's not fair especially when your paying their benefits.
JamesYoung
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2:42pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Many, many people make wrong life choices - taking the wrong job, starting the wrong businesses, moving in with the wrong partner.
However anybody choosing antisocial behaviour is not making a "wrong life choice". They are choosing to bully and intimidate their neighbours, commit crime and ruin the lives of those around them. I would be absolutely ashamed if my kids behaved that way.
We've got to stop making excuses for these people.
That said, this news must be a welcome relief to the law abiding folks of Littlemoor.
cj07589
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2:51pm Fri 8 Mar 13
JamesYoung wrote:Tough love I like it! The current do-gooders softy softy approach clearly doesn't work so I'm all for the shape up or ship out approach.
Yes. Absolutely I would. And cut them out of my will.
Many, many people make wrong life choices - taking the wrong job, starting the wrong businesses, moving in with the wrong partner.
However anybody choosing antisocial behaviour is not making a "wrong life choice". They are choosing to bully and intimidate their neighbours, commit crime and ruin the lives of those around them. I would be absolutely ashamed if my kids behaved that way.
We've got to stop making excuses for these people.
That said, this news must be a welcome relief to the law abiding folks of Littlemoor.
Hedgehogwinter66
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3:21pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Howlin Wolf
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4:00pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Fast forward 6 months after hundreds of thousands of the tax payers money has been eaten up in the case they will end up in a 6 bed house in Sandbanks with substantial damages.
cj07589
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4:48pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Hedgehogwinter66 wrote:Or is that the freedom of expression police??
As predicted.......Echo censorship police strike again >:-(
JamesYoung
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7:27pm Fri 8 Mar 13
cj07589 wrote:I'm constantly amazed that the so called progressives don't realise the damage that their vocal demonisation of traditional values is doing.
JamesYoung wrote:Tough love I like it! The current do-gooders softy softy approach clearly doesn't work so I'm all for the shape up or ship out approach.
Yes. Absolutely I would. And cut them out of my will.
Many, many people make wrong life choices - taking the wrong job, starting the wrong businesses, moving in with the wrong partner.
However anybody choosing antisocial behaviour is not making a "wrong life choice". They are choosing to bully and intimidate their neighbours, commit crime and ruin the lives of those around them. I would be absolutely ashamed if my kids behaved that way.
We've got to stop making excuses for these people.
That said, this news must be a welcome relief to the law abiding folks of Littlemoor.
As they say, there is no nazi like a liberal.
JamesYoung
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7:36pm Fri 8 Mar 13
annotator1 wrote:As a tenant myself, the government is doing what it is always doing - using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
We have the Socialist Government to blame for "Tenants Protection". It is amongst the lesser problems that we inherited!
Most of us who rent would like to have long term stability in our homes, not the constant uncertainty of whether or not we will have a home at the end of each 6 month tenancy agreement.
What is needed is a law change to allow landlords to get rid of tenants who don't pay rent or don't abide by reasonable standards of conduct, whilst ensuring that landlords provide long term rents as is the norm in Europe. This would have the other positive side effect of forcing out amateur landlords and keeping a lid on house price inflation (since, as is now widely acknowledged, the FLS scheme is only helping those with big deposits, who are typically older couples buying homes for investment at the cost of young people around them). Slightly off topic, sorry - but the majority of tenants are good tenants.
EtaoinShrdlu
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12:04am Sat 9 Mar 13
Jenny Barnes
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8:20am Sat 9 Mar 13
JamesYoung
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9:27am Sat 9 Mar 13
Jenny Barnes wrote:I don't think its scaremongering. Once you have an eviction order or an s21 notice that comes into effect then you can act within 48 hours.
Nice thought, but even the housing associations have to follow the law and evicting someone within 48 hours would be illegal. Have they just said this to keep people quiet.
JamesYoung
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9:38am Sat 9 Mar 13
XXXXXXX aged 38, of XXXXX. Admitted stealing alcohol and cordial to the value of £10.99 belonging to Lidl, Dorchester. Discharged conditionally for six months. Also admitted at Waitrose, Dorchester, stealing four cans of Special Brew and bottle of brandy to the value of £13.28. Discharged conditionally for six months. Ordered to pay compensation of £13.28. Also admitted committing a further offence whilst subject to order of conditional discharge. Discharge revoked and dealt with for original offence. For original offences of stealing items from Asda, stealing items from Londis and stealing items from Waitrose and failing without reasonable excuse to surrender to custody at Weymouth Magistrates Court, discharged conditionally for six months.
cj07589
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9:52am Sat 9 Mar 13
SovietMIRV6
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10:24am Tue 12 Mar 13
JamesYoung wrote:And that is if they get caught.
From the In The Dock page. Reading this, you can understand why families on Littlemoor think they can get away with murder.
XXXXXXX aged 38, of XXXXX. Admitted stealing alcohol and cordial to the value of £10.99 belonging to Lidl, Dorchester. Discharged conditionally for six months. Also admitted at Waitrose, Dorchester, stealing four cans of Special Brew and bottle of brandy to the value of £13.28. Discharged conditionally for six months. Ordered to pay compensation of £13.28. Also admitted committing a further offence whilst subject to order of conditional discharge. Discharge revoked and dealt with for original offence. For original offences of stealing items from Asda, stealing items from Londis and stealing items from Waitrose and failing without reasonable excuse to surrender to custody at Weymouth Magistrates Court, discharged conditionally for six months.
unexpected error says...
10:07am Thu 7 Mar 13