ASB Awareness Week: understanding our customers’ experience of ASB

ASB Awareness Week: understanding our customers’ experience of ASB

We recently held a focus group for our customers to understand their experiences and how they feel they can report anti-social behaviour (ASB).

This was a one-off session for us to find out where we can improve and to help shape our policy for ASB.

A survey was initially sent to our engaged customers to answer and then they attended the group to discuss their feedback further.

The results of the survey showed:

• Over half of our survey respondents reported ASB but just over a quarter were somewhat satisfied or satisfied with the actions we took.
• Almost all our customers who took part in the survey have experienced noise nuisance. Half of them have experienced vandalism, almost three quarters have been affected by drug and alcohol misuse, and three quarters have experienced littering and dumping.
• Most of our customers understand how to report ASB but just over half feel confident reporting their issue. The main reason for not reporting is a fear of retaliation and not feeling supported during the process. They also felt there were no enforcement or consequences for the perpetrator.

Some feedback our customers provided included:

• Increasing the awareness of our services including our domestic abuse service, our ASB Respectline and our advice services.
• Sharing what ASB actually is – some customers weren’t aware that certain types of behaviour were classed as ASB.
• Providing regular updates about what is happening, the progress made and to share case studies.
• Ensuring that the information we share is accessible and available in different languages.
• Displaying our ASB content in communal areas.

Our Customer Engagement Business Partner Caroline Arrow said: “It’s so important to host these sessions with our customers so we can find out what they think and act on improvements they suggest.

“This group will help shape our ASB policy so we will take our customer feedback on board and work with the relevant teams to improve our ASB service for those who need to use it.”

If you would like to be part of our engaged customer group, you can join the panel by visiting our Citizens Together Hub.

For media enquiries contact our Communications Team.