complaining about a half way house

[Sapphire]

Re: complaining about a half way house

Well my real thoughts are ...... firebomb the place with the lot of them in it, but then that would be wrong wouldn't it msl:

[enquirer]

Re: complaining about a half way house

I have a halfway house.

It's a hole in a field.

Halfway between Heaven and Hell.

[PlanB]

Re: complaining about a half way house

And be grateful they are only wielding poles and not balloons!

Balloons. Well said Eloise. I get that reference msl: msl:msl:

Would an ASBO or two do the trick ?

[Eloise01]

Re: complaining about a half way house

Balloons. Well said Eloise. I get that reference msl: msl:msl:

Would an ASBO or two do the trick ?

Not really. Bad publicity is always good. But I think the first trick is to find out exactly what this place is. The more I think about it the more it seems unlikely that it is a half-way house or even a proper bail hostel. Despite peoples often understandable worries about places like this, actually they are seldom problems because they are managed so tightly; and with half-way houses in particular, people are going out of their way to behave because their license depends on it.

[Inca]

Re: complaining about a half way house

For my sins (as Sapph knows)..I have a niece who hasn't worked out how to behave like a human being and is currently resident in a hostel after a stint at Her Maj's house......and that hostel is run like a military machine,,they take NO crap from the residents.So I'm thinking it's not a bail hostel,,sounds like LL is letting his bedsits out for maximum profit for minimum input.

[Eloise01]

Re: complaining about a half way house

For my sins (as Sapph knows)..I have a niece who hasn't worked out how to behave like a human being and is currently resident in a hostel after a stint at Her Maj's house......and that hostel is run like a military machine,,they take NO crap from the residents.So I'm thinking it's not a bail hostel,,sounds like LL is letting his bedsits out for maximum profit for minimum input.

Yes, that was what I was also thinking. BASS hostels have curfews (and a lot more!), and whilst not all half way houses do, as I said, most of the residents are not keen to have their licenses revoked.

[PlanB]

Re: complaining about a half way house

this house has been "aquired" by South Yorkshire Probation Service . Moving is out of the question.. my question is.. How do we (as a community) complain about this?

Here you go. I'd give the South Yorkshire Probation Service a call since their promise is to "protect the public by making sure offenders are properly punished and rehabilitated". Maybe you should make them aware that their mission statement isn't exactly working.

http://www.syprobation.gov.uk/

[MissFM]

Re: complaining about a half way house

However heated people might get about the political rights or wrongs of this, Puff, and there are many I agree - on a purely pragmatic level - I do agree that it would be a good idea to find out what the house is actually about and then act on that. No point in being drawn into political agenda(s) that won't help you - the trouble is that eveyone (on all sides) will try to draw you into this.

Your focus = protecting your family in the present situation, not the rights and wrongs of offender rehabilitation. I do think that you have huge leverage with the politicos simply fighting it on the issues you have raised on here.

[Inca]

Re: complaining about a half way house

My plan would be thus:-
Have a cuppa tea.
Go and see all your neighbours and the person who runs the 'home' opposite.
Get all the affected to write 'statements' (by gunpoint if you have to,,no time for the 'don't wanna get involved'' wusses.)
Contact the police and the LL and arrange a meeting between everyone.
Take no BS,,tell them you are keeping a diary of times,events,polices lack of gumption etc
Look for local media source,,shout from rooftops if you have to.
Contact kids schools and let them know whats occurring (always good to have them on side)
Interject all the above points with lashings of coffee
Basically.make such a nuisance of yourself SOMEONE will get fed up before you do

[enquirer]

Re: complaining about a half way house

Despite peoples often understandable worries about places like this, actually they are seldom problems because they are managed so tightly; and with half-way houses in particular, people are going out of their way to behave because their license depends on it.

My experience is the opposite. Nothing but trouble and neighbours living in fear.

[CleverClogs]

Re: complaining about a half way house

How old are the louts involved in the disturbances?

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: complaining about a half way house

Have spoken to the LL about the latest "Escapade" to be told "I have basically been told, just keep ringing the police" and a list of times and dates.. and complaints he has made. He says if he had his way they would be out as one rampage as he puts it cost him £5000 to fix.

He agrees that something needs to be done, and has shown me letters he has written and dates to out local councillor (all filed under B for Bin methinks) and has provided me with a copy of the letters to enclose with my letter to the Tory candidate.

I have rallied a few mothers on the way to school, one is a family member of our councillor and is furious that our cries have been unheard, so she is organising something, and when Mrs Woman starts moving, others don't argue!!

I have contacted SYP to say cmon, we had a dangerous situation on our hands and you never arrived for over an hour, to be told that my call at 1030pm was received as a "Disturbance" at 1125pm, and as an "Escalation" at 1130.. they arrived from 14 miles away within 12 mins.. so fair play the police.

There is going to be an investigation regarding this, but SYP's track record is not good to begin with!

This is the first time I have ever yearned for the relative safety of London, and the efficency of the Met Police, a sentence I never ever thought I would say!!

[enquirer]

Re: complaining about a half way house

Have spoken to the LL about the latest "Escapade" to be told "I have basically been told, just keep ringing the police" and a list of times and dates.. and complaints he has made. He says if he had his way they would be out as one rampage as he puts it cost him £5000 to fix.

He is the landlord, yet is unable to kick them out? If they are not his direct tenants, it sounds as if his contract is with the local authority.

Breach of contract, perhaps.

[Inca]

Re: complaining about a half way house

It's his property....buck stops with him. He needs to start the eviction process and tell whoever he is renting it to (probation or whatever) that the people in there (that HE is getting paid to house,,lets not forget that,,he's in the money here),,are antisocial aggressive violent neanderthals and ,in a built up area,there are children and vulnerable people being affected and he wants them out CHOP CHOP!!
I lived in an area where the local junkie/dealer/pillock resided 3 doors up...took a few letters,calls,and constant nagging and being a bloody nuisance to force the HA to get rid of them,,and they did,,cos it was easier than putting up with our nonstop earbashings lol.. I would send an email,,ring 5 mins later to check email had been read,followed by snail mail..diaries..emails..phone calls..requests for home visits etc.

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: complaining about a half way house

am on the phone to the Probation people as we speak