Resolving an issue with your landlord

It is good to talk, if you are a tenant and you’re having a disagreement with your landlord the Private Sector Team may be able to help or know a service that can help.

Mediation

Depending on the nature of the dispute you may want to consider mediation.  Mediation can be a useful way of solving a dispute or a disagreement and finding a solution. It allows the people involved to make their own decisions about how to move forward for a more positive future. Mediation is a flexible process and can be used in a wide variety of situations, including:

• At work
• In your neighbourhood
• In your family
• Issues involving contracts
• Consumer or debt issues
• Situations involving planning and/or the environment
• Housing issues

Mediation involves an independent third party, the mediator, assisting people to have a discussion to help them find a solution to the issues that they are facing. The mediator helps people work out and express what their issues are. They then help to consider what the options are for moving forward. These options are then discussed and used to work out an agreement.

Mediation is a person centred approach to help individuals resolve issues and may be able to help to deescalate issues before they get out of hand.  It can be used for every age group and most problems arising unless the law is broken.  Both tenants and private landlords may be able to gain some assistance if you are feel you are either at risk of a notice to leave being served or as a landlord you are thinking about serving notice.  East Ayrshire Council’s Housing Option’s Team have an Officer who is a trained mediator.  If you would like further information please contact [email protected].

http://eacintraweb/CHI-Toolkit-Pilot/contact-us

You may also wish to consider contacting mediation services direct or read more about the services they offer, if so the following links may help

Contact a mediation service

Mediation services differ depending on where you live:

• In Scotland, use the Scottish Mediation Network or call Scottish Mediation Helpline on 0131 556 8118.
• In Court Advisor: https://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/LawAndLicensing/In-Court-Advice.aspx
• Antisocial Behaviour Services: https://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/CommunityLifeAndLeisure/CommunityAdvice/CouncilHousing-NuisanceAndThreateningBehaviour/AntisocialBehaviour.aspx
• SDS Resolve: https://www.sdsresolution.com/
• Housing Mediation Project by University of Strathclyde: https://www.strath.ac.uk/humanities/lawschool/mediationclinic/housingmediationproject/

Anti-Social Behaviour

What is Anti-Social Behaviour

What is and isn’t antisocial behaviour, what can be done and how we can help.

Everyone has a different idea about what antisocial behaviour means. The term ‘antisocial behaviour’ covers any kind of nuisance, unreasonable behaviour or harassment. It can also include more serious criminal behaviour or activity.

The Anti-Social Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act 2004 provides the legal definition of antisocial behaviour as:

“A person engages in antisocial behaviour if they act in a manner that causes or is likely to cause alarm and distress or pursues a course of conduct which causes or is likely to cause alarm and distress to at least one person who is not of the same household. (Course of conduct must involve conduct on at least two occasions).”

What isn’t antisocial behaviour?

As antisocial behaviour can be difficult to define and annoying, there are some types of behaviour that are not classed as antisocial and may not be investigated by our antisocial investigators:

• Children playing in the street or communal areas – unless they are causing damage to property
• Young people gathering socially – unless they are swearing and being intimidating to individuals
• Being unable to park outside your own home
• DIY and car repairs – unless these are taking place late at night or early in the morning
• Civil disputes between neighbours, for example, fence boundaries

If you require further information on Anti-Social Behaviour please contact 01563 554400 or 03457 240000