Plicy Dcument Gd Neighbur Plicy sectin: 1.0 Plicy: 1.2.14 Sectin name: Establishing and Maintaining Tenancies Dcument name Gd Neighbur Applicability Missin Australia Husing Authrisatin Senir Management Team Plicy date Octber 2015 Dcument versin Versin 3 Plicy wner Natinal Operatins Manager Review date Octber 2018 Cntents 1 Purpse... 2 2 Related plicies... 2 3 Scpe... 3 4 Guiding principles... 3 5 Plicy... 3 6 Prcedures... 4 7 Respnsibility and authrity... 6 8 Definitins... 6 1 Purpse 1.1 1.2 T utline standards f neighburly cnduct expected f all tenants f Missin Australia Husing (MAH). T utline actins MAH may take where there is a dispute r issue between tenants. 2 Related plicies 2.1 This plicy shuld be read in cnjunctin with the: 2.1.1 Referrals t Agencies Plicy, which details the apprach taken by MAH in rder t assist tenants with specific needs r tenancy management issues t cnnect t services that may be able t assist them. Gd Neighbur, v.3 Plicy 1.2.14 Missin Australia Husing
2.1.2 Anti-Scial Behaviur Plicy, which utlines actins that may be taken by MAH t address and prevent anti-scial behaviurs ccurring at prperties and ffices. 3 Scpe 3.1 This plicy applies t staff respnsible fr managing tenants and prperties f MAH. 4 Guiding principles 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 MAH uphlds the right f all tenants t quiet enjyment f their prperty. MAH expects that all tenants, staff and cntractrs are t be treated with respect and curtesy at all times. MAH infrms all tenants f expected standards f cnduct and f their rights and respnsibilities. MAH encurages tenants t discuss and reslve their issues independently wherever pssible. MAH wrks with all parties where they have been unable t reslve issues themselves. MAH prmtes early interventin with regard t disputes between tenants. MAH takes a preventative apprach t anti-scial behaviur by prmting psitive interactin between tenants thrugh its cmmunity engagement practices. Tenants are given pprtunities t appeal rganisatinal decisins in rder t ensure fair and transparent utcmes. Tenants are assisted t access supprts which enable them t sustain their tenancy wherever requested r required. 4.10MAH uphlds accuntability and transparency thrugh its recrd keeping practices. 5 Plicy 5.1 5.2 Tenants f MAH cme frm a range f backgrunds and sme prperties require tenants t share laundries, gardens, cmmunal areas and parking spaces. Tenants will be advised as per the Start f Tenancy Plicy that they shuld expect sme nise and difference in lifestyle chices between them and their neighburs. All tenants will be infrmed f expected standards f cnduct tward ther tenants, their husehld members and visitrs n signing a lease r rming accmmdatin agreement fr their prperty as per the Start f Tenancy Plicy. page 3
5.3 5.4 5.5 MAH respects the right f all tenants t live in peace. Harassment r discriminatin directed t any tenant r grup f tenants, anti-scial behaviur and excessive nise will nt be tlerated and staff will take actin t address these matters as per the Anti-Scial Behaviur Plicy. All tenants have a right t make a cmplaint abut anther tenant, grup f tenants r visitrs wh they feel have vilated their right t live in peace and privacy as per the Cmplaints Plicy. Depending n the nature f a cmplaint, staff may: Encurage the tenant t speak with the tenant r tenants wh have been causing cncern; and/r Mediate between the tenants t reach a slutin where a cmplaint is serius, cnfrntatinal r where cmmunicatin between tenants has brken dwn; and/r Refer the tenants t a third party mediatr, such as a Cmmunity Justice Centre; and/r Liaise with and refer tenants t supprt services t ensure the peace, cmfrt r privacy f ther tenants r neighburs 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 Where MAH identifies that the cnduct f a tenant tward their neighbur r neighburs has been unwanted/ inapprpriate, the tenant may be in breach f their lease r rming accmmdatin as per the Breach f Tenancy Plicy. Repeated failure t abide by the terms f a lease r rming accmmdatin agreement, including failure t rectify inapprpriate cnduct tward neighburs, may require MAH t take further actin as per the Ending Tenancies Plicy. MAH will encurage tenants t cntact the Plice where they have been the target f anti-scial behaviur perpetrated by anther tenant r grup f tenants. MAH will be required t refer the matter t Plice if criminal activity has ccurred. Staff will infrm tenants f their right t appeal rganisatinal decisins and t cmplain abut the services f MAH as per the Appeals Plicy and Cmplaints Plicy. 5.10 Staff will stre any infrmatin abut neighburhd issues and disputes between tenants in the tenancy management system. 6 Prcedures 6.1 Receiving and respnding t cmplaints Husing staff may need t determine whether a cmplaint regarding a neighbur is valid. Sme difference in lifestyle is inevitable and nise is t be expected and sme disagreements may, fr instance, be related t living in a high density envirnment. T manage an incident, detailed infrmatin and evidence will be required. Where a tenant cntacts MAH t reprt an issue r dispute between them and anther tenant, a Husing Manager will btain as much infrmatin abut the matter as pssible in rder t identify an apprpriate curse f page 4
actin. Husing Managers shuld aim t btain specific details abut the situatin, fr instance, the dates, times and details f any incidents. Where the matter is nt cnfrntatinal r serius, the Husing Manager will encurage the tenant t cntact their neighbur t discuss the situatin. The Husing Manager will prvide advice n strategies that may assist the tenant t wrk tward a reslutin where required. This may include prviding the tenant with infrmatin abut relevant mediatin services. If the matter is cnfrntatinal r serius, r the tenant has been unable t reslve the matter by talking with their neighbur: Any details relating t the cmplaint will be recrded n the tenancy file f the tenant wh has made the cmplaint and the tenant subject f the cmplaint. Staff will be advised that tenants may request t make an annymus cmplaint. Nte: where nly ne tenant is hused by MAH, nly ne tenancy file will be amended The Husing Manager will cntact the tenant subject f the cmplaint t give them an pprtunity t respnd t any allegatins. Nte: where apprpriate, the Husing Manager may ffer t arrange mediatin Where apprpriate the Husing Manager will refer tenants t apprpriate supprts as per the Referrals t Agencies Plicy Where necessary and where the Husing Manager has determined a cmplaint is valid, the tenant subject f the cmplaint will be reminded f their respnsibilities and further curses f actin that may be taken shuld cmplaints cntinue. This may include: Issuing the tenant with ntice fr breach f their lease r rming accmmdatin agreement as per the Breach f Tenancy Plicy Issuing the tenant with ntice t end their tenancy fr serius and/r repeated breaches as per the Ending Tenancies Plicy Phning the apprpriate husing rganisatin t discuss the matter, where the tenant subject f the cmplaint leases their prperty frm anther rganisatin The tenant wh made the cmplaint will be advised t keep a diary f incidents r disturbances, which may be taken as future evidence. The Husing Manager will encurage the tenant t cntact the Plice if they have been the target f illegal, discriminatry r threatening cnduct. MAH will be unable t investigate cmplaints f criminal activity and these cmplaints will be referred t the Plice. 6.2 Recrd keeping Staff will keep the fllwing recrds in the tenancy management system: Appeals/cmplaints received Crrespndence t/frm tenants Ntices page 5
Incident details Evidence relating t any allegatins. 7 Respnsibility and authrity 7.1 Husing Managers 7.1.1 Keeping recrds in the tenancy management system wherever required in accrdance with this plicy. 7.1.2 Infrming tenants f their rights and respnsibilities tward neighburs at the start f and during tenancies. 7.1.3 Wrking with tenants in accrdance with this plicy. 7.1.4 Issuing ntice where required. 7.1.5 Receiving crrespndence frm/ issuing crrespndence t tenants. 7.1.6 Recmmending imprvements t this plicy and prcedure. 7.2 Team Leaders/Reginal Managers 7.2.1 Ensuring gd management f evidence in the tenancy management system. 7.2.2 Supprting Husing Managers in implementing this plicy. 7.2.3 Incrprating this plicy and prcedure int staff inductins and training. 7.2.4 Escalating feedback abut this plicy t the plicy wner and/r plicy writer. 7.3 Natinal Operatins Manager 7.3.1 Ensuring MAH cmplies with this plicy and prcedure. 7.3.2 Authrising any changes made t this plicy and prcedure. 8 Definitins Neighbur: a persn wh lives nearby, either in a surrunding prperty r in the same cmplex. Under residential tenancy and rming accmmdatin legislatin, tenants are required t respect the right f their neighburs t live in peace and privacy. Anti-scial behaviur: behaviur that is cnsidered t cause nuisance t thers, ranging frm the very minr (such as littering) t mre extreme frms f criminal behaviur (such as burglary and harassment). page 6