Partnership Working Results In Closure Order On Problem Property

A closure order has been successfully served on a property in Andrews Court, Pontypridd. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Granted in Merthyr Magistrates court the order application, which was supported by Trivallis and South Wales Police and applied for by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, means the tenant is unable to enter the property for three months. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The court agreed that closing the premises would prevent the continued re-occurrence of persistent drug abuse and nuisance exhibited by those who lived in and visited the property. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Trivallis’ community safety officer, Jane Hayman, said: “Tenants are at the heart of everything we do at Trivallis. Incidents of anti-social behaviour were having a detrimental effect on the quality of life of neighbours in surrounding flats and the elderly people’s home opposite, so we needed to act fast. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We had concerns about the tenant for a while, but had not received any formal complaints from neighbours. We later found that this was due to fear of any repercussions and worked hard to build trust of other tenants in Andrews Court in order to get evidence and build a case.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

PC Anthony Ferguson, anti-social behaviour officer at the South Wales Police, said: “We were aware of issues with the property and conducted a number of drug warrants at the premises. Trivallis contacted us and made us aware that the behaviour of the tenant and those who frequented her property was having a significant impact on local residents, many of whom were living in fear and therefore had not reported issues to us. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“By working with Trivallis and the local council we were able to take swift action to close the property and improve the life of the community. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As part of the Community Safety Partnership we take issues effecting people’s quality of life seriously and we will continue to identify cases of anti-social behaviour and take appropriate action where necessary.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Trivallis and the South Wales Police identified issues including incidents of drug use, nuisance callers to the property and disturbance caused by people being under the influence. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Evidence of these incidents was handed to RCT Council’s legal department and progressed to the courts, where the decision was made to close access to the property, excluding Trivallis staff carrying out housing duties. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Louise Davies, head of environmental health, trading standards and community safety at RCT Council, said: “Communities should not have to suffer because of the actions of individuals who flout the law and have no regard for their neighbours. When this case was brought to our attention, due to the severity of the allegations and the scale of problems being caused by the resident of the flat, the Council and our partners in the Police and Trivallis acted swiftly to ensure effective and decisive action was taken to stop the problem. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The Council is committed to protecting our communities and, through the Community Safety Partnership, we will ensure robust action is taken to protect our residents and ensure they can enjoy their community.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following the closure, Trivallis will now serve a notice to the tenant. It will then apply to court to regain possession of the property. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The tenant has been offered support and details for agencies to help with the issues causing the behaviour and safeguarding. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​