Tenants next door are prostitutes - help please!!

Sagaris

@ do it today - the police did mention the drugs bit as well - and the fact that as they are young eastern European girls (I can't be sure which language they are speaking but am sure it's that region) then they could well have been trafficked over here.

In which case I'd have thought the police would have been interested, but apparently not!

@ chillli_dog - thank you for your nice comments! Yes the local paper was one route I thought of trying - unfortunately I know through work that they aren't keen on 'anonymous' stories - but might give it a go. I've emailed the local councillor today but the MP is another one worth trying.

Strangely enough, it's a lot quieter tonight so far - and I've not contacted the LL yet - I'm off wrok tomorrow so I was saving it till then!

tbs624

What an appalling situation for anyone to have to deal with.

Sagaris wrote: »

......today I have emailed the police neighbourhood team, the local councillor and the community safety people at the council to see if they can offer any advice, but can anyone tell me if there’s anything else I can do?

I’d love to move house in the next year or so and really didn’t want to do anything ‘official’ as I know you have to declare any sort of neighbour disputes ..."

Unfortunately, it's not simply the actual neighbour disputes themselves that have to be declared when selling : the Sellers Property Information Form asks:

Have you either sent or received any letters or notices which affect your property or the neighbouring property in any way (for example, from or to neighbours, the council or a government department)?

so your emails would come under that heading.However, you can't just be expected to put up with that level of antisocial /potentially criminal behaviour from neighbours.

Most tenancy agreements contain clauses about not committing criminal acts at the property so a LL who *wanted* to help could get the process in motion regardless of his protestations. I think Squat's first post was right - and it may be that the LL is actually "in on it".

Local authorities have quite far -reaching powers to deal with this type of thing so involving your local councillor and keeping the EH disturbance diary are a good start.

Have a look here: http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/138709.pdf and you could also try a local law centre for advice(if there is one) or contact the Community Legal Service http://www.communitylegaladvice.org.uk/

If you want any action you are going to have to be persistent and if you have just cause to believe that the police have specific non bonafide reasons for not acting then you will have to highlight those further up the line. Any discussion of discrimination issues can also include reference to your LLs refusal to deal with women.

Keep notes not just on the noise occurrences but of the times /dates that the police are called out by you or anyone else, get the collar numbers of those who attend etc. Just don't put yourself physically at risk with any of this - if the police have advised that you don't personally get involvedwith the neighbours then its best to go along with that.

Does your Council have any licensing requirements for private LLs? It may be that the LL can be brought to book over other failings too.Do you know if the house is an HMO?

Lavendyr

Just a quick point to make - an AST does not have to be 6 months, it could be 12 months or even longer. So just because they have been in there 6 months does not mean they are into a statutory periodic tenancy by any means.

You have my sympathies OP, that sounds like a nightmare situation to be in

Sarahsaver

My neighbours got a warning from the police for peeing in the street and indecent exposure, but the council are the ones here who deal with Anti Social Behaviour (yep confusing isn't it!)
COuncil sent ASBO warning letter to the tenants next door, their landlord warned them all and ever since they have been no trouble.
ARE they breaking the law? You are allowed to sell yourself for sex, but not allowed to solcit, pimp or kerb crawl.

Sagaris

tbs624 wrote: »

What an appalling situation for anyone to have to deal with.Unfortunately, it's not simply the actual neighbour disputes themselves that have to be declared when selling : the Sellers Property Information Form asks:

Have you either sent or received any letters or notices which affect your property or the neighbouring property in any way (for example, from or to neighbours, the council or a government department)?

so your emails would come under that heading.However, you can't just be expected to put up with that level of antisocial /potentially criminal behaviour from neighbours.

So will complaining about this nuisance now affect my ability to sell in the future, or will I be able to point out that it was past tenants that caused the problem (as they hopefully will be by then?)

Does your Council have any licensing requirements for private LLs? It may be that the LL can be brought to book over other failings too.Do you know if the house is an HMO?

HMO = is that a house in multiple occupation? I'm not sure if it is or not, the LL seems to know that there is more than one person living there, but I'm not sure if he knows about the multiple 'occasional' visitors! It's a small terrace, 2 bedrooms, if that helps.
Which department would I have to go to in order to see if they have licensing requirements for private LL's?

Sagaris

Sarahsaver wrote: »

My neighbours got a warning from the police for peeing in the street and indecent exposure, but the council are the ones here who deal with Anti Social Behaviour (yep confusing isn't it!)
COuncil sent ASBO warning letter to the tenants next door, their landlord warned them all and ever since they have been no trouble.
ARE they breaking the law? You are allowed to sell yourself for sex, but not allowed to solcit, pimp or kerb crawl.

Well they started off by being taken 'off the premises' to work, but lately there seems to be a lot activity and noise in the house, and a lot of male visitors - I thought using a house as a brothel was against the law? They are certainly running some sort of 'business' from a residential address!

I'd imagine as these girls have these horrible, grubby looking arrogant 'minders' collecting them and turning up at the house at all hours, they could be the pimps? I really have no idea - it wasn't until the neighbours told me of all the goings on there that I twigged what was going on - I must have had a sheltered upbringing!

Sarahsaver

Your council.
I reported next door cos i am convinced its bedsits and they have only permission for 3 flats, seem like 15 people there at times!!!
They said that wasn't 'in evidence' so my next step is maybe contact the council again cos they do not like 'overcrowding'.
Also if you EVER see anyone there you suspect to be underage phone the NSPCC or Social Services. They WILL act.

Sarahsaver

Re. Houses/brothels, well i think if its below a certain number of women then its allowed, but i am not certain what. your town must have so called 'massage parlours' well that's what they are really, brothels of sorts.

Sarahsaver

http://www.prostitutionreform.co.uk/

This explains the law so it would seem that if there is more than one woman in ONE flat then its illegal.

Sagaris

Nope, no massage parlours here - it's called a 'village' even though it's in a London Borough! There are 2 or 3 girls there at any one time, although I did see 4 of them last week, can't swear that they were all 'working' though.

They are all in their 20's I'd say, definately not underage - but I'd certainly call the NSPCC if I suspected that.