Hastings areas to live

[Richard]

wondered when you would come out of the woodwork Mymbles.
I've already posted what to do about antisocial neighbours - you don't have to suffer in silence.
The seagulls however are like flying rats all over the rooftops and need culling in my opinion, like humans who reproduce irresponsibly.



Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

[Mymblesdaughter]

It's not always that easy to stop antisocial behaviour, people have killed themselves because of bullying by neighbours. I'm always hearing stories of people with problem neighbours who don't seem to be able to do anything about them even though they have been reported to the authorities.

Well I'm glad to hear you don't think I should be culled, as I don't have any children. You know I don't agree with you and don't think killing animals or people is ever the answer. We need to learn to enjoy and live with the natural world, what we have left of it.

Not quite sure how a question about where to live in Hastings has turned into a debate about killing seagulls!

[Gerry Glyde]

As a former housing lawyer I am not aware of any general powers that the Police possess to enforce the terms of the tenancy on the landlord. In very extreme situations the Police may apply to the Magistrates for what has become known as "Crack House" closure order. It is not usual for them to be used for "normal" anti social behaviour. A resident or a landlord may defend the order and the Magistrates may refuse the order. The Police have powers under the Protection from Harassment Act but that is normally used for the most severe situations.

If a property is in a Selective Licensing area the Council may consider issuing the landlord with a warning under the Management Regs but it will not mean that the tenant is evicted.

Some general advice on renting.
1. If dealing with a Letting Agent make sure that they put in writing all the main terms / or costs that they charge for securing the tenancy
2 Check if the agent is a member of a Trade Association in case anything goes wrong
3 A landlord or anyone acting on their behalf who receives money as a Tenancy Deposit must register it with an approved Deposit Protection scheme within 28 days and issue relevant document to the tenant or the person who paid the deposit.
4 Although it is usual for a tenancy to last for a fixed period of 6 months you may negotiate for a period that is acceptable to both parties. If after the end of a fixed period th tenant thinks they will leave within a few months (eg to buy a property), the tenancy may continue as a periodic tenancy without a fixed term
5 If an agent is acting for the landlord they are legally bound to provide the name and residential address of the landlord - it does not comply with the law if they give an address c/o the agent

Hope this helps.
5

[Richard]

I live next door to a "landlady" who uses the DSS to let out to someone claiming rent on account of their medical condition.
This person is reasonably able-bodied and fit and runs about and has a good time on benefits with a partner living 5 days a week.
The landlady is absent and doesn't care a jot what havoc he creates for decent neighbours.

I had to contact the Police as he became very threatening and the Community Policeman who visited me said they had taken a lot of stick in recent times because people affected in similar situations had "self-harmed" and they had powers to enforce the tenancy agreement and would talk seriously with the culprit.
I asked him to hold off as I had managed to calm the tenant down and the Police person said ok but here are my details because we find these people often "kick off" again in their exoerience.
I don't know about the legality of enforcement but if there is a tenancy agreement then at least the Police could ask the DSS to take notice of their report.
I would expect the DSS would take a dim view of a tenant behaving badly and could take action.

This happened in a good neighbourhood where the landlady is absent and needs the rental income to support her run down property, which she got a few years ago, and I suspect the tenancy agreement is there for a reason and can be enforced although I agree about the difficulty of getting a Magistrate to enforce the agreement but I suspect the DSS could take action.

At least the Police were willing to talk with the tenant and could make him sit up and take notice that his actions were being monitored.
presumably the tenancy agreement has a period of renewal which could be refused by the DSS in such cases.



Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

[Gerry Glyde]

Hi Richard, It is difficult to comment in the absence of established fact. The DSS, or now the DWP is rarely ever a party to a contract of tenancy, even if the tenant has some disability and so would not be able to take action under it.

If a person is eligible for assistance with rent it is normally paid by housing benefit by the local Council not the DWP and again as they are not a party to the tenancy cannot take action to prevent the contract being renewed. It is only in the case of a serious closure orders that Magistrates are involved; even they do not end the tenancy; merely suspend it for an intial period of three months. Possession claims are normally dealt with at County Court and must be started by the landlord.

I am aware of cases of distress caused to tenants and occupiers including the case of the woman who committed suicide and killed her disabled daughter; the result of very extreme abuse and also criminal damage to the property that is now the subject of a Serious Case Review. Although not ideal, as the lady was in social housing provided by the Council she should have been considered for a relocation /and or panic button support or pehaps other things. The alternative would have been for (YOI) youth prison or exclusion orders but as the youths lived near her would have been difficult and expensive for the LA and police to orgainsie and ensure it was effective. The adult prison population doubled between 1997 and 2010. The PCSO was possibly optomistic of their powers even if he/she was succesful in speaking to your neighbour.

As this post was for areas to live, I suggest we stop the exchange.

[Richard]

Yes Gerry we must not look for the worst case scenarios - just to mention that the Comm Police take "anti social behaviour" very seriously and I believe asbo's have been issued in certain circumstances.
Regarding the body paying the rent or benefits, I know they are within their right to apply 'Sanctions' for breaches of agreement.
These are often applied to ordinary 'Job Seekers' (just for failing to prove they are looking for a certain number of jobs each week) and usually have the desired effect.
The best answer perhaps is to look for a place to live that has people who work for a living and pay their own rent who are usually less likely to stick two fingers up at decent working people.
Unfortunately a few cases of bad behaviour exist but help is at hand in a variety of ways.

I am sure Jenniffer will be aware of looking for somewhere free from anti-social tenants and is looking for adviice on places where this is known about and best avoided, if it can be helped.
Putting these areas in print is difficult as nobody wants to label parts of Hastings as known trouble areas and I suspect these are far and few between anyway.
So, finding what areas there are that provide the best solution probably means finding out the places that look well-maintained and not those places with neglected properties next door to where you intend to live.
This is not easy and hence the meandering discussion.



Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

[Anonymous1]

[quoted]
Richard wrote:
The seagulls however are like flying rats all over the rooftops and need culling in my opinion, like humans who reproduce irresponsibly.
[/quoted]


I thought this section of the forum is for encouraging folk to come to Hastings_ _ _.Suggesting that killing people who (you think, opinion) reproduce irresponsibly is not a good advert for Hastings_ _ _..in my opinion.

[jdbm1959]

[quoted]
Michael wrote:
Clive Vale area is good_ _ _.east of Old London Road and West of the Country Park. Used to live in Brighton 2005-2008, loved it while we were there but much prefer it here_ _ _..your doing the right thing good luck.

[/quoted]

hi Michael
We were in Hastings yesterday looking at flats to buy on the sea front. We want a place with sea view for when we come back to UK as a base after i retire and we move abroad in a few years time. We saw a few west of the pier in Eversfield Place, St Leonards before Warrior Square.
Trip from Gatwick by train a bit looong! Estate agents were saying that Warrior Sq has vastly improved as London/Surrey types buy it up. True?
What is sea front like at night? I lived in Guernsey for a while in St Peter Port so I know the seagull and saturday night drinking issues.
Are there better areas than the front with the same unobstructed views? West Hill Park Road maybe?
Any thoughts would be gratefully received.

[Richard]

OK G.K. let's cut to the chase:
Where would you avoid and where would you favour if you had a choice of anywhere in Hastings or do you feel we shouldn't discuss this at all?
How does anyone decide, I would suggest that people are perfectly within their rights to look for good quality housing in the first instance but somewhere with a garden space and views and proximity to local Parks and the Sea would also be a strong factor.
The bit about the seagulls and people being 'culled' was meant in a 'Mikado' manner bearing in mind both can be murderous and I have a little list_ _ _




Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

[Jenniffer]

I guess as with all things in life the amount of MONEY you are in a position to spend, whether it be in terms of renting or buying, will be key. The more you pay, the more you are lessening your chances of living somewhere where you are going to be oppressed or intimidated. You gets what you pays for, as they say! If you look at properties on Rightmove and they seem amazing but outrageously affordable, there's almost always a reason. There is probably no such thing as a great area to live that isn't expensive! Of course Hastings is probably a lot more inexpensive than other places in Sussex. But much of that will be down to the poor transportation links to London. Two hours plus from Hastings to London, whereas 50 minutes from Brighton to London. Although most London-commuting Brightonians would tell you that the journey is an extremely expensive, unreliable and uncomfortable pain in the arse! Everyone I know that commutes to London from Brighton is DESPERATE to find work locally so they can avoid the commute. And in Hastings, add to long commutes that come with poor transportation links, this will also mean higher unemployment, hence, higher crime. I guess all one can do is become as familiar as possible with Hastings/St Leonards by lots of visits and wandering around, getting a first-hand feel for the place. I only know too well that a house might look perfect on an on-line real estate web site, then you go and see it in person and it's abominable! Things are ALWAYS cheap for a reason! Damn that!