A hate crime is when someone is targeted because of who they are, or who someone believes them to be.
This includes hostility based on:
• Race or ethnicity
• Religion or belief
• Disability
• Sexual orientation
• Gender identity
Hate crime can take many forms, for example:
• Verbal abuse, threats or intimidation
• Physical assault
• Damage to your home or belongings (e.g. vandalism or graffiti)
• Online abuse or harassment
• Anti-social behaviour aimed at someone because of who they are
Even if something is not classed as a crime, it may still be recorded as a hate incident and will be taken seriously.
Why this matters
Hate crime and hate incidents are never acceptable.
They can have a serious negative impact on individual people, communities and neighbourhoods. Everyone has the right to feel safe in their home and in their community.
Reporting a hate crime
If you experience or witness a hate crime, please report it as soon as possible:
• In an emergency (immediate danger), call 999
• For non-emergencies, call the police on 101 or report online
• You can also report it to us (your landlord)
**We strongly encourage you to report incidents to the police, even if you are unsure whether it is a crime**
What we will do as your landlord
If you report a hate crime or a hate incident to us, we will:
1. Take it seriously
• Listen to you and treat you with respect
• Record the details of what has happened
• Keep your information confidential where possible
2. Assess the risk and support you
• Check if there are any immediate risks to your safety
• Agree a clear action plan with you
• Explain what we will do and what we may need from you
• Help you access specialist support if you need it
3. Work with partners
• Work with the police and other agencies such as the local council where appropriate
• Share relevant information to help protect you and address the issue
4. Investigate
• Gather addition evidence where possible
• Speak to all those involved
• Monitor ongoing issues with your help
5. Keep you informed
• Provide regular updates to you
• Agree how and when we will stay in contact with you
What action we may take
If there is evidence of hate-related behaviour, we will take appropriate action.
If the person responsible is one of our tenants, this may include:
• Issuing tenancy breach warnings
• Offering or arranging mediation (if appropriate)
• Taking action for anti-social behaviour
• Legal action, such as:
o Injunctions
o Possession proceedings (eviction in serious cases)
To support you
• We may consider extra security measures for your home (such as improved lighting or locks, where appropriate)
• We can refer you to support services or advocacy groups
If you need help?
If you’re unsure what to do or need support, please contact us.
