Before you read any further, remember it's their housing association so they are entitled to make the rules for their tenants.
The only real causes for complaint would be if the rules were unreasonable or if they were large changes to something that the tenants have been used to for a long time.
Using the word 'fury' in the headline would suggest that the housing association has stepped way out of line and are attempting to be totally unreasonable.
If we're all sitting comfortably, lets find out.
RESIDENTS are furious at a housing association for laying down a number of rules telling them to get their children under control.Parents in Apple Close, Blackburn, are being told they must sign an agreement to stop their youngsters participating in a number of outlawed activities on the estate following a series of complaints.
Great Places Housing Group wants to stop children playing noisily after 8pm, walking on people’s lawns, looking through windows and letterboxes, dropping litter, and playing knock-a-door-run.
It said it was responding to problems with anti-social behaviour over the past 12 months.
Ahh. So not unreasonable at all, but you saw that coming didn't you.
The majority of residents have condemned the letter and have said they will not sign.
Apple Close resident Carl Harris has five children aged 14 to two-years-old.
He said: “Rather than the housing association asking everybody’s views, they’ve just done it.
“I’m worried that the next step could be eviction if we don’t sign the agreement.
So sign the agreement and keep your kids under control. You will have nothing to worry about and the community will be a lot happier.
“It is ridiculous. There’s no issues at all. Children are children...
“It is such an over-reaction. The close has been full of families with young children for years, if people can’t understand that they should look for somewhere else to live.
So people have to put up with your feral brats or move away?
His wife Caroline, 35, said: “On the one hand they are asking us to be community spirited but on the other they are victimising our children.”
It seems to me that it's your children victimising the other residents.
The rules include:
*My children do not trespass on other residents front doors, driveways, lawns
*My children do not stare through residents’ windows or letterboxes
*My children do not swear at other residents when told to move away from property
*My children do not bully, swear or hit other children
*After 8pm children playing out must be mindful of others and keep the noise down
*My children do not play knock-a-door-run
*Residents speak to parents of children causing nuisance. However if they don’t feel comfortable contact Great Places. At no time should they swear/shout at children.
And yet these parents believe their children should be allowed to do all those things without hindrance. If your children don't misbehave, if you can control them like any decent parent should, what's wrong with signing the agreement?
Guy Cresswell, director of housing at Great Places said: “Over the past 12 months, there have been problems with anti-social behaviour...
“Many of these incidents have involved some children from Apple Close using inappropriate language and threatening behaviour.
“In September, several neighbours got together and drafted their own neighbourhood agreement in an effort to sort out the problems “After discussions with our staff it was felt that Great Places should come up with a neighbourhood agreement which could be sent to all residents.
So the problem obviously exists. It's just those who can't control their feral spawn who cry victim and go running to the papers.
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