NPH officers were instrumental in securing a court order from Northampton Magistrates’ Court following a sustained campaign of anti-social behaviour in St Stephens House.

Tenancy Compliance Manager, Victoria, approached Northamptonshire Police and West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) colleagues about a Partial Closure Order for the entire block, when it became apparent that standard anti-social measures were not sufficient. Whilst closure orders on individual properties have been obtained in the past, a Partial Closure Order on an entire block has never been granted in Northamptonshire before now.

In the past, the Tenancy Compliance team received a typical amount of anti-social reports in relation to St Stephens. However, in the autumn of 2025 the team witnessed a sudden and sustained increase in the number of instances being reported. Plus, the nature of the anti-social behaviour was having a significant impact on residents and NPH resources.

Residents were witnessing drug use, people urinating and defecating in communal areas, some were also passed out in walkways or on the stairs. The people taking drugs were not residents of the block and often their behaviour was unpredictable, loud and aggressive towards each other and residents. Victoria and Dan, the Housing Officer for the block, were in regular communication with the residents, supporting them and offering reassurance whilst they worked towards a solution.

Children, vulnerable people and the elderly all reside in the block and their daily lives were becoming a misery. One resident, who lives alone, told Victoria that they were afraid to come home because they were frightened of what would be waiting for them. Residents couldn’t accept deliveries due to the harassment they might face and many felt trapped in their flats because they were too scared to leave.

One resident explained how the situation was affecting them. “We often find needles in the communal areas that are just left on the floor. There are lots of people coming that don’t live here. There are [SIC] often fighting in the communal areas between the drug users and other people which wakes us up. This happens at all times of day and night 24/7, it affects my sleep as I can hear them shouting and there is so many of them.

“We as residents are petrified about going out sometimes. They also climb from the first floor over the balcony to get into the block to go and get the drugs from the flats that are dealing. It is very scary people are coming in wearing balaclavas and with man bags, they could have weapons. There are elderly living in this block and there is a lot of children as well.”

The impact on NPH’s resources was significant as multiple teams within the organisation were involved to help manage the situation. Repairs, Estates Team, Housing Support, Housing Management and Tenancy Compliance were all called upon to support the residents. The building was in need of constant repair work due to damage caused by the perpetrators. The Estates team were needed to make additional visits to clean up the mess and the situation saw a rise in referrals to the Housing Support team for residents affected by the situation.

Between Victoria and Dan, they were attending the block on a daily basis. They witnessed how the multiple entry points made the block vulnerable to non-residents gaining access via tailgating and intimidating others to let them in. The block is large with several floors and walkways plus there was space under the stairwells for people to loiter. It was an increasingly difficult situation to manage. The additional workload was putting pressure on the teams and the increase in resources needed to keep on top of the physical repairs and emotional stress on the victims was unsustainable.

As part of the approach to deter the unwanted visitors, the team also identified certain flats that were enabling the perpetrators, so targeted closure orders were sought and awarded against those specific properties. NPH also sought possession orders at court and evicted tenants from two problematic addresses. Whilst the usual methods employed by the team temporarily reduced the unwanted activity, the perpetrators persisted and by February 2026 Victoria decided that something different had to be done.

Victoria concluded that only a partial closure order for the entire block would give the results needed for the residents. She knew it would be a lengthy legal process and did her utmost to ensure that the application was successful. Victoria gathered evidence to build a strong case alongside the Police and WNC. The residents would also be needed as witnesses but engaging with the residents was challenging; they had become despondent at the lack of progress and they were fearful of speaking up. Finally, there were serious factors that had to be considered regarding human rights for those residing in the block.

Despite the enormity of the task, Victoria was resolute and with the support of Dan, NPH senior management, Directors, the Police and WNC, they collectively gathered enough evidence to bring the case to court. The Partial Closure Order was officially awarded to WNC’s Community Safety Team, by Northampton Magistrates’ Court on 30^th April 2026, for an entire block of flats. It was a particularly remarkable result as this type of order is unprecedented; the first one ever granted in Northamptonshire.

Victoria said: “The obtaining of the Partial Closure Order is a real significant result in collaborative working to address, deter and disrupt anti-social behaviour within St Stephens House.  The residents deserve to feel safe in their homes and hopefully this gives them the reassurance that issues such as those experienced here will be tackled.”

The order means that anyone found inside St Stephen’s who does not have the required permission to be there, can be arrested. Residents have been provided with contact details to report anyone who they believe should not be entering the flat. Other measures are also being put in place to help deter a return, such as the boarding up of spaces commonly used for loitering. The initial order is for three months with a right to extend for a further three months, following a review.

Whilst the response to this case has been led by NPH the result is a clear demonstration of partnership working and what can be achieved when different organisations come together. WNC spoke with Police and Cllr Charlie Hastie, Cabinet Member for Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities at WNC when they reported on the court order.

The situation continues to be monitored and since the initial partial closure order was placed against the entire block, an application for a full closure order was awarded on June 19th to a specific property. Whilst the partial closure order has made a significant impact on the ASB activity it was clear that further, more targeted action, would be needed.

Colleagues are hopeful that the new powers granted to the Police will be the catalyst to prevent any further incidents and lasting peace of mind to our residents.

Any NPH resident can report anti-social behaviour to the Tenancy Compliance team who will assess the situation and provide guidance and support where needed. You can do this on our website or by calling 0300 330 7003.