House parties forcing tenants out

A MEMBER of the newly-formed Fermanagh Policing and Community Safety Partnership told last week’s inaugural meeting that tenants in rented accommodation in parts of Enniskillen had moved out because of late night/early morning house party revellers outside their home.
The issue was raised by Phyllis Tanswell, from Coleshill who spoke of the problem in her area.
“In my own area and in other areas people have been coming to me, a lot of people. These people return in the early hours and they have a few people back with them. The problem constantly arises in that they don’t really stay in the house.
“They go out into the front garden and they may go to the house opposite. Can the police do anything?
“I’m talking about people shouting and swearing at 4 o’clock n the morning,  and we reckon they are all hyped up by drink. Can the police disperse them.”
Chief Inspector Sue Steen, responding, told her that if the PSNI got a call about a party going on, officers could go out and speak to the house owner.
“If an offence has ben committed, we will deal with it. In the long-term, it would be a matter of concern to any community. If it’s a privately-rented house, it becomes more difficult. If it’s a Housing Executive property, we can work with the Executive.”
Chief Insp Steen was then informed that these were people, some as young as 19 years old, were living in private houses.
One such area was Kilmacormick where the problem was so bad that other people in rented houses had moved out to get away from them.
“These people are drinking at all hours of the morning and our concern is that somebody is hit and the thing can escalate.”
Ms Steen replied: “It’s very difficult to spell out exactly what we can and can’t do. All I can say is if we get a report (of anti-social behaviour), police will attend and, when we get a report of an offence being committed or of disorderly behaviour or a public order offence or an assault, we will go out and deal with it.