Meet The Team: Get To Know Lusefa Salamon!

We’d like to introduce you to Lusefa Salamon, who is our Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Tenancy Services Officer here at Nehemiah Housing.

Some of you will already know Lusefa as she helps ensure all our tenants are able to feel safe and comfortable in their own homes by responding to reports of anti-social behaviour in our communities. And for those of you who are yet to meet Lusefa, this is a perfect opportunity to gain an understanding of who she is and what exactly she does – and to find out more about how she can support you as a Nehemiah tenant.

How Long Has Lusefa Worked For Nehemiah?

Lusefa joined Nehemiah Housing in 2022.

What Attracted Lusefa To The Role?

Although Lusefa had never worked in housing before joining Nehemiah, she had previous experience of working with offenders and supporting people to rebuild their lives.

She explains: “My previous job involved working with offenders. I enjoyed the role, but it was very cut and dry – you can only support offenders to a certain point. Once they leave the system, your involvement ends. I wanted a more rewarding challenge and working with tenants dealing with ASB and safeguarding is completely different.

“You can build relationships, offer more holistic support, and follow their progress over time. It’s not just about addressing the behaviour, but also understanding what may be contributing to it, such as personal or social difficulties.

“I’ve developed strong skills in conflict resolution, investigation, risk assessment, and setting clear boundaries, which are all relevant to ASB and tenancy management. At the same time, I genuinely enjoy supporting people and helping them make positive changes.

“This role allows me to balance accountability with practical support to create safer, more stable communities.”

What Is Lusefa’s Role?

Lusefa’s role is demanding and rewarding in equal measure, as she is part of a team that is responsible for making sure all our tenants feel safe in their homes.  

“My role is very varied but always focussed on tenant wellbeing.

“My day can go from discussing and investigating noise complaints to supporting a tenant dealing with domestic violence,” she says.

What Is A Typical Day For Lusefa?

Lusefa comments: “While there is no such thing as a typical day in my job, as each day varies depending on the cases that arise, there are usually some common themes.

“A day often consists of visits with tenants to discuss ASB and safeguarding, attending meetings with other professionals including social workers, police and RSPCA, and supporting our over-55 sheltered scheme officers. 

“Every day is busy!

“The first thing I do when I start my day is organise my emails and text messages. This is largely to check if any of the visits for the day have been cancelled.

“My aim for each day is to balance between office work and tenant visits. Being out in the community is important but I must ensure that case notes and letters are completed.

“There is a lot of paperwork to do as all telephone calls, emails, text messages, videos etc are uploaded onto Home Master. There are further improvements of the system needed so it can provide me with actions based on the last entry – for now, this is something I’m managing with my calendar.

“On average, I try to complete visits 2 days a week and the other 3 days spend my time completing all of the paperwork.”

How Do Cases Come In & How Does Lusefa Prioritise?

Lusefa explains that cases come in through various channels.

“ASB cases come to me all different ways. It can be tenants calling, emailing, text messaging, via social media or from third parties. The options to report ASB are not limited – it is however tenants feel most comfortable.

“Once a case is raised, a risk assessment and an interview is completed to gather all the information, which is then put into our managing system, Home Master. Based on the information we have, a list of actions and timescales are provided so that we can prioritise caseloads.”

What Are The Most Common Types Of ASB Issues Lusefa Deals With?

“Noise will always be top of complaints, but we have seen an increase in domestic abuse cases too,” says Lusefa.

“Fly tipping is also a concern for tenants – many tenants are not aware that incidents of fly tipping should be reported to the council to investigate.”

How Are Both Sides Of ASB Cases Managed?

“The approach will naturally vary, depending on who is reporting the ASB matter and who is being accused of ASB,” explains Lusefa.

“For those reporting ASB, we ensure we maintain regular contact and make referrals to agencies such as victim support, counselling services, mental health support, and mediation – basically, anything a tenant feels they need, Nehemiah will support them with accessing those services.

“For tenants who’ve been accused of ASB, I will always complete a risk assessment initially to assess for any vulnerabilities that person may have. Once I have assessed the vulnerabilities, this then informs me how this tenant should be approached. Ultimately, I will have to ask the questions related to the ASB.

“All tenants who report ASB must submit some evidence of incidents, whether it be diary sheets, videos, audio etc. So, this helps with speaking about incidents.

“It’s very important for tenants to communicate and discuss the issues with us.

“Nehemiah has two certified mediators who can facilitate conflict resolution, finding ways to support tenants to live in a cohesive environment.”

What’s A Recent Example Of When Early Intervention Made A Positive Difference?

Lusefa shares: “A complaint was raised about excessive noise late at night and early in the morning. Following a meeting with the tenant who was causing the noise, we discovered that the tenant was a drug user who was trying to stop on their own.

“Following our assessment, we offered the tenant support, sign posting to their nearest recovery centre as well as putting them in contact with their GP to find a better way to stop using drugs.

“This resulted in helping the tenant to stop taking drugs by accessing the support they needed. Because of this, they also stopped playing their music so loudly. The noise levels decreased significantly and the tenant who’d raised the complaint was able to sleep again.

“Win, win!”

It Must Be Difficult To Strike The Balance Between Being Supportive And Taking Formal Action?

Lusefa says: “Yes! This is a good question!

“Nehemiah first and foremost offers tenant support to both parties involved in an ASB case, including referrals and regular contact. Should the ASB persist following all the support, and there is refusal to engage with other agencies, the case will be managed in line with our tenancy agreement and policies.

“The Government, under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, has increased tools and powers for housing associations. Powers include injunctions, Respect Orders, Closure Orders, and property possession in the most serious cases.

“The tenancy agreement which every tenant signs, says they agree to the terms and conditions of the agreement and outlines what tenants are entitled to and what would be considered a breach of tenancy.

“In every ASB case where extra support is needed to encourage the tenant to engage, various avenues would be pursued including giving formal warnings to the tenant, discussing the signing of an Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC), and offering mediation.

“We try everything, pretty much, to support each tenant and to find a way to resolve the ASB – and terminating a tenancy agreement is always our last resort. Thankfully, this doesn’t happen often and we are usually able to find a solution that results in changed behaviour.”

What Steps Are Taken To Ensure Fairness And Confidentiality?

Lusefa says: “All complaints of ASB are confidential – no tenants’ details are given to any other tenant. This is why providing evidence is crucial.

“When a complaint is made, I discuss dates and times and what was reported with the tenant – and nothing else. This will then give the other tenant the opportunity to have their say on what was reported.

“We always keep the cases factual and don’t allow personalities to play a part or change the outcome.”

Why Is Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour So Important In Social Housing?

“Tackling anti-social behaviour is essential because it protects tenant safety, sustains tenancies, and ensures communities remain stable and cohesive,” explains Lusefa.

“It’s also a regulatory requirement, and failure to act can lead to legal and reputational consequences. Early and effective intervention not only supports vulnerable residents but also prevents escalation and reduces costs for the organisation.”

How Does Lusefa Help Build Stronger, Safer Communities Through Her Role?

She explains that creating stronger, safer communities is the ultimate goal of the work that she and her colleagues do.

“Everything we do helps to build better communities. On top of our day-to-day work, we also run community events, encourage tenants to join our walkabouts with the Housing Officers, organise coffee mornings at the schemes, and work closely with other agencies such as other housing providers, police, fire services etc.”

How Does Lusefa Work With Partner Agencies?

“I attend regular meetings with the local police and partnership groups to ensure any concerns raised by our community are heard,” Lusefa explains.

“The partnership covers Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Sandwell and Dudley.”

What Are The Key Skills For This Role?

Lusefa highlights that many skills are essential for this role.

“Key skills for an ASB Officer role include strong communication and conflict resolution to manage challenging situations, as well as investigative skills to gather and assess evidence effectively.

“In addition, a solid understanding of relevant legislation ensures actions are lawful and proportionate. Organisation and case management are essential for handling multiple cases. Empathy and resilience help in supporting tenants and maintaining professionalism.

“Finally, sound judgement and partnership working are critical to achieving balanced, effective outcomes.”

What Have You Learned Most In This Role?

“Being an ASB officer has significantly shaped my professional growth by enhancing my communication, investigative, and problem-solving skills. I’ve gained a deep understanding of legislation and tenancy law, developed resilience under pressure, and learned to balance fairness with tenant safety. Working with multiple agencies and supporting vulnerable individuals has strengthened my collaboration skills and empathy, making me a more effective and confident professional.”

What Do You Find Most Rewarding About Your Work?

“The most rewarding part of my job is when someone says thank you for your support. It makes a difference to me and my life.

“Helping tenants feel safe in their homes, resolving conflicts, and supporting vulnerable tenants by giving them tools to reclaim their life, is satisfying.

“Also, you can see the positive impact on communities, whether through mediation, enforcement, or multi-agency collaboration.”

What’s One Thing People Might Be Surprised To Learn About ASB Work?

Lusefa says: “People might not realise that evicting tenants for ASB is not a quick process. It involves evidence collecting and collaboration with other agencies to ensure everything has been done to address the concern and vulnerabilities before this option is even considered.”

Describe Your Role In 3 Words

“Listen. Support. Safeguard.”

What Advice Would You Give Tenants About Being A Good Neighbour?

“Good question.

“Being a good neighbour is about respect, communication, and consideration. Keeping noise levels reasonable, maintaining shared spaces, respecting privacy, and addressing conflicts calmly.

“Small gestures, like greeting neighbours and looking out for each other, have often been lost. Tenants live in these neighbourhoods, and it is everyone’s role to help build a safe and friendly community for everybody.”

Nehemiah Is Here To Help & Support

Tenants’ safety, security and comfort are at the core of all Lusefa and her team do – and all of us here at Nehemiah, in fact.

Lusefa wants every single tenant to understand the importance of reporting ASB as soon as the issue occurs – this way, the problem can be investigated, confidentially, and ways found to resolve the matter before the situation escalates. It’s important tenants are respectful of their neighbours and communicate with us if they have ASB concerns as we are here to support all tenants.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our Meet The Team with Lusefa.

To find out more about Lusefa’s role at Nehemiah or to ask her a question about being an ASB Officer at Nehemiah, you can contact your Housing Officer or call us on 0121 358 0966 or email contact@nehemiah.co.uk and we will be happy to help.  Heading

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