Neighbours at a block of flats are pushing for a new gate to be installed to deter anti-social behaviour outside their homes.

Residents living in a Metropolitan Thames Valley-managed property in Rill Road, The Hale said there have been drug dealing, fights at night and youngsters causing trouble in the block’s courtyard.

Cars trespassing the resident parking area and using the limited car parking space at night have also forced some residents to park on nearby streets and face parking tickets, according to residents.

They said they feel they have been neglected for more than three years, with the housing association taking little or no action on the complaints. The residential courtyard currently has no CCTV or gate.

Joe Bilbow, a resident who has lived at the property since opening three-years-ago, has been leading discussions and petitions with the housing association’s agent.

Barnet councillors Elliot Simberg and Laithe Jajeh, representing Hale ward, met with petitioners on Thursday (July 4) to support their calls for a new gate.

Councillor Elliot Simberg said: “The gates clearly need to be put in, we need safety for the kids and residents to stop anti-social behaviour, people are coming onto the site that shouldn’t be here. The metropolitan housing needs to step up.

Councillor Laithe Jajeh added: “Aside from financial reasons, I see no reason why Metropolitan Housing Association aren’t in favour of implementing the gate.

“The lack of responses I’ve received so far indicates that, unless Metropolitan can provide concrete reasons why it shouldn’t be implemented, I fully back the gates.”

After previous petitions for a gate were rejected due to reasons about taking ‘third-party opinions’, Mr Bilbow hopes this new petition with all 24 flats in full-support and the encouragement by the Barnet councillors will make an impact.

Mr Bilbow explained: “The last form he sent, he claimed only five people sent it back, so it wasn’t valid. The petition from 2017 had 20 out of 24 people, two people didn’t understand the question, so they claimed it wasn’t valid despite a majority of votes.”

The Barnet Times has seen paperwork for both petitions which support Mr Bilbow’s claims that all households were in favour of a security gate.

In response, a spokesperson from Metropolitan Thames Valley said: “We take alleged anti-social behaviour very seriously and have been working with the police and local authority to try to resolve the issues reported at Rill Lane.

“In March, we wrote to residents seeking their feedback on the option of installing a security gate. Unfortunately, the low level of support received for this proposal meant that it was not taken forward at that time. However, we remain in regular contact with residents and are willing to revisit that option.”