I have lived in Chippenham for nearly 20 years its a lovely town, when I arrived here I found it friendly and warm.  Alas how times have changed when you can no longer approach your neighbours with an issue without an argument or verbal abuse.

I moved to a new estate 4 years ago and it was lovely and I was looking forward to a happy time in my new home.  I am a part buy tenant and was pleased with this option in the beginning, however 4 years down the line when I am in need of support from the Association who owns the other 60% of my property. 

I am from a family of 11 children and we lived on one of the most troubled council estates in Bristol.  My mother and father were wonderful and kept us all under control kept us off the street and if we annoyed neighbours my parents would resolve the problem almost immediately by making us do a small penance either house or garden work, I remember my brother annoying one of our neighbours when he was around 10 years old, my father sent him to apologise and told him to cut the grass of the neighbour to make up for it.

On the estate on which I live the children are out of control and the parents do not care, I do not blame the children for their behaviour as often the parents behaviour is worse.  Along with a few of my fellow part ownership tenants we feel we are singled out because we work and keep ourselves to ourselves. We have tried approaching the association tenants but only receive abuse and itimidation as these tenants make it clear that they are not interested.  It has now become an impossible situation, I no longer enjoy where I live and I often spend my weekends with friends or family as there is no peace at weekends due to housing association tenants either drinking or brawling in the streets until all hours of the morning at weekends.   When we complain we are asked to fill in forms and monitor but after 4 years the situation has become worse.  There seems to be no immediate solution only excuses.  For a single mum like me to keep a huge mortgage going and the stress of all these problems is somewhat daunting. 

I would love to hear from other part buy tenants from Chippenham who have had similar problems.  If the housing associations cannot come up with a solution, maybe part buy tenants like myself can come up with some lovely ideas on how to live peacefully.