ASB to be tackled as Landlords promised power to Evict Anti-Social Tenants

Yesterday, the Department of Levelling Up announced their Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan which sets out an ambitious new approach to working with local agencies to tackle the blight of anti-social behaviour facing communities across England and Wales.

The plan includes details which will allow Landlords and law-abiding tenants to benefit from stronger laws and systems
to ensure those who are persistently disruptive are evicted. The aim is to seek to halve the delay between a private landlord serving notice for anti-social behaviour and eviction and broaden the disruptive and harmful activities that can lead to eviction. The plan also provides a clear expectation that previous anti-social behaviour offenders are deprioritised for social housing.

The Detail

The government has said that they intend to make it easier for landlords to prove antisocial behaviour in court. At present landlords must prove that antisocial behaviour has already caused annoyance or nuisance.

The intention is that evictions will be dealt with more quickly, with plans to prioritise these cases in the courts. New legislation will require judges to consider the impact on neighbours, housemates and landlords, and whether the tenant has failed to engage with interventions to manage their behaviour.

The changes will be contained in a Renters Reform Bill that will also include protection for tenants, including bans on no-fault evictions and on landlords raising rent more than once a year.

Troublesome tenants The plan will make it easier to evict tenants who are persistently disrespectful and disruptive. The time it takes between a private landlord serving notice for antisocial behaviour and eviction will be halved and the range of disruptive and harmful activities that can lead to eviction notices will be widened. Previous antisocial behaviour offenders will be deprioritised for social housing.

Housing Associations and Landlords will work to ensure that no one lives in misery with anti-social neighbours. We will support landlords to use the tools they already have, to respond to reports of anti-social behaviour, work closely with the police and other local agencies to deal with problems and, where necessary, swiftly evict tenants.