Labour MP questions landlord role in tackling tenant anti-social behaviour

The truth is that the burden of proof required in ASB cases and the risk of a £40k penalty for relying on a ground that you cant fully establish will mean that most landlords wont even attempt an ASB eviction.

I’m not a landlord, just someone who understands what private landlords do for the uk. The government created this problem by selling the council houses, private landlords used to provide the next level up from the council house.
One thing that puzzed me by this, surly the government understands to give a bad reference would leave a landlord open to losing their property, one error in a bad reference and you have liable that Tennant who can then get legal aid to sue the pants off you.
I learned in business school never to give a bad reference for an employee as it could cost you an unlimited compensation claim.
Short of getting a solicitor to write it for you, they can check court records that you have no access to.
What I learned was your refusal to give a reference is the way you do it.
So checking references you’re not going to find anything bad about a Tennant, more likely you get a good reference for a bad Tennant because the previous landlord want rid of them.
And clowncils are using private landlords as a source of funds.
Clowncil workers i find are arrogant small people who think they can do whatever they want.
In reality they can’t even get their own work done.

Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 29/05/2026 – 11:30
As much as I despise Labour, one should also point out that the RRA was brought into being by the Tories to appease the masses. And also S24 was brought into being by the Tories – just topped up by Labour.
This treachery, amongst other blindingly obvious examples, has resulted in Reform coming to the fore – remember this next time you vote. No Labour, No Tories – and for goodness sakes no Greens or they’ll just have us hung and be done with it!

Why bother being landlord 🫣 dont want much these days

Reply to the comment left by Kevin Bird at 30/05/2026 – 08:08
and being a landlord means you won’t have much either after high mortgage rates, high service charges, high tradesman costs, high letting agent fees and no doubt high landlord registration fees and fines.

Reply to the comment left by Paul Essex at 29/05/2026 – 08:27
According to Tony Blair this is the work spoilt bastards playing politics under the guise of being a labour MP’s when they should be helping to formulate policy to deal with the very serious economic and social problems left by the previous regime. This is an attack on business and is compounding the problems not solving them. If the Prime Minister were a decent person he would have called a general election and accepted the result.

Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 14:44
“t…he majority of landlords may even now be blissfully unaware that a failure to send the Labour Renters Rights Act Information sheet to all named tenants by this Sunday (31st May) CREATES AN OFFENCE under the Labour Renters Rights Act, for which the landlord is potentially liable for £4,000-7,000, potentially rising to £40,000 if the offence continues beyond 28 days,”
imho serves every landlord right if they do get fined as they should know their business.

Reply to the comment left by David render at 30/05/2026 – 07:18
Well said!

Reply to the comment left by Judith Wordsworth at 30/05/2026 – 13:32
IMHO the whole thing is another government /council scam and it is rather unfair to say it serves landlords right if they haven’t notified their tenants. I am lucky to be updated on Property 118, but many landlords are not.I heard BBC radio mention it once and not everyone wants a tv or can afford newspapers or even have internet access.
Of course these shysters will wheel out “ignorance of the law is no excuse”.

Would love to give this so called labour mp a piece of .y mind having been on the unfortunate receiving end of a tenant with serious ASB. The system they have designed makes dealing with these tenants and eventually evicting them close to impossible. Took 9 months to evict a tenant who was persistently breaking the law and breaching almost every term of the tenancy. Judge kicks can 4 months down the road. Was even a risk to safety of ourselves, neighbours and another tenant in the flat.

A year of stress and police, council and authorities were Compliant and disinterested.