Renters’ Rights Act aims to support landlords dealing with anti-social behaviour
8 months ago | 9 comments
Labour MP questions landlord role in tackling tenant anti-social behaviour
8:03 AM, 29th May 2026, 4 weeks ago
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A Labour MP has suggested landlords should take a greater role in tackling anti-social behaviour caused by tenants.
In a Parliamentary written question, Connor Naismith MP asked whether the government was taking steps “to make private landlords responsible for dealing with anti-social behaviour caused by their tenants”.
In response, housing minister Matthew Pennycook confirmed under the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords can evict tenants for anti-social behaviour.
Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority
Mr Pennycook said: “Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.
“We will crack down on those making neighbourhoods feel unsafe and unwelcoming by introducing the new Respect Order, which local authorities will be able to apply for, and which will carry tough sanctions and penalties for persistent adult offenders.”
He added: “The police, local authorities and social landlords may already apply for a Civil Injunction under Section 1 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to prevent behaviour that is causing housing-related nuisance and annoyance.
“Landlords have powers to regain possession where necessary. The Renters’ Rights Act shortened the notice period for the existing mandatory eviction ground (7A). Landlords can make a claim to the court immediately in all cases of anti-social behaviour.
“The act also ensures judges in possession cases have particular regard to whether tenants have engaged with efforts to resolve their behaviour and the impact on other tenants within HMOs.
“Under selective and HMO licensing, local authorities can also use licence conditions to require landlords to take steps to manage and deal with anti-social behaviour caused by their tenants.”
Landlords can reduce the risk of anti-social behaviour by asking for references
As previously reported by Property118, under the Renters’ Rights Act, when using a discretionary ground for possession, landlords will have to prove that anti-social behaviour has occurred, and the court will then decide whether it is reasonable to evict the tenant.
The government guidance provides examples of what counts as anti-social behaviour, covering both criminal and non-criminal behaviour, for example:
- causing a nuisance to neighbours
- noise
- verbal abuse, harassment and threats
- drug use or drug dealing
- vandalism
- graffiti
- fly-tipping and littering
- discarding syringes or needles
- issues with pets
However, the government guidance says minor issues such as problems with bins, parking disputes, or one-off incidents do not count as anti-social behaviour.
The government guidance also claims landlords can reduce the risk of anti-social behaviour by asking for a reference from a previous landlord or letting agency.
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Member Since May 2018 - Comments: 2151
2:33 PM, 24th June 2026, About 10 hours ago
Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 24/06/2026 – 14:27
I’m a small portfolio landlord, not a big landlord. Faced with the prospect of losing my property I would do whatever I had to do to get my property back. And if I had a problem with antisocial behaviour next to my property I could also realistically re-arrange my affairs and become resident at a property. If I’m legally resident at the property, or members of my family are, I can install a Ring doorbell, I can install IP cameras. I can’t do any of this as a landlord. As a landlord I have almost no power…not much more than a landlord’s inspection having given 24 hours notice and that’s next to useless. When the Renters Rights Act removed no-fault evictions it removed all my power.
The situation is of course very different for a large portfolio landlord, especially one who runs his properties via a limited company.
Member Since May 2018 - Comments: 2151
3:07 PM, 24th June 2026, About 9 hours ago
Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 24/06/2026 – 14:33
PS: In the past with one of my properties (mortgaged on an unregulated buy-to-let mortgage) I have been faced with an extended void period in order to do significant renovation works that were beyond the normal repainting and decoration. I run a small business but all I need for that is an internet connection. In order to manage the situation in the past I have set up an unaffected room as an office in my property and paid for a broadband connection, set up one room as a bedroom and ensured that a bathroom was available. You are allowed a period of time by the council before they expect you to pay council tax but after that period you just pay the council tax and the council leaves you alone. The mortgage company doesn’t check the period that you are living part-time at the property; the mortgage company doesn’t care as long as you keep making the mortgage payments. HMRC doesn’t care as long as you disclose your rental income and expenditure fairly and in accordance with the rules.
In the past the most problematic issue in doing this was getting a broadband connection as it used to take 10 days to 2 weeks. Now it’s much quicker than that. As long as you have a broadband connection and it is you in the property, not the tenant, you can set up IP cameras, a Ring doorbell, a Google doorbell or whatever you want. And so faced with a significant problem at my property this is something that I could do easily IF I’ve got rid of the tenant. Of course if the problem with antisocial behaviour is with the tenant IN my property then since the Renters Rights Act I can’t do anything.
But that issue of being unable to have family members in a rental property….not quite true. For a short period you can be in the property doing whatever you need to do to keep it rentable. And for longer periods you can put family members in via a regulated buy to let mortgage if you need to do it. I suspect that this could become more relevant since the introduction of the Renters Rights Act.
Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 472
3:13 PM, 24th June 2026, About 9 hours ago
Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 24/06/2026 – 14:33
Well said.Landlords now have to fight back the best they can as they are being tied up in knots.Can’t do this , cant do that, every way they turn.
I can appreciate why tenants do not want to complain about other residents .Perhaps now the councils will deal with this anti social behavior which affects good tenants.
Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 472
3:16 PM, 24th June 2026, About 9 hours ago
Well said.Landlords now have to fight back the best they can as they are being tied up in knots.Can’t do this , cant do that, every way they turn.
I can appreciate why tenants do not want to complain about other residents .Perhaps now the councils will be more pro active with this anti social behavior which affects good tenants, or is it just “private landlords” they wish to fine.
Member Since May 2018 - Comments: 2151
3:27 PM, 24th June 2026, About 9 hours ago
Reply to the comment left by David at 24/06/2026 – 15:13
The biggest problem you now have is being unable to get rid of a tenant since the abolition of no fault evictions. So the bottom line now since the introduction of the Labour Renters Rights Act is apply rigorous screening to ALL tenants (to avoid discrimination), increase the rent to cover those increased costs, increase the rent to market rent or by inflation every year; above all, don’t house the problem tenants because you won’t be able to get rid of them or it will take you a lot of time and money to do it. The Labour Renters Rights Act stops you from discriminating against tenants on benefits so you don’t have any choice but to apply much more rigorous affordability screening criteria to ALL tenants.
IF you can get rid of a problem tenant there ARE things you can do about antisocial behaviour at or around a property; but since the introduction of the Labour Renters Rights Act there is NOTHING that you can do about a tenant exhibiting antisocial behaviour whilst IN your property; the Labour Renters Rights Act took away all your powers as a landlord.
Research by Nottingham Trent University has shown that social housing tenants are 30% more likely to witness or experience antisocial behaviour:
https://shaction.org/2025/07/16/social-housing-antisocial-behaviour-crisis/