Landlords stuck in postcode lottery on anti-social behaviour support warns Propertymark

An industry body warns some local authorities do not have the resources to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB), leaving landlords and letting agents in limbo.

Propertymark argues many landlords and letting agents are “stuck in a postcode lottery” when it comes to local authority Community Safety Partnerships, which should be supporting them in dealing with ASB but often lack the resources to do so.

The Crime and Policing Bill, going through Parliament, claims to offer new tools to address ASB, but Propertymark says that no matter how strong the tools are, landlords and letting agents must be properly supported in helping to tackle ASB.

Local authorities do not have the resources to support landlords

In evidence submitted to the House of Commons Public Bill Committee, Propertymark say landlords are often on the front line when it comes to dealing with anti-social behaviour.

Propertymark says anti-social behaviour can range from excessive noise, drug and alcohol misuse, intimidation and uncontrolled pets.

Propertymark points out that some councils lack the necessary resources to support landlords in tackling ASB.

The industry body said: “Common complaints from landlords and property agents in dealing with anti-social behaviour, is the postcode lottery in the effectiveness of local authority Community Safety Partnerships in supporting them deal with anti- social behaviour.

“In some cases, it has been reported to Propertymark that some local authority teams do not have the resources to support landlords and landlords are unable to access support.

“In other cases, there is sometimes a lack of clear understanding of the powers that Community Safety Partnerships occupy to deal with anti-social behaviour with evidently few sanctions issued in some areas such as Community Protection Notices, Public Spaces Protection Order, Anti-Social Behaviour Order and injunctions.”

Propertymark urges local authorities to adopt clear anti-social behaviour policies, focusing on prevention through youth diversion programs and mediation services for landlords and tenants.

Unpredictable nature of anti-social behaviour

Propertymark also points out that many landlords fear seeking possession on anti-social behaviour grounds due to intimidation.

The industry body explains landlords are often told to document instances of anti-social behaviour, including times and dates.

However, this can be both intimidating and potentially dangerous, especially given the unpredictable nature of anti-social behaviour, making it difficult to gather evidence.

Even if a landlord secures an eviction, Propertymark warns that with the abolition of Section 21, lengthy court delays will make it harder to evict on ASB grounds.

Propertymark says: “There is still huge concern about the lengthy court delays when pursuing possession through ASB grounds. Cases that once took weeks can now take months, which is likely to worsen once Section 21 is abolished and all evictions must go through the courts.

“We continue to push for better court resourcing and faster case processing to ensure landlords and agents can take meaningful action when ASB occurs.”

Under the Crime and Policing Bill, the introduction of Respect Orders will give police the power to immediately arrest persistent offenders who breach the order, helping to prevent ongoing disruption in local communities.

For housing-related cases, Respect Orders and housing injunctions will be linked, allowing a court to determine which option is most appropriate for each situation. Both orders prohibit the individual from repeating the specific anti-social behaviour.