Landlords to get powers to evict anti-social tenants

Landlords to get powers to evict anti-social tenants

9:56 AM, 27th March 2023, About A year ago 25

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The government has unveiled plans to give landlords and housing associations the power to evict anti-social tenants who ruin their neighbours’ lives by being drunk and disorderly and persistently noisy.

The move follows Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s pledge earlier this year to clamp down on anti-social behaviour and he says it be treated with the urgency it deserves.

The government says there will be a ‘zero-tolerance approach’ to all forms of anti-social behaviour and give the police and local authorities the tools they need to tackle the problem.

‘Undermines the basic right of people to feel safe’

Mr Sunak said: “Anti-social behaviour undermines the basic right of people to feel safe in the place they call home.

“The public have rightly had enough – which is why I am determined to restore people’s confidence that those responsible will be quickly and visibly punished.

“This action plan maps out how we will tackle this issue with the urgency it deserves and stamp out these crimes once and for all – so that wherever you live, you can feel safe in, and proud of your community.”

‘Anti-social tenants blight the lives of fellow renters’

The government announcement follows extensive campaigning by the National Residential Landlords’ Association (NRLA) and its chief executive, Ben Beadle, said: “Anti-social tenants blight the lives of fellow renters and their neighbours.

“Plans to end ‘no explanation’ repossessions risk making it harder to tackle such behaviour.”

He added: “Whilst we will study the detail of the government’s plans carefully, we welcome its commitment to strengthen the ability of landlords to evict unruly tenants.

“It follows extensive campaigning by the NRLA to ensure swift and effective action can be taken against those causing misery in their communities.

“The law must be on the side of the victims of anti-social behaviour, and we are glad that the Government agrees.”

Repossess a property because of a tenant’s anti-social or criminal behaviour

Polling by the NRLA has found that 50% of landlords have at some point attempted to repossess a property because of a tenant’s anti-social or criminal behaviour.

Of this group, 84% say they had received no help in tackling it from their local authority and 75% had no assistance from the police in dealing with anti-social tenants.


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Comments

Seething Landlord

13:20 PM, 28th March 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by northern landlord at 28/03/2023 - 11:56
No, it's the notice that you have to give before starting possession proceedings, but you would never know that from the headline statement.

Tim Rogers

15:30 PM, 28th March 2023, About A year ago

On a more serious note, I can only see this working effectively if the Police were given the powers to pursue it. Take the Landlord out of the equation and allow the police to evict within 2 weeks with the powers to enforce it on a senior officers authorisation. Probably, to be appealable through the courts after the event.

I don't see why the Landlord should be responsible for keeping civil order or enforcing anything to do with it.

TJP

22:43 PM, 28th March 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Julesgflawyer at 28/03/2023 - 01:06
The County Court at Willesden. This after a seven month wait for an initial hearing, a further five months for the second hearing, which was cancelled on 3 days before the Feb 2023 date. And now a one year and 2 weeks postponement to February 2024. Is the judge hoping Section 21 will have been abolished by the time my action gets a hearing????

Julesgflawyer

2:29 AM, 29th March 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by TJP at 28/03/2023 - 22:43
You said your s21 was "taken out in December 2022" so I don't follow that chronology. If that was a typo for December 2021 then presumably the court found there was a triable issue on defence raised by T? Eg a validity point regarding your notice or maybe a retaliatory eviction?

Dave

9:53 AM, 1st April 2023, About A year ago

I have tried to gather evidence on a tenant who has very regular visits from the police, due to anti social behaviour.
I have asked the police for a copy of their records to use as evidence so I can submit a section 8 (I'm in Wales...so 6 months for a section 21 notice).
The police have refused to give me any information....even that they ever attended the property....due to the data protection act!
So unless this changes, we are still stuffed

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