Landlords to deal with anti-social tenants - or
risk losing rent
Landlords in England and Wales could be legally
obliged to follow their Scottish counterparts' example, and
register with a local council.
This would give local councils the power to serve
the landlords with a notice, informing them of the actions which
they are required to take in the event of anti-social behaviour
from their tenants. Scottish landlords already face such measures
under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act (Scotland) of 2004.
Mehboob Khan, chair of the Local Government
Association's "safer and stronger communities board", said:
"The problem of anti-social behaviour by tenants in
private housing is considerable and councils have few powers to
step in.
"The majority of private landlords are responsible
and considerate but there are plenty who care little about the
behaviour of their tenants as long as they pay their rent each
week.
"Hitting those that ignore warnings by stopping
them from collecting rent would certainly make them sit up and take
notice of the damaging effect that anti-social behaviour can
inflict on neighbours and the community as a whole."
Lawyer says anti-social tenants should only be
evicted as a last resort
It could certainly be viewed as harsh to thus put
the burden of anti-social tenants directly onto landlords, who may
already struggle to deal with the consequences, such as property
damage, caused by such problem tenants.
However, Eamonn Hogan, of Shoosmiths Access Legal
Landlord and Tenant Team, said that courts are likely to explore
all possible options before choosing to evict tenants
instead.
"The problem of anti-social behaviour by tenants in
private housing is considerable and councils have few powers to
step in.
"The majority of private landlords are responsible
and considerate but there are plenty who care little about the
behaviour of their tenants as long as they pay their rent each
week.
"Hitting those that ignore warnings by stopping
them from collecting rent would certainly make them sit up and take
notice of the damaging effect that anti-social behaviour can
inflict on
Landlords in England and Wales could be legally obliged to
follow their Scottish counterparts' example, and register with a
local council.
This would give local councils the power to serve the landlords
with a notice, informing them of the actions which they are
required to take in the event of anti-social behaviour from their
tenants. Scottish landlords already face such measures under the
Anti-Social Behaviour Act (Scotland) of 2004.
Mehboob Khan, chair of the Local Government Association's "safer
and stronger communities board", said:
"The problem of anti-social behaviour by tenants in private
housing is considerable and councils have few powers to step
in.
"The majority of private landlords are responsible and
considerate but there are plenty who care little about the
behaviour of their tenants as long as they pay their rent each
week.
"Hitting those that ignore warnings by stopping them from
collecting rent would certainly make them sit up and take notice of
the damaging effect that anti-social behaviour can inflict on
neighbours and the community as a whole."
Lawyer says anti-social tenants should only be evicted as a
last resort
It could certainly be viewed as harsh to thus put the burden of
anti-social tenants directly onto landlords, who may already
struggle to deal with the consequences, such as property damage,
caused by such problem tenants.
However, Eamonn Hogan, of Shoosmiths
Access Legal Landlord and Tenant Team, said that courts are
likely to explore all possible options before choosing to evict
tenants instead.
"The problem of anti-social behaviour by tenants in private
housing is considerable and councils have few powers to step
in.
"The majority of private landlords are responsible and
considerate but there are plenty who care little about the
behaviour of their tenants as long as they pay their rent each
week.
"Hitting those that ignore warnings by stopping them from
collecting rent would certainly make them sit up and take notice of
the damaging effect that anti-social behaviour can inflict on
