The prime minster Rishi Sunak has today (27th March) announced that perpetrators of anti-social behaviour (ASB) will face swift punishments as part of a new crackdown.
The new Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan aims to make sure this issue is treated with urgency, while establishing a zero-tolerance approach with the use of increased fines and enhanced drug testing.
The government is giving the police and local authorities the tools they need to tackle the problem, and landlords and housing associations more powers to evict unruly tenants who ruin their neighbours’ lives through persistent noise or by being drunk and disorderly.
The announcement comes as part of a wider package of measures designed to root out ASB across the UK.
Polling by the NRLA found that half of landlords have at some point attempted to repossess a property because of a tenant's anti-social or criminal behaviour.
Some 84% said they had received no help in tackling it from their local authority and 75% had no assistance from the police.
Ben Beadle, chief executive at the NRLA, commented: “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.
“While 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 our extensive campaigning which we led 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 ASB and we are glad that the government agrees.”
