New plans have been unveiled by the government to simplify the process for landlords to evict anti-social tenants. The government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, which has received £160 million in funding, includes measures to tackle anti-social tenants. Here’s a summary of the proposals:

• All tenancy agreements will include a clause prohibiting anti-social behaviour, making it easier for landlords to evict tenants who breach their contract.
• The notice period for evicting tenants who breach their tenancy agreement due to anti-social behaviour will be reduced from four to two weeks, allowing landlords to take immediate action.
• Eviction grounds for anti-social behaviour will be extended to include behaviour that is “capable of causing nuisance or annoyance”.
• The government will work with the Courts and Tribunals Service to prioritize anti-social behaviour cases and speed up the eviction process.
• New measures will be introduced to help judges consider the impact of tenants’ behaviour on landlords, neighbours, and housemates when making their decision.
• Landlords will be made more aware of existing tools to help them evict anti-social tenants, such as Criminal Behaviour Orders and injunctions.

These plans will be launched as part of rental reforms and alongside a new ombudsman for the rental sector to increase mediation when tenants commit low-level anti-social behaviour. According to the English Private Landlord Survey 2021, one in three landlords terminated a tenancy due to anti-social behaviour. The government believes that these new rules will help landlords act against persistently problematic tenants and relieve innocent parties living nearby.