Councils fail to use new orders to tackle anti-social behaviour

Scottish local authorities have failed to use anti-social
behaviour orders (ASBOs) to curb poorly behaved tenants, according
to the Chartered Institute of Housing.

According to the institute only 14 out of the 32 authorities
have made applications for ASBOs. In 1999/2000 some 96 applications
were made though only 47 were granted, the remainder failing or
being abandoned by the councils.

Alan Ferguson, director of the Chartered Institute of Housing in
Scotland, said: “Too few local authorities are prepared to use
ASBOs to help protect the victims of crime and harassment.”

The ASBOs were introduced in 1998, allowing councils to apply to
the sheriff courts for restrictions or even eviction orders to be
placed on anti-social tenants. Of a total of 52 orders granted
since 1998 none affected private tenants or owners although they
make up two thirds of householders in Scotland. Nearly 20 orders
had been breached and most had taken over three months to secure a
prosecution.

The institute believes that ASBOs have made no difference to how
anti-social tenancies are treated. Most councils blame the low
take-up on complexities and lengthy time delays.