Government proposes new anti social behaviour measures

New measures to help social landlords deal with anti-social
tenants are being proposed by the government.

A consultation paper proposing to give local authorities,
housing associations and housing action trusts the power to evict
tenants who persistently annoy neighbours, has been published.

A streamlined court process without the need to call neighbours
as witnesses is being proposed, along with new powers for courts to
grant injunctions with power of arrest to keep non-tenants away
from a particular estate.

Other measures include compulsory ‘transferring away’ persistent
offenders, and changing the status of secure or assured tenancies
to starter or introductory tenancies. Also, breach of an injunction
could result in eviction under the proposals.

A new approach of trying to rehabilitate tenants who are guilty
of anti-social behaviour has been included in the document to
balance some of the stringent measures.

The consultation document can be found at
www.housing.dtlr.gov.uk/information/consult/antisocial/index.htm
and the deadline for responses to the consultation is 12 July.

Meanwhile, every homeless person in Scotland is to benefit from
extended rights under new legislation.

The changes are brought about by the implementation of sections
of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, which came into effect on 1
April. The major change is the right of any homeless
person to register for housing with any local authority or
independent registered provider of social housing. Previously
rights were limited to area of origin or current residence.

Other developments include a change in the definition of
“threatened with homelessness”, which will apply up to two months
rather than 28 days. Every homeless person has a statutory right to
request a review of any decision taken on them by a local
authority. Accommodation provided to homeless applicants must now
meet their special needs.

www.scotland.gov.uk