Landlords and councils need to work together on tackling anti-social behaviour and protecting vulnerable tenants, MPs have been told.

The trade body Propertymark made the comments in its response to the House of Commons Public Bill Committee’s call for evidence on the Crime and Policing Bill.

Propertymark said that property professional are often on the “front line” of anti-social behaviour issues.

In the private rented sector, these issues can range from excessive notice and littering to drug misuse and intimidation.

Propertymark went on to say that vulnerable tenants need more protection from exploitation, including cuckooing and county lines activity.

Cuckooing is where a property is taken over to financially abuse a tenant, with the most common form being drug dealers taking over a person’s home to use it to store and distribute drugs.

Local Authority support

Propertymark highlighted the inconsistency in support across some local authority areas.

It claimed Community Safety Partnerships lack the resources or understanding to act effectively, leaving landlords and agents unsupported.

It called on all local authorities to adopt a clear anti-social behaviour policy, and cited Sandwell Council as an example of a council encouraging joint working between landlords, tenants and the council.

It also stressed that prevention is key, using youth diversion programmes, as well as landlord and tenant education, and mediation services.

Renters' Rights Bill

It comes as the Renters’ Rights Bill moves a step closer to Royal Ascent.

The Bill will remove fixed-term assured tenancies and abolish no-fault evictions.

The new grounds for possession mean landlords can give notice using the relevant grounds at any point in the tenancy if the tenant is at fault. This includes where a tenant commits anti-social behaviour.

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