Tenants who terrorise their neighbours by making them feel intimidated or causing lots of noise with endless parties could be evicted in two weeks under a new fast-track process for landlords.
New powers are being introduced by the Government which mean private and social landlords will be able to evict nightmare tenants more quickly, rather than leaving them in properties for months or even years while lengthy court proceedings take place.
The fast-track process will work by allowing previous convictions for serious anti-social behaviour.
This will include those who have taken part in riot-related offences, to trigger eviction proceedings.
The powers are contained in the Anti Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which gives landlords five ways in which they can apply to evict their tenants.
These include when a tenant has been convicted of a serious offence, criminal behaviour or an anti-social behaviour order, or has breached a noise abatement notice.
The new powers are due to come into force this week and will be used to evict nuisance tenants from rented housing.
Brandon Lewis, Housing Minister, said: 'From today, new powers mean landlords can take swifter action to evict any tenant convicted of persistent or serious anti-social behaviour, bringing faster relief to victims and witnesses.'
He said this will mean tenants who abide by the rules will be allowed to live in peace while those who refuse to will be denied the right to remain.
He added: 'No one deserves to feel intimidated or unsafe in their community, yet lengthy court proceedings have left nightmare tenants free to cause misery for their neighbours for years.'
William Seed, 81, was captured on camera abusing his neighbours and shouting profanities. He became one of the oldest people in the country to be given an ASBO. He admitted harassing his neighbours and was given a community supervision for 12 months.
He was also banned from using foul or abusive language.
ASBOS AND THREATENING BEHAVIOUR BY THE 'NEIGHBOURS FROM HELL'
- William Seed, 81, from Longridge, Lancashire, was given an ASBO for waging a six year campaign against his neighbours. The pensioner would beep his car horn all day and night, make loud animal noises, scrape shovels along the ground to make a racket and slowly drive past his neighbours while staring at them.
- Harry Ferris, 65, threw his neighbour over a fence and tried to gouge his eyes out after the pair argued about a parking space at their home in Bacup in Lancashire. It is also claimed he tried to headbutt his neighbour's wife. He was convicted of two charges of assault. (Video below)
- Joann Dunmore, 66, was given an interim ASBO earlier this year for terrorising her neighbours in Littlehampton in West Sussex by screaming abuse, smashing flowerpots and playing the drums in the middle of the night.
- In 2007 Dominic McGrath, a piano teacher, was given an ASBO for intimidating his neighbours by walking around in a balaclava and threatening one with a baseball bat. McGrath also whistled insulting tunes at his neighbours and waved toilet rolls at them. He also displayed a picture of a man with a gun in the window of his home in Essex.
Cases are likely to be concluded more quickly because landlords will no longer have to prove that it is reasonable to grant a possession order, which usually takes around seven months.
This will speed up the court process, meaning nightmare tenants can be evicted more quickly, saving money.
Eric Pickles, the Communities Secretary, said the riots, which took place in 2011, had highlighted the need for action to be taken.
He told the Sunday Express: 'No landlord should have to provide a roof over the head of anyone willing to take part in such wanton destruction and they now have the power to evict those who break the law.'
