A government committee could be instrumental for introducing a wider range of behaviours that come under the terms of anti-social tenants grounds for eviction.

The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee an all-party group of MPs is scrutinising the incoming Renters Reform Bill. Officials from DLUHC explained to the committee, judges will be given a ‘wider range’ of behaviours to consider before passing judgement on ASB grounds for eviction cases.

DLUHC deputy director Guy Horsington told the committee: “We’ve heard that landlords find it hard sometimes to evidence anti-social behaviour and therefore by making the change we said we would – that is, to expand it so that it brings in a wider set of behaviours – while maintaining judicial discretion, that should help landlords who are genuinely trying to deal with a problem tenant.

“We are taking measures to help landlords prove genuine anti-social behaviour that is discretionary, and we’re also maintaining our mandatory ASB grounds when there has been a proven criminal offence.”

Currently the list of extra ‘behaviours’ have not been made available outside of the DLUHC, but at the select committee meeting, Housing Minister Rachel Maclean said her department would provide information and guidance on issues that could come under the banket of a “wider range” of behaviours to help judicial decisions; however she stated the judges’ decisions would be theirs alone.

Parliament’s summer recess is due within the next few days so the second reading of the Renters Reform Bi will not place until early September when MPs are back; there will be breaks for annual party conferences in September and October.

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