Dealing with antisocial behaviour  

This guide explains what a landlord can do when a tenant commits antisocial behaviour.

The Renters’ Rights Act will change laws about renting and this guidance has been published to help private rented sector landlords and letting agents prepare. The new rules will apply on or after 1 May 2026. You can currently report antisocial behaviour.

Antisocial behaviour is behaviour that causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to other people.

Your tenant, or anyone living with or visiting them, can cause antisocial behaviour. It can also be caused by pets living at the property. 

What counts as antisocial behaviour 

Antisocial behaviour can include both criminal and non-criminal behaviour, for example: 

  • causing a nuisance to neighbours 

  • noise 

  • verbal abuse, harassment and threats 

  • drug use or drug dealing 

  • vandalism   

  • graffiti   

  • fly-tipping and littering   

  • discarding syringes or needles   

  • issues with pets 

It’s not usually antisocial behaviour if it involves things like:  

  • disputes over minor issues 

  • issues involving bins or parking 

  • one-off incidents 

Issues that may be mistaken for antisocial behaviour 

Some serious issues can be mistaken for antisocial behaviour. For example:

  • frequent arguments or shouting from adults could be domestic abuse

  • children making frequent noise could be a safeguarding issue like abuse or neglect  

Contact your council’s children’s services if you’re worried about a child. 

Contact the police if you think someone is at immediate risk or a victim of abuse.

Reducing the risk of antisocial behaviour from your tenants 

There are things that you can do to reduce the risk of antisocial behaviour from a tenant.

You could ask for a reference from a previous landlord or letting agency.  

You could include terms in the tenancy agreement that prohibit antisocial behaviour and help tenants understand their responsibilities. For example:  

  • how tenants can let you know if they’ll be making excess noise 

  • how tenants can report other tenants committing antisocial behaviour (if you have more than one tenant living in the property)  

If your tenant’s behaviour is causing problems 

Consider how serious or dangerous the behaviour is. If it is safe to do so, try to resolve any issues with your tenant directly, such as by talking to them about their behaviour.  

If you do not feel it is safe to speak to your tenant or you need more support, report the antisocial behaviour to the police or to your local council. 

Call 999 if you or someone is in immediate danger, or if a crime is in progress.

Talking to your tenant about their behaviour 

You could contact your tenant and let them know that you are concerned about their behaviour.  

Try to give specific examples.  

If there has been a complaint from another person, ask for their permission before you use their complaint as evidence. Think about whether they will be easily identified and if that is appropriate. 

You should keep an ‘incident diary’ to record any antisocial behaviour involving your tenant. If you need to evict them due to their behaviour, you may be able to use this as supporting evidence. You could include statements and complaints from other people in the diary, for example, neighbours or other tenants. You may be able to get a template for an incident diary from your local council.  

Consider if mediation and dispute resolution could help you resolve their behaviour. 

If you cannot resolve antisocial behaviour with your tenant 

If your tenant commits antisocial behaviour and it cannot be resolved, you may need to evict them.   

Once the new rules have come into force, you will need to apply to the court using the correct grounds and follow the right procedure.  

The section 8 grounds that you will be able to use to evict tenants for antisocial behaviour are:  

  • ground 14 

  • ground 12 - if the tenancy agreement has been breached 

  • ground 7A 

If you give notice using ground 7A or 14, you will be able to immediately apply to court for a possession order. If you use ground 12, you will need to give your tenant 2 weeks’ notice before applying for a possession order. You will be able to use more than one ground. 

If the tenancy began before 1 May 2026

If it was an assured shorthold or assured tenancy, it will become an assured periodic tenancy when the act is implemented 

You will not be able to use section 21 to evict your tenant on or after 1 May 2026, even if the tenancy agreement says you can. You will need to use section 8 grounds if you want to evict a tenant for antisocial behaviour after this date. 

Evicting a tenant on discretionary grounds 

A ‘discretionary ground’ means you need to prove antisocial behaviour occurred and the court then decides if it is reasonable to evict your tenant. 

Ground 14: nuisance, illegal or improper use 

Most antisocial behaviour will come under ground 14, which is a discretionary ground.   

This behaviour does not have to happen only in your property - it can happen nearby. Ground 14 also covers when your tenant commits a serious offence near your property. 

The judge will consider all the factors related to the case. This includes:  

  • the impact the behaviour has had, including continuing impact 

  • the impact of the behaviour if it is repeated  

  • the impact on other tenants in a house of multiple occupation (HMO) where accommodation or facilities are shared 

  • if your tenant has responded to attempts to resolve the behaviour  

Ground 12: breach of tenancy   

Ground 12 can be used when your tenant has broken one or more of the terms in the tenancy agreement. The court will still need to decide if it is reasonable to evict your tenant. 

Evicting a tenant on mandatory grounds 

A ‘mandatory ground’ means if your evidence proves the ground is met, the court must give you a possession order. 

Ground 7A: antisocial behaviour 

If your tenant has engaged in serious criminal behaviour, you will be able to use ground 7A to apply to court for an eviction.  

For this ground to be met, your tenant will need to have either: 

  • been convicted of a serious criminal offence or breached a previous ‘Injunction to Prevent Nuisance or Annoyance’ (IPNA) 

  • breached a criminal behaviour order 

  • been convicted of causing noise nuisance 

The criminal behaviour will need to have taken place either:  

  • in or near the property   

  • somewhere that affects you as the landlord, such as the property of someone who lives nearby or who is employed by you 

If you rely on a conviction to evict a tenant, you will have 12 months from the date of conviction to give notice that you are seeking possession.   

You will also be able to use this ground if the council or police have applied for a closure order and access to the premises has been prohibited for more than 48 hours.  

You will need to give notice within 3 months of the closure order.  

Evidence you can use to demonstrate antisocial behaviour   

When you go to court to evict your tenant, you will need to show that the conditions of the ground or grounds apply by giving evidence.  

Evidence can include:  

  • a record of incidents including times, dates and impact of the behaviour  

  • a record of speaking or writing to your tenant about their behaviour 

  • complaints from neighbours or housemates such as witness statements or incident diaries  

  • videos or photos  

  • information from an antisocial behaviour or noise app where you can log incidents as they happen  

  • recordings of noise  

Statements and reports from witnesses and neighbours are usually considered as strong evidence. 

It may be easier to evict your tenant if you have already tried to resolve the situation another way, such as by speaking to them about their behaviour or attending mediation. 

If you need more guidance 

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