Support for landlords is on offer from Safer Communities Torbay throughout the duration of the stages however, non compliance with the Housing Act 1988 may result in the local authority or Police applying for a ‘Closure Notice’ and this is as follows:

Part 1 Section 2 Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003

This provides new powers to the police and to the magistrates' court to close down premises for up to three months where Class A drugs are being used or dealt and there is serious nuisance or disorder associated with the premises. In certain circumstances, premises that are associated with anti-social behaviour such as noise nuisance, drug dealing or disorder can also be closed temporarily. These closure orders are backed by criminal penalties if they are breached by the owner,  tenant or licensee landlord of the premises.

This involves the property being boarded up and access denied for up to 3 months. It is then under the protection of the police and may not be returned to by either the tenant or landlord until the notice is served. All housing costs must still be paid during this time.

Although fundamentally the burden lies with the landlord, Safer Communities Torbay’s dedicated ASB team are always on hand to support all parties involved. It is also important to understand that through intervention from support agencies, the majority of cases can be dealt with without severe action being taken.