Report to the People
Anti-Social Neighbours
Having anti-social neighbours is one of the most upsetting and stressful things which we can have inflicted upon us. Unlike other problems, it can sometimes seem like there is no escape.
Whether it’s music blaring until all hours, barking dogs, or drug dealing, anti-social neighbours make decent peoples’ lives a misery – as the constituents who have raised this issue with me can testify. While it is for the Police and the Environmental Services department of the council to deal with nuisance neighbours, it is the job of the Scottish Parliament to ensure that they have the necessary powers.
There are already a number of remedies open to anyone who is subject to inconsiderate, selfish neighbours. Under, for example, the Public Health Act 1987, local authorities can deal with a variety of general nuisances, including noise. They can inspect premises, serve notices on owners ordering them to cease the nuisance and impose fines if notices are not complied with.
Another example is the Control of Pollution Act 1974. This allows the council to serve noise abatement notices and empowers the occupier of premises to apply for an order to stop the nuisance and stop it happening again. These powers were beefed up in 1994 when they were extended to cover noise from vehicles, machinery and equipment in the road.
Despite these, and many other similar measures, the Parliament is going further. We are currently looking at bringing in new tougher laws.
Last week, the Executive published a consultation paper on the new housing bill and I was glad to see that one of the bill’s aims is to tackle anti-social neighbours. It has been suggested that a series of yellow cards before the red card of eviction should be introduced. Another proposal is to give problem tenants short tenancies until they prove they can behave. Only after a year's good behaviour will a full tenancy be offered. Landlords will also be given powers to compulsorily transfer nuisance tenants.
There is no excuse for selfish, anti-social behaviour. And, with the full support of the Parliament, I hope local authorities and the police can stamp it out.
The full text of the consultation paper is available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations/housing/bhsc-00.asp
Do you have problem neighbours? Click here for a list of the legal remedies available to you.
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