Dudley Council’s recent plans to evict tenants engaged in anti-social behaviour (ASB) are running into challenges, with officers warning of barriers in enforcing the new tough policy.
At the March meeting of the Housing and Assets Scrutiny Committee, councillors discussed a stricter approach that aims to tackle issues such as drug use in council homes through the threat of eviction. However, councillors were told that securing evictions is complex, requiring possession orders granted by courts following criminal prosecutions. Given limited police resources, officers expressed concerns that domestic drug use might be deprioritized, making successful prosecutions—and therefore evictions—difficult.
Councillor Stuart Henley questioned, “If our tenancy agreements prohibit such behaviour, but the police take no action, does that mean we are powerless to intervene?” The council’s Group Director of Housing and Assets responded candidly, “Welcome to our world—it’s really tough. The security of council tenancies protects tenants, but it also makes evicting problematic individuals extremely difficult.”
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To bolster enforcement, Councillor Adam Davies outlined additional resources such as community champions, drone surveillance, and mobile monitoring units aimed at collecting more robust evidence for the police. He emphasized, “We anticipate that greater evidence will lead to more successful prosecutions, and tenants found guilty could lose their tenancies.”
However, enforcement gaps remain. Council housing officers lack the authority to enter properties without consent or warrants and cannot seize suspected drugs. Councillor Luke Johnson highlighted the practical difficulties, noting that while small amounts of cannabis can be legally held for personal use, proving offences is problematic, and by the time the police intervene, evidence often disappears.
Responding, housing officers acknowledged that reports of cannabis smell are frequent but difficult to act on, especially since tobacco smoke is similarly pervasive and legal. Officers will continue issuing warnings and making visits to address concerns rather than ignoring complaints.
Councillor Johnson also cautioned that being transparent about enforcement limitations might inadvertently undermine their efforts. Meanwhile, Dudley’s cabinet member for housing and homelessness, Councillor Ian Bevan, affirmed the council’s commitment to a robust stance, stating, “The policy is intended to discourage misbehaviour. Hopefully, we will eventually amass sufficient evidence for legal action, although success is not guaranteed.”
As Dudley seeks to balance tenant rights with community safety, the effectiveness of these new ASB measures will depend on strengthened collaboration between housing officers and the police amidst existing resource constraints.