Anti-social behaviour in social housing

Anti-social behaviour in social housing means being involved in drug-dealing or in any behaviour that might cause danger, injury, damage or fear to people living in the area, for example, through violence, threats, intimidation or harassment. Local authorities have specific powers to evict anyone who is engaging in anti-social behaviour.

You can apply for an excluding order against a member of your household who is engaging in anti-social behaviour. An excluding order is a legal order that can prevent someone from going somewhere or from having contact with someone. The order may:

• Exclude the person from a specific home or from an entire estate
• Forbid the person from intimidating, harassing or interfering with you or anyone else

It may be difficult for you to do this if you are the victim of the anti-social behaviour. So, the local authority or approved housing body can apply to the District Court for an excluding order against any member of your household who is engaging in anti-social behaviour.

Local authorities can evict you for anti-social behaviour. Your local authority should send you a tenancy warning notice about the anti-social behaviour, before it begins the process to repossess your home. However, the local authority may not need to issue a tenancy warning if there is very serious anti-social behaviour. You can ask for a review of the tenancy warning. If you don’t deal with the anti-social behaviour, the local authority can begin the proceedings to take possession of your home.

If you are evicted, excluded or removed from local authority housing because of anti-social behaviour:

• You may not be accepted on any local authority housing list again
• You may not be allowed to buy your local authority home under a Tenant Purchase Scheme
• The Department of Social Protection may refuse or withdraw Rent Supplement for a private rented dwelling

If you are a local authority tenant who is affected by someone's anti-social behaviour, you should contact your local authority. If you are the tenant of an approved housing body and are affected by someone's anti-social behaviour, you should contact the approved housing body.

There is useful information on our website about neighbour disputes.