Stand up to the tenants from hell

Under new plans under discussion, anti-social tenants would be put on probation for up to 18 months, during which time they could be evicted for causing a nuisance or annoyance. Good news, if Town Hall bosses have the bottle to carry out their threats!

Cllr David Wilkinson, Executive Member for Housing Strategy, says: "It is time for the council to get tough with neighbourhood yobs". Hear! Hear! But then he wavers by saying, "We will have to consider this carefully because we do not want to cause problems by making people homeless".

How long do councillors need to procrastinate on a problem that has escalated over the past decade, and which is now totally unacceptable in many areas of our town?

When will councillors realise that tenants evicted for anti-social behaviour, or for not adhering to the conditions of tenancy, have, in effect, made themselves homeless?

If tenants cannot accept the responsibility of living in a decent community, then they have no rights to be allowed to do so. Once nuisance tenants realise that we have a zero tolerance council, who will not put up with bad behaviour, or those tenants who do not look after the properties they live in, then attitudes will quickly change. It is only because these tenants are allowed to get away with it that this problem exists.

I hope David Wilkinson has more bottle than his predecessor, Noel Spencer, and stands up for decent tenants.

As for Cllr Noel Spencer's remark that, "Our tenants highly value their secure contracts, and this (new plan) might not be right for Bolton".

Words almost fail me! Secure contracts to do whatever they want?

Oh yes, we all know the type of tenant who highly values these! Contracts should only be secure for tenants who abide by the rules, and who act in a responsible way towards their neighbours.

Cllr Spencer has defended the "modern lifestyle" of nuisance neighbours for too long. It is time for the council to get tough!

Brian Derbyshire

Ribchester Grove

Bolton