For a definition of anti-social behaviour and possible examples, see our factsheet. [PDF, 621 KB]

If a tenant (or a person in the premises with the tenant’s permission) displays anti-social behaviour, the landlord can issue a notice. If anti-social behaviour occurs on three separate occasions within a 90-day period, the landlord can then apply to the Tribunal for termination of the tenancy.

The landlord must issue a valid notice for anti-social behaviour following each occasion.

The notice must clearly describe:

• the specific behaviour considered to be anti-social
• who engaged in the anti-social behaviour (if this is known to the landlord)
• the date, approximate time and location of the behaviour
• how many other notices (if any) have been issued in connection to anti-social behaviour at the same tenancy within the same 90-day period, and
• the tenant’s right to challenge the notice in the Tribunal.

See the notice of anti-social behaviour template.

The landlord must apply to the Tenancy Tribunal to end the tenancy within 28 days of giving the third notice to the tenant.

There remains existing reasons that landlords can apply to terminate a tenancy for tenant behaviour, for example threats of violence towards the landlord or their family, or threats to cause substantial damage to the property. Landlords have these options for periodic tenancies, fixed-term tenancies and boarding house tenancies.

We have produced a decision tool that provides information about the options available to landlords in dealing with violent, threatening, distressing or anti-social behaviour from tenants, including using 14-day notices to remedy.