Landlords in the UK have a duty of care for their tenants and are obliged to ensure that their properties are well-maintained and safe for occupation. While the vast majority of tenants will be honest and hard-working, it’s important to take steps to minimise the risk of illegal activity when renting out your home – but what are common examples of illegal activities committed by tenants and how can landlords best address and prevent these?

What are the illegal tenant activities that could damage properties and affect the community?

Under the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, landlords must ensure that their tenants’ activities do not pose any harm to immediate neighbours and the wider community – examples of this could include drug misuse or drug dealing, illegal parking, excessive noise, and violent behaviour. Drug cultivation in privately rented properties is becoming a more common problem in the UK, with a huge increase in the number of cannabis farms found across London in 2019-2020; while a cannabis cultivation operation in your rented home may not always be obvious, typical signs of a potential cannabis farm include irregular electricity use or bypassed electricity meters, obscured windows, bright lights, generator noise and a strong smell of cannabis in and around the property. Other common examples of illicit activities conducted in private properties include illegal subletting schemes, prostitution and brothel businesses, human trafficking and illegal gambling dens or bookmakers.

How can landlords address illegal tenant activities?

One of the easiest ways to prevent illegal activity in your rented property is by thoroughly vetting and checking new tenants – you’ll need to check their identity and eligibility to live and work in the UK, as well as their recent accommodation history, employment history and references, however, be aware that criminals and gangs may use seemingly innocent tenants to seal property rental deals. While it might be tempting to accept cash offers upfront, treat these with caution, especially if the potential tenant is eager to pay months of rent in advance. Before accepting any lodgers or renters in your property, make sure that you invest in a suitable landlord insurance plan to prevent financial loss, just in case the worst should happen. Once your tenants have moved in, ensure that you conduct regular checks of your property and keep an eye out for anything untoward when making inspections – take any complaints or notices from residents seriously and remember that the property is your responsibility. If you have reason to believe that your tenants have committed a crime or are running an illegal business, don’t hesitate to challenge them and undertake the necessary procedures for serving warnings and notice evictions