Party's over: Landlords of stag and hen flats face Asbo crackdown

Published on Tuesday 31 August 2010 18:05

Private landlords who run "party flats" in Scotland will be issued with Asbos to clamp down on antisocial behaviour caused by visiting stag and hen parties under plans announced by the Scottish Government.

Ministers are to introduce new legislation that will tighten up the rules governing the flats, as well as amending the existing Antisocial Behaviour Act to make it easier for Asbos to be deployed against the landlords that run them.

Party flats are deemed to be private residences let out on a short-term basis to groups of visitors. At present, the orders can only be served against the people causing the nuisance, making them virtually useless in dealing with excessive noise and drunkenness by groups that typically stay for just a few days.

The move comes after months of campaigning by Edinburgh residents disturbed by stag and hen parties in tenement flats across the city that led to a public petition being lodged with the Scottish Parliament calling for tougher rules to be introduced.

Yesterday, housing and communities minister Alex Neil announced a series of new measures he hopes will lessen the problem.

As well as the use of Asbos, local authorities will be handed the power to limit the number of people staying in a party flat and the operators of the properties will be compelled to provide on-site supervision or a point of contact for local residents to make complaints.

Party flat landlords will also be forced to improve security in their properties, following complaints by residents that large groups sometimes damage shared entrance stairwells.

The announcement was welcomed by Stanley Player, 79, of Edinburgh who lodged the petition with the Scottish Parliament following several bouts of disturbance from flats let to stag groups in his neighbourhood. He said: "We have two party flats (in our area], one of which is in a listed tenement building. We are terrified, not just of the partying and the drink that is consumed, but also about the fabric of the building. We believe this is quite a step forward.

The Labour MSP for Edinburgh Central, Sarah Boyack, who has campaigned for tougher new rules, said she was delighted that action had been taken.

"Good landlords have nothing to fear from this legislation but to all the irresponsible landlords out there, a message has been sent that they are not beyond the grasp of the law," she said.

Mr Neil said: "It is unacceptable that residents have to put up with anti-social behaviour linked to a party flat. That is why this government has decided to introduce a change in the law that will increase powers available to councils to deal with the problem."