By David LennardA FAMILY of five have been evicted from their rented home as part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviour.A woman tenant and her family were evicted from their home in Carlton Colville, near Lowestoft, yesterday by the Suffolk Heritage Housing Association.

By David Lennard

A FAMILY of five have been evicted from their rented home as part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviour.

A woman tenant and her family were evicted from their home in Carlton Colville, near Lowestoft, yesterday by the Suffolk Heritage Housing Association.

The family of five, who have not been named, first had complaints made against them in 1999 and Suffolk Heritage Housing Association, a member of the Flagship Housing Group, has since worked to try to bring peace to the community.

Eventually, an enforcement team specifically tasked with dealing with tenancy disputes and anti-social behaviour cases was brought in.

It worked with lawyers and took legal action to repossess the association's property on the grounds of threatening behaviour towards neighbours, noise pollution, anti-social behaviour of the tenant's children on the estate, the condition of the garden at the property and keeping a dog that caused a nuisance to neighbours.

In December last year the case went to court and a judge awarded Suffolk Heritage Housing Association a 28-day possession order.

That meant the family had to leave the property by January 7, but an appeal was lodged with Norwich County Court, so the eviction order was suspended.

On February 18 Norwich County Court denied leave to appeal and Suffolk Heritage Housing Association subsequently applied for a warrant to evict, which was granted with an eviction date of March 16.

The eviction took place yesterday morning with no reports of any problems, with the woman tenant, her partner and her children all leaving the property.

Caroline Smith, operations director of Suffolk Heritage Housing Association, said: “It is very sad when we have to evict tenants.

“However, we will not tolerate anti-social behaviour and will continue to seek possession to evict unruly tenants who have a flagrant disregard for their neighbours and community.”

The eviction has cost the housing association £5,000. It is also anticipated that “substantial work” will be needed at the property before it can be let again.

Ivan Johnson, group director of housing and care with Flagship Housing Group, said: “Whilst there are obvious costs to the association when a case like this goes to court, it is imperative that our tenants feel safe in their community.

“Anti-social behaviour in any form will not be tolerated by Flagship Housing Group or its group members. At the centre of everything we do is fairness.

“If someone crosses the line of acceptable behaviour, then they can expect to face the full force of the law.”

david.lennard@eadt.co.uk