IF an anti-social order is awarded against a tenant the court can dictate their lives. It could mean the offending tenant losing not only their home but possibly even their children. Though the vast majority are peace-loving, good neighbours, the odd one or two can make life very difficult for everyone around them, Councillor Chrissie Cumming told the August meeting of Merkinch Community Council.

COUNCILLOR Chrissie Cumming told Merkinch Community Council’s August meeting that parts of Glendoe Terrace had been “hell on earth” for the last nine months, all because of a very few difficult tenants. “I’m worn down - my constituents must be going demented,” she said. One woman had lost three stone with worry and some people had actually been offered the chance of respite elsewhere, but had refused to be driven from their homes.
One household had had its music system confiscated twice after complaints from neighbours.
Police confirmed that anti-social orders gave the courts a lot of power. They had hopes of a good outcome of the current applications for orders in the pipeline. “We are getting there with antisocial orders. If the current situation is resolved the way we hope it will be a benchmark.
“The more we get the more we will get,” said PC Alasdair Stewart. “The first is the most difficult. What we need is a high profile case.”
Members heard that the delays with antisocial orders were because of the system.
Mrs Cumming said the police had been doing a superb job, and stressed that it was vital that people continued to stand up and be counted as far as antisocial neighbours were concerned.