WE HAVE all seen it over the past few years — streets once boasting houses with families living in harmony with another being snapped up by landlords and turned into bedsits.

It used to be close to the town centres but slowly and surely the transformation has crept into some of the more residential areas of the Bay.

It has to be emphasised that people have to have somewhere to live and affordable housing is a problem in the resort.

It also has to be said the vast majority of landlords look after their properties and their tenants and most of the majority of tenants are also law-abiding people.

But there are some property owners — especially the so-called absentee landlords — who don't really give a damn about living conditions or what their tenants get up to.

Raking in the rent is all that matters. Harmony becomes hell.

Now moves are under way to tackle the problem and make landlords answerable in law.

Two recent high-profile cases saw properties in Torquay closed down by the police and their partnership agencies using anti-social behaviour laws.

Tenants were banned from the houses as part of the process.

But some say the legislation should go further.

They want to see ASLOs — anti-social landlord orders — brought in as well as ASBOs.

The initiative is being led by Torbay councillor Robert Excell (pictured), a businessman in Torre and a landlord himself.

He has already enlisted the support of two community associations.

Cllr Excell says: "Everybody should be able to live in harmony with their neighbours.

"If landlords know tenants are causing problems and do nothing about it they should be brought to task and prosecuted."

He added: "Somebody told me recently that their son could not sleep because of the smell of cannabis seeping up through the floor boards.

"This went on for months before it was dealt with.

"Landlords should make sure their tenants are not breaking the law.

"If I have a property which is being used for drugs or prostitution, and I am accepting rent, I should be prosecuted.

"I know these people have to be looked after and have somewhere to live, but they should be managed properly.

"There are problems everywhere. The council is trying to deal with it and we as an administration are trying to deal with it.

"People should not be living in fear. They have a right to a bit of comfort."

Torbay Council has confirmed the current laws do not cover troublesome landlords.

An official explained that under the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008, premises closure orders allow the courts to temporarily close premises associated with significant and persistent disorder or persistent serious nuisance.

She said the powers aren't actual ASBOs, but are from the same range as those under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act.

She added: "Landlords cannot be held responsible in law for the actions of their tenants, unless such an action affects another tenant of that landlord in the same property and the landlord fails to act in accordance with their obligation under the tenancy agreement. This would be a civil matter between the landlord and the tenant and, therefore, Torbay Council would not apply for an ASBO against a landlord to control the actions of their tenants."

Cllr Excell owns flats in Torquay and has had problems with one of his tenants in the past.

He says: "I got the police involved and it was soon dealt with. That's how it should be.

"Drug dealing and all sorts of things were going on. I reported it to the police and they were out within a week."

Cllr Excell has two community groups in Torquay — ROTH (Residents on the Hill) and the Concerned Communities Association (Belgravia) — on board as he bids to 'take the fight against anti-social behaviour to the landlords of unruly tenants and their properties'.

He says: "The idea is a very simple one — any landlord who allows his property to be used for any illegal or anti-social activities will be targeted and penalised by the enforcement agencies by the imposition of an ASLO.

"This would be an order against any landlord who allows illegal activities or anti-social behaviour to continue in any property and would impose within a very short timeframe a scale of penalties unless immediate remedial action is taken."

He has formed a working party of local businesses and residents primarily in the Belgravia, Torre, Warren Road and Rock Road areas of Torquay to move their plans forward and see ASLOs implemented.

Cllr Excell is now asking for feedback from the public on his plans, especially from people who suffer at the hands of unruly tenants.

He can be reached on 07811 965194 and is, I suspect, in for quite a busy time answering the phone.