A Croydon house known for drug-taking, harassment and antisocial behaviour has been boarded up by council enforcement officers.
On Monday (21 December), the council’s antisocial behaviour enforcement team shut 70 Alford Green in New Addington – just hours after Croydon magistrates agreed a formal closure order.
The council took action in response to ongoing neighbours’ complaints about the property, which included:
• Drug taking
• Visitors who were drunk and abusive to neighbours
• Fighting in the flat and communal areas
• Visitors at all hours regularly ringing neighbours’ buzzers to be let in
• Noise, including loud music, shouting and swearing
Police attended the flat on several occasions in response to complaints about antisocial behaviour. On one occasion several weeks ago they found crack pipes and needles and the tenant admitted having smoked crack in the house but denied using heroin.
The council made several attempts to get the tenant to improve their behaviour, including the tenant signing an acceptable behaviour contract in September 2015 with the tenancy team. This was breached on several occasions which led to the council applying for the closure order. The property will remain shut for three months.
“We do not tolerate anti-social Croydon residents making their neighbours’ lives a misery, and we always take action if they refuse to change their ways.”
Councillor Mark Watson, cabinet member for communities, safety and justice
