Proposals have been brought forward by Wandsworth council in London to set up a review into the feasibility of introducing discretionary landlord licensing.

A statement from the authority says the private rented sector continues to grow significantly in London as a whole and now constitutes nearly a third of all housing stock in Wandsworth.

The council says: “The standards of delivery within the private rented sector can vary widely – while most are responsible and upstanding, there exists a rogue landlord element that deliver substandard, and sometimes overcrowded and dangerous dwellings which has a knock-on effect to the wider community in the form of anti-social behaviour, noise nuisance and other associated problems.”

Now, pending approval from the council’s executive, it is to assess possible additional and selective licensing.

It claims that potential benefits of such a scheme could include improvement in the condition and quality of properties in the private rented sector; the prevention of absentee or unfit landlords; increased responsibility required of landlords in the management of behaviour of their tenants; and, increased support for tenants.

A council spokesperson says: “We have a commitment to all of our residents to ensure that they are in safe, secure and well-managed homes.”