An activist group says it’s lobbying local politicians to introduce yet more selective licensing.

And now it’s Reform UK and Conservatives being lobbied as well as those from more predictably pro-licensing parties such as Labour, the Green and the Liberal Democrats.

The Renters Reform Coalition – a loose matrix of 19 largely anti-landlord groups including Generation Rent and some student union bodies – is quoted in the media as saying:  “Renters only have one more month to wait until we get our new rights.

“On 1st May, we’ll be making some noise [on social media] about why we’re so relieved to see the end of section 21, along with all the other changes brought in by the Renters Rights Act. 

“Celebrating the rights we have won is really important – not only because it will help make people aware of their rights, but because it shows that real change can be brought about when we take a stand together.”

And on the subject of thew May 7 local elections, when over a third of councils in England will hold local ballots, the coalition continues: “We can expect plenty of chatter about what the results mean for central government, but these elections are important in their own right. Setting the agenda on the local level is vital for renters across the country.

“We’ll be asking anyone standing to be a councillor to pledge their support for renters by actively tackling disrepair and extending selective landlord licensing schemes.

“These schemes are an important way for councils to know who’s renting in their ward and improve the safety, security, and quality of rented homes in a certain area by forcing landlords to address problems.”

Some Conservative councils have actively promoted selective licensing, although that enthusiasm has waned since the party lost the 2024 General Election.

Reform UK has indicated that it may not support further licensing of landlords, and may row back from elements of the Renters Rights Act if it wins power in future.