Review into landlord licencing in Wandsworth to be debated

The Private Rented Sector continues to grow significantly in London, providing a crucial role in meeting the housing requirements of residents. In Wandsworth, the Private Rented Sector constitutes nearly a third of all housing stock in the borough.

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.

If these proposals are approved by the Executive Committee, the council will begin a review into assessing the need of additional and selective licencing within the Private Rented Sector.

In the committee report, it is noted that some of the 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.

Councillor Aydin Dikerdem, Cabinet Member for Housing, said:

“As a council, we have a commitment to all of our residents to ensure that they are in safe, secure and well-managed homes. That is why we are looking to increase support for tenants by recommending this review into discretionary licences in the Private Rented Sector.”