Council vote on tighter rules for private landlords

Private landlords across Great Yarmouth would have to meet certain standards set out by the scheme, if it gets voted through next month

Councillors have been recommended to back a new licensing scheme covering 5,000 privately-rented properties to help improve housing conditions in a town.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council said the scheme - which includes new measures to inspect properties - would apply to houses across the wards of Nelson, Central and Northgate, Southtown and Cobholm and Yarmouth North in the Norfolk town.

It would replace a programme that covered 1,500 properties, which landlords have previously criticised as being costly and of little effect.

Paul Wells, a Conservative councillor and portfolio holder for licensing, said it would "allow [the authority] to more effectively deal with a range of issues".

The council - which no party has overall control - will vote on the new programme on 2 December and if approved it has been proposed to start next year.

Wells said the scheme would mean the council could improve the ways it tackled health hazards and overcrowding to ensure "good housing".

''We would be able to systematically inspect properties to make sure things like gas and electric certification are up to date, rather than simply reacting to complaints as we currently do," Wells said.

''Where necessary, we could refuse to issue a licence and hold people accountable," he added.

Paul Wells says health hazards and overcrowding have been a "real problem" for some tenants

When the new scheme was originally revealed, landlords raised concerns that inspection visits every three months would invade tenants' privacy.

They also feared landlord fees for the council-run scheme - which is not allowed to make a profit - would be passed on to renters.

The council said as a result of feedback, landlords would be required to inspect homes every six months instead, and the proposed licence fee for landlords had been cut by £90 to £694.

It said its report stated there was "little evidence" to show there had been rent rises prompted by licence fees in other parts of the country with similar schemes.