Toilet in shower found in 'dangerous' Oxford rented homes

This toilet and sink had been plumbed into a shower

All of a city's privately rented homes could be added to a register after inspectors found toilets in showers and garden sheds being used as rooms.

Oxford City Council said a new licensing scheme would help maintain a minimum standard.

Currently just houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in Oxford need to be registered with the authority.

But the National Landlords Association said the new scheme could "push the most vulnerable out" of the city.

The council plans to use £71,000 of government money to increase its enforcement powers across the city's 20,000 privately rented homes.

It said that would pay for monitoring and for a new lawyer to tackle rogue landlords.

Council officers found sheds and outhouses which had been rented out for people to live in

A hole was found in the floor of one bathroom

If the authority's plan is approved by the government, landlords could need to apply and pay for a council licence from later this year or 2021.

The council said there was already an emerging trend of rogue landlords "deliberately dodging" the current HMO scheme and renting out "dangerous or sub-standard properties".

Since 2017, it has issued 57 fines for HMO-related offences, some relating to "cramped and unsafe properties".

The council hopes its HMO scheme can be rolled out to all private landlords

Deputy council leader Linda Smith: "We have found countless examples across Oxford of homes where even the most basic of standards have not been met and vulnerable tenants have been left in illegal and dangerous conditions."

But Gavin Dick, a local authority policy officer for the National Landlords Association, said the scheme could drive up rents.

"The reality is Oxford will become more expensive and push the most vulnerable out again as we've seen before," he said.

What is an HMO?

• At least three tenants live there, forming more than one household

• Tenants share a toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities with other tenants

• Oxford is estimated to have 5,240 HMOs

Room with a view?

The council said some tenants had to sub-let the property to pay the bills