THE Town Hall will expand its property licensing scheme to give “thousands more residents” stronger legal protections.

Under the scheme, landlords must register with the council for a licence, which the Town Hall says will ensure they meet minimum standards on “safety, repairs, security, waste management and tenant information”.

It was first introduced across the Finsbury Park, Hillrise and Tollington wards, and will now be expanded across the borough in November. Barnsbury, Caledonian, Highbury, Junction, Laycock, Mildmay and Tufnell Park will benefit from the changes.

Failure for landlords to meet licence conditions could result in fines and penalties.

Cllr Jason Jackson, the Town Hall’s housing chief, said: “Our aim is for homes in the private rented sector to be high-quality, low-carbon, affordable and environmentally friendly.

“We want our residents to have a good choice of quality homes in clean, safe and vibrant neighbourhoods and for landlords to be responsible and meet their obligations to their tenants.”

Dan Newcombe, from renters’ union Acorn Islington, welcomed the council’s decision and said it was a “step in the right direction” to regulate the private rental market. He called on the council to expand the policy across the rest of the borough and to consider rent controls, adding: “Wider selective licensing is an improvement in renters’ protection in the borough. We see sub-standard conditions and rogue landlords getting away with dodgy practices far too often.

“We welcome this step in achieving stricter regulations for landlords. However we need to go further. We are calling for more widespread changes, as well as rent controls.”

Cllr Jackson said it was true that many private renters faced “poor conditions and rising rents”, and that the policy would look to aid this.

He added: “Islington is a popular place to rent with nearly a third of homes in Islington privately rented, and the council is committed to standing alongside renters who too often face poor conditions and rising rents. The licensing schemes are a key part of that commitment, targeting areas where renters are most vulnerable and ensuring landlords meet their responsibilities.”

Landlords can now apply for licences from the council.