Landlords in one of London’s biggest boroughs face a new selective schemes following a consultation.

Lambeth coiuncil has revealed that it wants to introduce a £923 per property scheme in 23 of its 25 wards, making it the most expensive in the UK.

This will begin in September 2024 with a four-ward scheme in the southern and poorest end of the borough (Streatham Common & Vale, Knight’s Hill, Streatham St Leonard’s and Streatham Hill East).

The scheme will not need permission from central government but the borough then wants to add a further 19 wards in 2025, which will require the Secretary of State for housing’s approval.

The phased approach is to allow the council to prepare and develop its team and technology, and to tackle the area with the worst housing conditions, it says.

Lambeth says it wants to hear the views of landlords, tenants and letting agents on the scheme.

Local landlords will no doubt wonder why Lambeth has decided to charge so much given most other boroughs charge around £700. Lambeth has form here – it already operates London’s most expensive HMO licencing scheme.

Cllr Maria Kay (pictured), Cabinet Member for Housing & Homelessness, says: “We have already taken significant action to tackle poor standards in the private rented sector, and although most landlords operating in Lambeth provide our residents with decent, well managed and safe homes, we continue to uncover renters living in hazardous and unacceptable conditions.”

The licence will require landlords to meet 22 conditions and, if they are not able to, must use a letting agent or other third party to run the property instead.

The consultation runs until Monday 4 March 2023.