Telford and Wrekin local authority has become the first council to postpone its consultation into whether to implement a licensing scheme for landlords until after June 8th.
The consultation will now begin on June 12th.
The news comes as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and shadow housing minister John Healey announced plans to impose wider licensing schemes if the party gains power at the Election.
Healey said Labour would introduce tougher minimum standards and new powers for councils to license landlords.
“Our homes are at the centre of our lives but at the moment renters too often don’t have basic consumer rights that we take for granted in other areas. In practice you have fewer rights renting a family home than you do buying a fridge-freezer,” he said. “ As a result, too many are forced to put up with unacceptable, unfit and downright dangerous housing.
“The number of families renting from a private landlord has soared since 2010 but decisions made by Conservative Ministers have made it easier for a minority of bad landlords to game the system. Most landlords provide decent homes that tenants are happy with, but these rogue landlords are ripping off both renters and the taxpayer by making billions from rent and housing benefit letting out sub-standard homes.”
