In 2015 Liverpool City Council launched the hugely successful Landlord Licensing Scheme which allowed them to tackle rogue landlords and support exploited tenants. It was announced earlier this week that the callous Tory Government has rejected Liverpool Council’s application to extend the scheme.

This scheme has been essential in forcing dodgy landlords to fix major hazards like electrical faults, fire safety violations, and excessive cold. Since it was introduced the council has carried out over 37,000 compliance actions, issued more than 2,500 legal and fixed penalty notices and prosecuted almost 250 landlords.

Without the scheme, the council will not have the same powers to gain access to properties to carry out inspections and enforcement, and the capacity to carry out proactive enforcement will be severely diminished. Rather than scrapping the scheme in Liverpool, the Tories should be trying to implement it across the country.

Mayor Joe Anderson has written to the Government to demand the Landlord Licensing Scheme is allowed to continue. I have also tabled Parliamentary questions asking the Secretary of State for Housing why he has it down despite its clear success. It is clear to me that the Tories would rather side with rogue landlords than mistreated tenants.