There is still time for people to make their voice heard on Barking and Dagenham Council’s landlord licensing scheme – joining the hundreds of others who have already had their say.

The initiative requires all private landlords to purchase a licence if they intend to rent their home out, allowing the council to make sure all properties meet a certain standard and are safe for people to live in.

The five-year scheme was in introduced in 2014, but expires next year, so the council has been asking for people’s feedback on new proposals. More than 60 rogue landlords have been prosecuted over the last four years.

Make your voice heard

Councillor Margaret Mullane, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety, urged everyone to have their say.

“You don’t need to be a renter to be affected by a privately rented property – it could be that you are experiencing a house with several cars parked outside or producing more rubbish than their bin can cope with. Make your voice heard and fill out the survey before it’s too late!” said Cllr Mullane

Around 30 per cent of all homes in the borough belong to private landlords.

Cllr Mullane added: “Private landlords are a vital part of the housing puzzle, and we want to work with them to make sure the people living in our borough have a safe place to call their home. We urge everyone to have their say.