A selective licensing scheme was approved by the council’s Executive on Thursday, will cover 5,400 homes in the three wards, Finsbury Park, Tollington and Hillrise, tripling the old Finsbury Park scheme it replaces. It applies to all privately rented houses or flats in the three wards that are occupied by a single person, two people sharing, or any number of people forming a single household.

Cllr Una O’Halloran, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Homes and Communities, said: “We want everyone in Islington to have a safe, decent and genuinely affordable place to call home, and we will stand up for private renters let down by the Government.  

“While the vast majority of Islington’s landlords are responsible and let good quality homes, renters have told us that many others are riddled with safety and other issues, while their rent continues to soar. 

“This new licensing scheme will mean landlords must do more in hazard hotspots to protect tenants – or face action from our enforcement team.”

Government rules mean the council can only introduce a licensing scheme that covers up to 20% of the borough without applying to ministers for special permission.

The new scheme is set to come into force in January 2024, following a statutory notification process. Islington has two other separate landlord licensing schemes to protect private renters who live in shared accommodation. More details are available on the council’s website.