A SCHEME which would create a city-wide register of all private rental landlords in Oxford is being tested for public opinion.

Oxford City Council wants to renew a licensing scheme it has run for 10 years which means all landlords of houses in multiple occupation have to register with the authority.

At the same time, it wants to extend this scheme so it covers all landlords who rent out private accommodation in the city.

The aim of this scheme would be to prevent so-called 'rogue landlords' from being able to operate in Oxford, where it is estimated that 49 per cent of all housing stock is now in the private rented sector.

According to the council, approximately a fifth of these private rentals are plagued serious hazards.

READ AGAIN about when the landlord register was first proposed earlier this year

At a meeting on Tuesday, the city council's cabinet, its most senior councillors, agreed the plans should go out to public consultation before they are brought into force next year.

Alex Hollingsworth, cabinet member for planning and housing delivery, said: “We want to bring in licensing across the whole private rented sector to deliver on our plans to protect tenants, drive up standards and crack down on rogue landlords."

He added: “We also believe that licensing all privately rented homes will benefit landlords themselves. Tenants will have the confidence that they are good and responsible landlords as rogue operators are driven out of the market."

The consultation can be found online at the city council's website oxford.gov.uk/propertylicensing