Islington council wants to crackdown on slum landlords who keep their tenants in poor conditions.
It has drafted extended regulations for landlords letting the approximately 900 houses in multiple occupation (HMO), along Caledonian road and the Holloway road.
Speaking to Islington Now, Labour councillor Osh Gantly said the legislation was needed because “landlords are abusing tenants”.
Council inspectors who examined shared private housing in the two roads found that 68 per cent of the properties were of concern.
They found whole families living in single rooms as well as a severe shortage of central heating. Many of the properties had fire safety hazards and no fire alarms.
The inspectors also found that one in four had rodent infestations.
Mr Gantly described the conditions as “pre-war tenement living”.
Caledonian Road was the worst offender, with 73 per cent of HMOs categorised as “poorly managed” by the council.
Sixty-four per cent of properties in Holloway Road were also ranked “poorly managed”.
Currently regulations only apply to HMOs shared by five or more people over three floors. New regulations means that any shared accommodation along Caledonian and Holloway Roads must be licenced.
Landlords will have to pay a fee and undergo regular inspections. “They are the only ones opposing the new scheme,” said Mr Gantly.
If approved, the changes will be brought in next spring.
