The government has given the green light to a council’s huge licensing scheme, set to cover 18 of its 20 wards and starting on May 1.

Waltham Forest council, in its pitch to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, said there was evidence over 8,000 rented homes contained significant hazards. 

A borough-wide selective licensing scheme was first launched in Waltham Forest in April 2015 and ends on March 31 this year; there will be a one month period in which there will be no scheme, before the new one begins on May 1. 

Under its old scheme, now approaching its end, the council says it has issued more than 149 Civil Penalties and over 50 interim management orders; pursued 94 prosecutions, resulting in more than £323,000 in court-imposed fines. 

It also claims credit for improving the condition of over 3,100 homes in the private rental sector.

Under the new regime starting this spring, there will be an early-bird discount for landlords signing up before the end of July.