News that the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) is in discussions with housing minister Matthew Pennycook regarding the proposed landlord database is a move that should be welcomed by many in the private rented sector (PRS), according to Phil Turtle, of Landlord Licensing and Defence.

Turtle says the initiative could be a “potential game-changer”, offering a more effective way to monitor the PRS and potentially ending the need for selective licensing schemes.

He says the NRLA should back his call for the government to adopt a property licensing model similar to Jersey’s, where a rental property licence costs just £60 for two years and all the necessary landlord documents are checked to ensure compliance with rules and laws.

This, says Turtle, would mean that landlords in England and Wales would need to provide valid Gas Safety certificates, detailed floorplans and other required documentation to obtain a licence.

Mr Turtle said: “A database that records all legally required documentation makes it harder for criminal landlords to operate, eliminating the need for selective licensing.

“Most landlord properties are not inspected under the current scheme, and landlords face hefty fines for minor issues. Councils often overstep their authority, enforcing their own rules rather than the law.

“Reports from the Housing Ombudsman show that councils do not regularly inspect or care for their own properties.”

Turtle adds: “Jersey’s scheme offers better value, checking documents every two years, which benefits tenants. The scheme applies to every rental property without any unnecessary complications.”

Turtle is calling for the scrapping of selective licensing in favour of the Jersey model under the Labour government’s proposed Renters’ Rights Bill.

He said: “There is no justification for any selective licence to cost more than £60 for two years. If it does, it’s either a money-raising scheme for the council or a sign of council inefficiency.

“Councils are simply exploiting landlords, but the Labour government has an opportunity to support both landlords and tenants with the Renters’ Rights Bill and the proposed landlord database.

“While not every landlord may agree, we should at least see the end of councils providing a costly and ineffective service that ultimately leads to higher rents for tenants. Labour must support this change.”