COUNCIL bosses are to consider introducing a licensing system to tackle unscrupulous landlords.

Pendle Council leader Alan Davies,has tabled a motion for tomorrow's full council calling on the Government to create legislation.

A review of the council's own landlord accreditation scheme, which recommends asking for parliamentary intervention, will be discussed at the same meeting.

Coun Davies' motion states: "This council re-affirms its belief that good private sector landlords should be encouraged and assisted.

"It also believes that the Council's Accreditation scheme and its extension across East Lancashire is of vital importance in providing encouragement and assistance.

"However, it further believes that some landlords cannot be encouraged to improve their property and to this end believes that licensing private sector landlords is the only long-term solution to housing problems caused by landlords and their tenants.

"This council calls on the Government to legislate at the earliest opportunity to introduce such a licensing scheme."

The council's own voluntary scheme, Pendle Landlords and Tenants Accreditation, aims to raise the standards tenants can expect from a rented property.

It has a database of 1,283 landlords who commit to having properties that meet the scheme's requirements.

A bond scheme is also being set up by the accreditation scheme and the council to underwrite deposits for people who cannot afford to pay.

The report into the scheme, carried out by the housing, regeneration and community review committee, also recommends setting up a Good Tenants Register.

More than 100 landlords were involved in setting up the scheme and some of those interviewed for the review complained about anti-social behaviour among tenants and the difficulty of evicting people.