Lewisham Council is making a “strong case” for its landlord licensing scheme to further protect tenants from poor living conditions, Mayor Damien Egan has said.

The council is running a public consultation before it makes an application to the secretary of state.

More than a quarter of homes in Lewisham are privately-rented properties.

National licensing guidelines see landlords apply for a licence to rent buildings with five or more tenants who are not from one household, and who share kitchen, bathroom and toilet.

Lewisham Council extended the regulations, making landlords also need licensing to let multiple-occupant rentals above shops.

But some landlords illegally evict tenants or claim they are from the same family in order to get around the rules, according to a council report.

If the borough-wide licensing scheme is approved it would mean that all privately rented properties would be licensable.

Mayor Egan said: “We want to get every single private landlord in Lewisham to have to have a mandatory license in order to rent out properties.

“We know that the national government are not the most inclined to go with landlord licensing and the landlord lobby is a very strong one, however we are building a very strong case.”

A number of landlords had responded to the council’s consultation but more tenants views were needed, he said.

“Part of that [making a case] is we need local residents to…support the public consultation that is out.

“You see there are adverts going around the borough trying to get people to sign up to it.

“We know landlords are replying to this consultation, and surprise, surprise - they will be saying that we don’t need a licensing scheme,” he added.

If approved, the scheme would cover the borough for five years.

The consultation closes on August 20.

For more information visit www.lewisham.gov.uk/renting