LANDLORDS across the city could face new restrictions under plans to require licences for thousands of homes in Oxford.

Oxford City Council says it wants to extend its houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) licensing scheme to include all types of rented properties.

It requires landlords to make sure their properties meet fire, electric and gas safety standards and be in a good state of repair, with the council able to require them to make improvements after inspections.

The new scheme would apply to all rented properties in just 20 per cent of the city at first but the local authority could apply to the Government to extend it further, a council spokesman said.

It is estimated there are about 15,000 rented properties in the city, with about 10,000 not covered by a licensing scheme.

The council said it already carried out about 250 inspections of private rented properties each year, but had not decided yet whether it would require inspections of all properties before licensing them.

Landlords this morning said they supported higher standards but warned extra costs would be passed on to tenants.

Nick Newman, of Headington, said: "It is going to create a lot of extra bureaucracy and, administratively, I would think it will be very challenging to do.

"The intention sounds good and I am fully supportive, but licences mean extra costs for landlords and that will be passed on to tenants in rents."

North Oxford property specialist Robin Swailes added: "It should improve the quality of rented properties.

"The higher the barrier for entry, the more professional landlords become."

But city council officer Ian Wright said there was "no evidence" to suggest rents would go up.

He added: "There is no doubt that the city council needs to increase the number of privately rented property inspections it is doing.

"There are indications that the property conditions in the private rent sector are a cause for concern and this scheme would bring about significant improvements."

Since the HMO licensing scheme was introduced in 2011, inspectors have carried out almost 20,000 visits to properties and responded to about 3,000 complaints.

They have also placed 80,000 requirements for improvements on landlords, which the council estimates has led to more than £3.2m being spent.

It recognises ‘good’ landlords and rewards them with lower fees, as well as five-year licences.