Council chiefs are consulting on a scheme which could see all private landlords in the borough having to apply for a licence to rent out their properties.
Under the scheme, known as additional and selective licensing, landlords would have to obtain a £575 five- year licence from Enfield Council to cover every property they own.
In order to secure a licence, landlords would have to provide references from tenants and have in place sufficient health and safety measures, as well as procedures to deal with antisocial behaviour and environmental crime.
The council believes ineffective management of privately rented homes has resulted in heightened levels of antisocial behaviour in the borough.
Ahmet Oykener, the council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “The scheme is designed to tackle antisocial behaviour among tenants, as well as landlords.
“At the moment we don’t have enough powers to force landlords to act, for example when tenants keep putting their rubbish out at the wrong time. By registering landlords we will be able to better enforce standards, for example around gas connections, health and safety and overcrowding.”
Enfield follows Newham Council, in east London, which became the first authority in the country to introduce a compulsory licensing scheme for private landlords last year – an initiative backed by housing charity Shelter.
But the plan has been met with opposition and a petition against it on the council website has been signed by 33 people.
Mel Woodbridge, 55, of Lytton Avenue, Enfield Lock, a landlord with four properties in the borough, said: “Antisocial behaviour usually happens outside the home so I fail to understand how licensing landlords will make a difference.
“There are lots of powers the council already has to tackle it and there is a much bigger problem with this on council estates.
“I understand there are unscrupulous landlords out there, but why should decent landlords pay for the bad apples?”
Mr Woodbridge said he was also intending to start a petition against the proposals.
The council estimates that there are 27,500 private rented properties across the borough, making up around 20 per cent of all homes – more than double the size of the sector compared to a decade ago.
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