Peterborough Council’s selective licensing scheme has uncovered some “horrendous” living conditions since its launch last March.

The authority reports that more than 2,000 faults have been uncovered during inspections of 500 properties, including severe damp and mould, missing smoke detectors, and poor ventilation.

Property inspector Mark Curtis, who works for Home Safe which operates in partnership with the council, tells the BBC that a recent visit was the worst he has witnessed.

“I’ve done hundreds of inspections, but I’ve never seen anything like this,” he says. “Looking at the human side, we’re well aware that a young family is living there – it’s heartbreaking.”

The council’s senior housing compliance officer, Alice Rayner, says some of the properties are a health risk.

“Sleeping eight hours in a room like this, breathing in the spores and moisture is extremely worrying,” she adds. “It’s just horrendous that this is what people are having to live in, day in and day out, especially when there are young children.”

The scheme – charging landlords £908 for a five-year licence - covers 40% of all private rented properties, and covers the Bretton, Central, East, Fletton and Stanground, Fletton and Woodston, North, Orton Waterville, Park, Paston and Walton and Stanground South wards.

Peterborough’s housing compliance manager, Jonathan Hodgson (pictured), believes licensing helps them tackle problem homes.

“We have been asked to make sure we’re clamping down on these poorer landlords. By having additional resources and time to inspect properties we can identify a lot if these issues and take action to remove them from the sector,” he tells the BBC.

However, the scheme has come under criticism from the NRLA. A spokesman says: “When it comes to addressing the minority of rogue and criminal landlords in the private rental market, we need more robust enforcement of existing regulations.”

Pictures: Shutterstock/BBC