A crackdown on poor living conditions in some of the most deprived communities are leading to rising tensions with claims it will lead to an increase in the number of asylum seekers.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) is looking to introduce tougher regulations for more than 5,000 properties in parts of the coastal town through a selective licensing scheme.
It will mean the council can carry out more inspections on private rental accommodation in three wards and can issue fines for poor conditions.
But the Eastern Landlords Association has warned the move is "the final straw" that will prompt its members to sell up to organisations offering asylum seeker accommodation.
Paul Cunningham, chairman of the group, said: "Some of Great Yarmouth's landlords with the largest portfolio of homes are considering serving Section 21 notices to evict tenants.
"They are then considering selling their properties to Serco, which provides accommodation for asylum seekers.
"This could mean more people looking to the council to be rehomed and more asylum seekers being housed here."
Mr Cunningham said the interference from the council, the extra administrative burden of the scheme and new rules imposed by the government's Renters' Reform bill are pushing landlords to the brink.
Asylum seekers being housed in Great Yarmouth has been a sensitive issue for the town.
GYBC took legal action against Serco and other organisations after learning of the intention to use seafront hotels to accommodate asylum seekers.
It resulted in a High Court case, which GYBC won to prevent this from happening in order to protect the tourism industry in the town.
Paul Wells, cabinet member for licensing at the Conservative-controlled GYBC, has attacked Mr Cunningham's "threat" and has defended the project.
"No good landlord has anything to fear from this scheme - which operates successfully in many other areas - only those who want to hide the rooms full of mould and other horrendous cases our environmental health officers find regularly.
"I have even seen an opponent to this proposal resort to thinly veiled threats about doing deals with Serco rather than having a serious conversation about improving standards in the industry.
"That is deeply disappointing, and I would encourage people to constructively engage with us in the best interests of everyone."
'IMPROVING LIVES'
At a cabinet meeting this week, members agreed to progress with the policy, which could be introduced following a public consultation period later this month.
A selective licensing scheme, which gives GYBC more powers to tackle health hazards, overcrowding and more property inspections in private rental properties, was introduced in the Nelson ward in Yarmouth five years ago.
The authority now wants to expand it to incorporate areas surrounding Cobholm and Southtown and Central and Northgate as well - areas which have a higher percentage of rental properties in "poor condition".
Senior Conservatives have also voiced scepticism, warning that the earlier scheme had problems with enforcement of the new rules, leaving some tenants stuck in unhealthy living environments.
Some tenants said conditions failed to improve despite inspections.
Graham Plant, deputy leader, said at a cabinet meeting this week: "Enforcement was lamentable last time. If we are going to do this, we need to do what is needed to improve the lives of people living in these circumstances.
"Some people are living in conditions which they have no power to change, this is the power we can use to make their lives better.
"I would like to come back to this in a year's time and see how it has made lives better."
The project could come into force later this year following a public consultation, beginning later this month, which will give people the chance to have their say on the proposals.
Similar schemes are in force in towns and cities across the UK.
It requires a £784 licence fee from landlords, less than £15 a month per property over the full five years of the scheme.
Mr Wells added: "We have learnt a lot of lessons from the previous scheme and are looking to build something very different - better for residents and better for landlords.
"l look forward to hearing the views of all landlords so we can ensure it is properly focused."
Share