The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has published proposals for the creation of a property passport, which it says would crack down on the availability sub-standard housing.

This comes as the government says that the existing decent homes standard should include the private rented sector as well as social housing, which it currently covers.

The NRLA envisions the passport as covering four sections: property ID, evidence of fitness, a logbook for renovations – which would include details of the property’s energy efficiency rating – and a decent homes-class assessment.

All safety certificates would be bundled with the passport and every document would be accessible online by the tenant.

Underneath the NRLA’s plans, the veracity of each property’s passport would be enforced by local authorities, with an “independent organisation” overseeing this.

NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle comments: “We want to make it easier for the vast majority of compliant landlords to prove to tenants what they already do, namely providing decent and safe housing. Those who do not would have no option other than to shape up or ship out.

“This would be based on proving compliance with existing laws, not creating new regulations. With almost 170 laws affecting the private rented sector it can hardly be dubbed the wild west. What is needed is better understanding and enforcement of this existing legislation.”