A NEW licensing scheme for private landlords aims to raise standards and deal with the minority of nuisance tenants.

Middlesbrough Council has been given the power to introduce the scheme for landlords in selected areas to ensure they run their properties properly.

Tenants will now be asked to produce references before they move in, to weed out those who might cause a nuisance to neighbours.

The initiative is aimed particularly at tackling problems in areas where housing renewal projects are being planned.

The council is considering piloting a licensing scheme in the Gresham area of town, and then extending it to other areas of older housing around the town centre after six months.

A voluntary licensing scheme - Shield - already operates in central and west Middlesbrough and 225 landlords have signed up to it.

More than 100 would-be tenants - about one in eight of those interviewed - were refused their keys after failing to provide a satisfactory reference.

Gresham councillor Barry Coppinger, executive member for community safety, said: "Selective licensing can help private landlords raise standards and make a positive contribution to the community.

"We have many good and responsible private landlords and tenants in Middlesbrough, but we know that in some areas, a small anti-social element can cause a disproportionate amount of nuisance in a peaceful neighbourhood.

"A licensing scheme will help us tackle the "revolving door" syndrome which sees tenants being asked to leave one property because of the problems they've caused, just to move to another neighbourhood to cause the same kind of nuisance.

"We know that people want to see anti-social behaviour tackled effectively, and a licensing scheme will be a useful addition to the range of methods we are already using to ensure safe and stable communities."