Moves are underway to make landlords get licences to privately rent homes in Southampton.

Southampton City Council is exploring the scheme, but needs cash to fund a survey of up to 20,000 private properties before introducing the measures.

It had previously budgeted £250,000 for a company to do this, but was told double that would be needed. This has now increased to £600,000 due to inflation.

Shared properties - houses in multiple occupation - are not included in this as they come under a different licensing scheme.

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Carrying out the survey was one of the key recommendations to come from last winter’s scrutiny inquiry on getting a better deal for private rental sector tenants.

At a meeting of the overview and scrutiny management committee on November 21, deputy leader Cllr Simon Letts said : “We could argue that the government should supply us that money [for the survey] and I will be arguing that.

“In the mean time we can’t wait for that, I think we’ve got to move quicker.”

The cabinet member for finance and corporate services added that it "would require a “significant investment of one-off revenue money”.

“The challenge we have here is can we find revenue money to invest into a stock condition survey ahead of bringing in a wider licensing scheme,” Cllr Letts said.

“Should we do it now or should we wait to see the government position to see if there will be financial support from government for inspection of privately rented homes for the purposes of improving their insulation.”

Dr Mark Jordan and Professor Helen Carr, from the Research Centre on People, Property, Community at University of Southampton’s Law School, spoke at the committee meeting.

Both academics took an active role in the scrutiny inquiry and have previously said they are willing to support the council.

Professor Carr said other local authorities had funded stock condition surveys through money released from government.

Dr Jordan said the results of a survey could have wider benefits if mapped alongside deprivation and health outcome data.

The scrutiny committee approved a recommendation to cabinet on Tuesday stating: “Reflecting its importance to targeting future activity, cabinet explores all opportunities to identify and commit the resources required to procure a stock condition survey as soon as possible.”