A scheme that forces landlords to hold licences will be subject to a judicial review following a decision at the Court of Appeal.

The High Court ruled last month that only part of landlord Constantinos Regas's application to bring a judicial review against Enfield Borough Council's licensing scheme was to proceed.

The scheme, known as additional and selective licensing, requires landlords to hold a £500 five-year licence from the local authority for each property they own.

Non-registration would carry a potential £20,000 fine and a criminal record, with breach of any licence conditions carrying a £5,000 fine.

Mr Regas was granted to proceed on the "additional licensing" part, which covers all shared privately rented property in the borough, and not the "selective licensing" that covers single household privately rented properties.

However, Lord Justice Kim Lewison has breathed new life back into Mr Regas’s case by ordering that a challenge to selective licensing is "arguable" and that it should be added to the existing judicial review.

Mr Regas said: "I have always said that I believe that good housing conditions are a human right. But I object to the sustained demonisation of private tenants as 'antisocial' and the council's desperate cherry-picking of data to try and back up its argument.

"We all want good standards but the council has not engaged with us or listened to us all these months.

"They should exercise their existing statutory duties to enforce against rogue landlords and antisocial behaviour. This licensing scheme is bad for landlords and bad for tenants and has made a mockery of democracy."

Council cabinet members last week ratified its decision on the additional licensing scheme despite the court case.

An Enfield Borough Council spokesman said: "Enfield Council remains committed to vigorously defending any challenge to plans to introduce much needed licensing of the Private Rented Sector, we have been successful once in court and our expert independent legal advice is that we will be again."

The judicial review is now to be heard at the High Court on Wednesday, November 26.