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Rogue landlords will be “named and shamed” by a new online database set up to protect London’s two million private renters.

They will be able to check whether prospective landlords and letting agents have been previously prosecuted for housing offences before they move into a property.

They will also be able to report suspected rogue landlords and agents whose accommodation and service falls below acceptable legal standards.

The New York City-style database, to be published on the Mayor’s website, will enable councils across the capital to easily share information on enforcement and investigations and act as a deterrent.

Initially the scheme will be developed with six councils — Newham, Brent, Camden, Southwark, Kingston and Sutton — but others are expected to join after the launch this autumn.

Town hall enforcement teams will be able to access detailed information about actions taken against dishonest landlords and agents.

In 2013, Newham became the first council to be granted borough-wide licensing powers for rented properties and it has since prosecuted more than 1,000 criminal landlords, banning 28 from operating.

It comes as Sadiq Khan announced plans for a new Homes for Londoners property portal on the City Hall website which aims to bring together in one place details of affordable homes to rent or buy.

He said: “I refuse to stand by as thousands of Londoners suffer sky-high rents and horrendous living conditions in a city they call home.

“I’ve seen first hand the abysmal conditions that some of London’s private renters are forced to endure as a result of rogue landlords.”

Seb Klier, of the Generation Rent pressure group, said: “This new initiative will empower renters by allowing them to check if a landlord has committed a recent housing offence, and it will put the capital’s worst offenders on red alert, letting them know that if they mistreat their tenants, they will be exposed.”

Earlier this month local authorities were given extra powers by the Government to crack down on rogue landlords, including the ability to issue fines of up to £30,000.

High demand as a result of the housing crisis means some landlords exploit tenants by putting them in cramped and often unsafe homes.

One raid by council officers in Brent last year found 31 migrants in a four-bedroom house, and a recent survey found six out of ten private renters in London endure problems such as leaks, pest infestations or poor heating.