A scheme has been launch-ed in Sunderland that will help tackle rogue landlords and anti-social tenants.

The city council has formed a forum with private landlords. Its role will include pooling information on anti-social behaviour and problem tenants, improving the standard of private rented accommodation, and influencing policies on private rented accommodation.

The city council's health services manager, Derek Welsh, said: "This is a new way forward for cooperation between the council and the city's private landlords.

"We hope to meet every three months or so on an agenda which both parties will jointly contribute to. We have high hopes for the success of this approach."

Landlord Charles Bentley said: "Any venture that improves the communication between landlords, tenants and the city council - as this scheme does - is worthwhile.

"It will also assist with improving the quality of accommodation and the standards of behaviour of tenants."

The forum is holding a seminar on housing benefit at the end of November and will hold a meeting in December.

From April, the council is introducing a register for all private landlords whose property is split into flats, in a bid to drive up standards.

The Government plans to give councils the power to ban landlords from renting out property if it is not of a high standard.