YOUNG people living together in bedsit properties are causing misery for families and elderly people in parts of Darlington, a councillor has said.

Now bad landlords are being targeted to join a scheme which allows them to work with the council and overcome problems in areas such as Northgate.

Councillor Dorothy Long, who represents Northgate South, said there were too many bedsits in her area, and private landlords who paid no attention to who moved into their properties. She said: "I think people, particularly elderly people and families, are finding that having, say, six young lads in bedsits next door is probably too rowdy for them.

"Landlords should try to get a mix of people into the bedsits, to avoid those kind of situations.

"I have nothing against young people living together like that, and in most cases it is fine, but in some extreme cases the police are aware of properties where there has been a lot of trouble."

Coun Long called for all landlords to join a new Landlord Accreditation Scheme, which gives landlords a seal of approval from the council.

She said: "We need to get all landlords working with the council to improve the environment of places like Northgate. It will benefit not only the landlords, but the whole community.

"I think it is really important to get all the landlords in because it is the bad landlords that have such a devastating effect on the environment of our ward."