A VOLUNTARY standards scheme for London landlords was branded a “meaningless gimmick” within hours of being launched yesterday. 

Tory Mayor Boris Johnson promised his new accreditation scheme would give peace of mind to both 800,000 tenants and 300,000 landlords in the city.

Landlords will be asked to sign up to minimum standards, including transparent fees, deposit protection and quicker response times for repairs. 

Mr Johnson presented the first London rental standard award to private landlord Rob Hunter at a Haringey house he lets to a group of workers and students.

Tenant Cameron Baverstock told the press a horror story familiar to young professionals and families condemned to paying huge rents to rogue landlords. 

“My housemates and I would sometimes spend weeks without hot water with (my then) landlord responding slowly and poorly to complaints,” he remembered. 

Mr Johnson said the launch marks the end of London’s growing number of renters being overlooked. 

Landlords will be offered financial incentives, such as money off home insurance, to drum up support for the scheme.

But Labour London Assembly housing spokesman Tom Copley said the scheme will make little or no difference to tenants being ripped off by rogue landlords. 

He said: “This accreditation scheme will only help those fortunate enough to already rent from a good landlord. 

“Bad landlords will be unlikely to sign up to this scheme, after over six years in office the Mayor has totally failed to help private renters in the capital.”

Mr Copley slammed the mayor for wasting two years on a consultation that has created a scheme that’s “not worth the papers it’s written on.”

He proposed “real reform for the sector” that includes secure tenancies, caps on annual rent rises and a ban on letting agents’ fees. 

Housing charity Shelter chief executive Campbell Robb would only call the Mayor’s scheme a “step in the right direction.”

He added: “Far more needs to be done to ensure renters are protected from unscrupulous letting agents and rogue landlords.”