Tenants in London can use a new tool that discovers if your landlord has a licence and you could be owed thousands.

The tool called property licensing checker, that can be found on the London Assembly site, lets you see if your rented home needs a licence.

It was reported by Money Saving Expert that for some privately rented homes a property licence is needed before they can be rented out to tenants.

But different London boroughs have different privacy licensing rules, this can make it difficult for tenants to know whether their landlord has the right licence.

If you find that your landlord doesn't have the correct licence you could be due a refund of up to 12 months' rent, which can be thousands, and you or your council can apply to a tribunal for a rent repayment order.

If you pay part or all of your rent through housing benefits then this will be refunded to your council instead. But landlords who live in a property with one or two lodgers are exempt as a licence would not be required.

It would also mean that if you have received a 'no fault' eviction notice, also known as a section 21 notice, this would then be invalid. Landlords who do not have the right licence could also face enforcement action from councils.