Later this year, new rules will come into effect that will require landlords to check tenants’ immigration status before a property can be let to them.
The new Home Office scheme – Right to Rent – is set to be implemented across the UK in a bid to help tackle the rise in illegal immigration.
British citizens, EEA or Swiss nationals, and those that have been granted leave to remain in the UK will need to provide evidence to support their status.
In a statement regarding the scheme, the Home Office said: “This is to deter illegal immigration and prevent illegal immigrants from accessing our finite housing stock and displacing lawful residents.
“It will also help ensure that those people who do not have the right to be in the UK are prevented from establishing a settled life here.”
Under the new rules, if a prospective tenant fails to provide suitable evidence to demonstrate their right to remain in the UK, or a landlord suspects that evidence has been forged, the landlord must report the matter to the Home Office as soon as possible.
Failure to do so can result in a landlord being served with a fine of up to £3,000.
Once the new rules have become a legal requirement, landlords will need to ensure that they carefully check whether or not potential tenants have proof of permission to live in the UK, before they commit to a rental agreement.
Home Office guidance has already made it clear that the Right to Rent scheme is not an excuse for racial discrimination, though some critics believe that landlords will be tempted to act unlawfully and dismiss applications from anyone who is not a UK citizen.