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Right to Rent policy to be rolled-out

passport on map imageThe Home Office has announced plans to roll-out the Government’s Right to Rent policy across England, following a successful pilot in the West Midlands.

From the start of February next year all private landlords letting property in England will be required to check the immigration status – or right-to-rent – of prospective tenants before agreeing to establish a new tenancy.

Announcements concerning the implementation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are expected at a later date.

Richard Lambert, NLA imageRichard Lambert (left), Chief Executive Officer at the NLA, said, “This policy is causing great concern among landlords so we’re pleased that those with properties in England finally have clarity over when the scheme will be rolled out.

“With just over three months to go it’s vital landlords familiarise themselves with what they will need to do to properly check their tenants in order to steer clear of breaking the law come February, especially because those who fail to do so could wind up in jail.”

The Home Office’s evaluation of the scheme so far seems to show that landlords’ experience of carrying out right to rent checks is not as bad as the perception of the problems they will cause, but Daniel Watney LLP, a full-service property consultancy, warns that compulsory checks by landlord and agents on the immigration status of new tenants could cost tenants an extra £70 million.

Data from Home Office trials found lettings fees could go up by as much as £120. Research by the Joint Council for the Welfare for Immigrants found similar increases.

Stephen Birtwistle, Associate Partner at Daniel Watney LLP, said, “Even the Home Office recognises forcing landlords and agents to check the immigration status of prospective tenants will lead to higher fees, at a time when many renters are already struggling financially.

“The fact is landlords and agents do not have the necessary knowledge or resources to act as effective border guards. If the government is serious about tackling illegal immigration, it needs to take an integrated approach, encouraging the different departments and agencies to communicate better and share information more efficiently.”

The Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC) has described the results of the Right to Rent pilot scheme as disappointing and largely unhelpful, after only a small sample of results from the West Midlands pilot project were published.

Patricia Barber, AIIC imagePatricia Barber (right), Chair of the AIIC, commented, “The government has acted extremely quickly after last week’s second reading of the Immigration Bill and while it is pleasing that the results have finally been publicised, it is disappointing to see the input and experiences from so few landlords and letting agents.”

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