NLA questions Right to Rent scheme

The Right To Rent immigration control scheme introduced by the government in England last February is not having the “desired effect”, the National Landlords Association says. The comments come from its head of policy Chris Norris in reaction to figures released today showing that one landlord is being fined every four days under the Right to Rent rules. Sixty-two landlords received penalties under the scheme during its first eight months of operation from February to September last year, the figures show. Fines totalling £37,000 were handed out, or £596 on average per landlord, although fines in theory can reach £3,000 for the most serious cases. Out of the 62 cases 36 were for lodgers in private houses and 26 were handed to landlords of private rented accommodation. The figures were obtained by the Press Association through a Freedom of Information request. Chris Norris, head of policy at the National Landlords Association (pictured, left), says he believes that most of the landlords involved are accidentally breaking the immigration rules rather than knowingly doing it. He also said that “ultimately this scheme should be judged on whether it tackles or prevents those who knowingly ignore the law and let to people who…