Has Ryanair’s legal win weakened Right to Rent?

National estate agent chain Carter Jonas says a recent landmark ruling won by budget airline Ryanair has a direct bearing on the recently-introduced Right to Rent scheme. Earlier this year Ryanair won a case against the government when the airline was fined £4,000 after it flew two Albanians into Edinburgh from Spain who were subsequently found by UK Border Agency staff to have false passports. Ryanair argued successfully that it’s not fair to fine airlines when illegal immigrants arrive at UK airports because most airline staff are not experienced enough to spot fake passports. During the appeal hearing the court heard that Ryanair has been paying out more than £400,000 a year in fines for flying illegal immigrants into UK airports. Lisa Simon, Head of Residential Lettings at Carter Jonas (pictured), says there are “clear parallels” for landlords and agents under the Right to Rent scheme, which requires those renting out property to check a potential tenant’s documentation to prove they have the right rent in the UK. Where the regulations are vague, Lisa says, is when they set out the ‘reasonable steps’ that agents should take when checking a document’s validity. “The difficulty comes in knowing what a good forgery is,” says Lisa. “But…

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