Right to Rent faces High Court challenge

The High Court has cleared the way for a legal challenge to the government’s Right to Rent scheme - https://t.co/laTcc3r4Pf #ukhousing pic.twitter.com/BOYanXaYas

— 24housing Magazine (@24housing) June 7, 2018

Government faces high court challenge over 'right to rent' scheme https://t.co/1srX9Siwvf

— Guardian news (@guardiannews) June 6, 2018

Legal challenge to Right tot Rent due in Court this week
https://t.co/IEc2yMZnQw

— NLA (@nationalandlord) June 5, 2018

Legal challenge says ‘right to rent’ rules discriminate against non-UK nationals #renting https://t.co/kgegd1KXzB

— NALScheme (@NALScheme) June 4, 2018

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'Right to Rent' is not working

The Government’s Right to Rent policy has been attacked as having failed “to demonstrate its worth” in encouraging immigration compliance - https://t.co/UDhpebDhvL #ukhousing pic.twitter.com/yGLAkmI1mK

— 24housing Magazine (@24housing) March 29, 2018

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Landlord Fergus Wilson faces legal action

Landlord Fergus Wilson facing legal action https://t.co/FlWfX260Uo

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) May 17, 2017

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'Right to Rent' possible legal action

Government threatened with legal action over immigration checks https://t.co/xqkGW8jFXZ

— Guardian news (@guardiannews) May 15, 2017

Looks like JCWI starting a JR of Right to Rent, demanding a review on basis of evidence of discrimination. https://t.co/wP27ly3sxE

— Nearly Legal (@nearlylegal) May 16, 2017

Latest private rental data available here https://t.co/61oJZJH8cv

— ONS (@ONS) May 16, 2017

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Immigration Act -offence comes into force today

Immigration Act 2016 - New offence come into force from today #righttorent https://t.co/b3ZfvaE2Wf

— ARLA (@arla_uk) December 1, 2016

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ONS latest immigration data

Immigration of non-EU citizens 289k, EU citizens 284k, and British citizens 77k (year to June 2016) https://t.co/ctHj8W1Q3g pic.twitter.com/OrkWNb4CQz

— ONS (@ONS) December 1, 2016

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Right to Rent Guidance Updated

A revised Right to Rent Code of Practice came into play 25th May 2016.

The main change, a added pinch of realism - the introduction of a clause to prevent the risk of landlords facing prosecution if they are fooled or conned by a forged document. 

The updated Gov. guidance now reads that landlords need only take 'reasonable steps' to check a tenants documents. 

Thank goodness. It's so easy to make a convincing copy of a document - a laptop, a half decent printer and a slice of ingenuity and ...voila!

How are we supposed to know whether many of these documents are real or not?

Read in full - the Government's Right to Rent Code of Practice

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Population growth exceeds projections

Is there any wonder that we have rising property prices and are experiencing this media branded 'housing crisis'?

We continue to fail to build anything like what is needed to meet demand.

Zoopla's blog has just pointed out that the population growth in England is 12 per cent higher than the National Population Projection, from 2012.

The National Population Projection forecast England's population growth to be 350,000 in 2012/13 and 384,000 in 2013/14, but ONS latest figures puts actual growth  in 2012/13 at 372,000 and 451,000 in 2013/14.

As for the coming years, it's really anyone's guess.

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Gov push on with immigration checks

A survey carried out by the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) in the pilot area for the new immigration checks ( Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall) has raised concerns over a Right to Rent Scheme roll out.

The JCWI reports landlords discriminating against tenant applicants on the basis of background, turning away tenants who have a foreign accent. The JCWI accuses the adoption of the Right to Rent Scheme is making it increasingly difficult for tenants in those pilot areas who cannot easily identify themselves as British or from a European Union state.

If a landlord breaches the rules they face a fine of £1,000 per illegal adult occupier and for a second offence that rises to £3,000 per adult.

Under Section 20 to 37 of the Immigration Act 2014 it makes it compulsory for landlords to check the immigration status of new adult tenants, with a potential fine of £1000 per tenant and £80 per lodger if this is not done.

The six month period of the pilot scheme has concluded and although a Home Office Advisory Panel has not yet made its evaluation,  David Cameron appears hell-bent on rolling the scheme out nationwide, stating on May 21st 2015 -

“For the first time we’ve had landlords checking whether their tenants are here legally. The Liberal Democrats only wanted us to run a pilot on that one. But now we’ve got a majority, we will roll it out nationwide, and we’ll change the rules so landlords can evict illegal immigrants more quickly.”

The JCWI accuse the Gov of pushng on with a the roll out regardless of any findings from the pilot scheme - To appease some voters, the Conservatives intend to implement increasingly hostile measures in an effort to appear ‘tough’ on immigration. The Government are ploughing on with the ‘Right to Rent’ scheme regardless of the outcome of the initial rollout so far and, undoubtedly they will leave chaos in their wake.

More on JCWI views on Right to Rent roll out

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Landlords must soon check immigration status

Landlords must soon check the immigration status of their tenants - harmless change or a recipe for red tape and d... http://t.co/89tGEe0R0f
— This is Money (@thisismoney) March 12, 2015

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Why landlords should love immigration

Immigration and landlords are both hot topics at the moment. The first because there is a general perception that there are too many immigrants; coming in stealing our jobs, taking our houses and plundering our welfare system. We after all live on this Sceptered Isle which is both crowded and precious.

Immigration could be good for landlords
Funnily, I don't agree.  Landlords in my view should not only tolerate but embrace immigration and avoid the UKIP little Britain reaction to people coming legitimately to the UK.  The reality is that most immigration is from young people from the likes of eastern europe who are both highly educated, motivated and eager to work and contribute to the British economy.  They also by and large need rental accommodation and as they are not in receipt of benefits they will pay for it out of earned income and not UK benefits.  Witness the booming rental markets in immigration hotspots like London & places like Lincolnshire and parts of the East Midlands. Not only will these younger immigrants bring skills and a refreshing industrious attitude to work, they also produce children.  More children is vital if the UK if it is to avoid the inverted population pyramids suffered by countries such as Japan and Italy where a reducing number of people of working age are having to support an aging population who cling militantly to their benefits granted to them in an age when old people were in the minority.  Politicians refuse to grasp the pension nettle because it is politically poison to tell people that they will need to work past 70 so our pension system remains unfunded.

In my view landlords should embrace genuine immigration as it will be good for rents, property prices and the economy.  Personally I'd keep the new economic immigrants and ship the load of workshy, feckless 'Brits' somewhere without a welfare state.  This might just wake them up from their benefit induced coma long enough for them to appreciate: a free education, free health service and free housing all need paying for through hard work. 

Remember the landlord immigration bill means that rent checks are coming and have a look at this government right to rent landlords code of practice.  

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Midland landlords join border control

West Midland landlords are the first to don boots, pull on their uniforms and begin work on the frontline of UK border control. 

"Can I see your papers?"

From today landlords renting out properties in Birmingham, Walsall, Sandwell, Dudley and Wolverhampton areas will be required to check the passports of any new tenants to make sure they are not illegal immigrants. 

Any passports / documents need to be photocopied by the landlord and kept as record of the checks.

In those cases where a prospective tenant cannot produce a passport, a  landlord will be required to make further checks using the gov.uk websites 'Right to rent' tool. (good luck with that)

Failure by a landlord to follow the proper checks could result in prosecution and a maximum £3000 fine.

The requirement is expected to be rolled out across the entire country during 2015.

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Landlord immigration checks

Landlord immigration checks are on there way after the Immigration Bill received Royal Assent and passed into law back in August.  Landlords outside the West Midlands don't need to panic yet though, as the legislation requiring landlords to make checks on their tenants will initially effect only landlords in Birmingham and the West Midlands. This will begin from the 1st of December before being rolled out across the rest of the country early next year.

The rules will require landlords to collect documentation from prospective tenants such as as passport or biometric visa. Landlords will be required to keep them for a period of 12 months after the tenancy has ended.  There are all sorts of implications and landlords could face up to a £3000 fine if they fail to carry out the checks correctly. 

The big problem is : ' how many landlords are used to correctly identifying the plethora of visas '. 

Thankfully, some tenants will be excluded from the checks, including student tenants who have been nominated directly by colleges, local authority housing, hostels and refuges these tenants will be excluded from the checks.

The phased introduction of the scheme is likely to begin in 2015, although sceptics anticipate that this will be put on hold until after the general election in May.  So landlords, don't panic and enjoy your Christmas.

To read more about landlords and the Immigration Bill.

More updates to follow as we follow the introduction of the Act and it's phased introduction.

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Landlords ignorant of immigration checks

80% of private landlords are ignorant of the new legislation requiring landlords to check the immigration status of their tenants according to research done by Easyroommate.co.uk.

From the 1st December landlords will be required to make checks on all adults aged 18 or over.

Landlords that fail to make the correct checks will be liable to civil penalty scheme.

To find out more about the immigration checks required by landlords.

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Tenant immigration checks to start in the West Midlands

The start of the phased introduction of immigrant checks on prospective tenants will begin in the West Midlands from December 1st 2014 as part of the The Immigration Act 2014.

James Brokenshire, the Immigration and Security Minister announced that Birmingham, Walsall, Sandwell, Dudley and Wolverhampton will see the start of the scheme that requires private landlords to act as unofficial immigration officers. (click of boot heels )

Landlords will need to check that any prospective tenant has the right to be in the country, regardless of how strong a Black Country accent they have. Any landlords who fail to follow the proper required procedure will face a fine up to £3,000.

The tenant checks come under the 'Right to Rent' directives.

Landlords will be expected to check the identity of any prospective tenant, either their passport or their biometric residence permit and copies of this documentation will be needed to be made and retained for a minimum twelve month period after the termination of any tenancy.

Further areas across the country will be phased in during 2015.

The Government has provided more information on how landlords should check their tenants at www.Gov.uk, the Right to Rent Code of Practice can be downloaded here, and they also have telephone helpline (0300 069 9799)

Following an evaluation of the implementation in the West Midlands next spring, the Home Office expects to continue with the phased introduction of checks across the UK next year.

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Landlords in firing line of new immigration controls

The Queens Speech today will outline the Governments legaslative plans for the year.  Included in these will be a proposal to use landlords to cut the amount of illegal immigration by forcing them to check their prospective tenants immigration status.  This will involve fines for landlords that failed to do this.

Landlords in the firing line

Whilst many of us would support the tightening of controls over illegal immigration I'm concerned that landlords will have yet another administrative responsibility during the letting process.  As always the devil of this new proposal will be in the detail.  However, the talk that landlords could be fined raises worrying thoughts of landlords being held financially responsible for very credible illegal immigrants posing as British citizens.  After all we are only landlords not fully trained members of the Border Agency!  It would be interesting to see what other landlords think on this one.
 
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