Right to rent: landlords
reluctant to let to
foreign tenants
9 April 2018
The migrant population who want to work in the UK could have difficulty finding somewhere to live, because of the government’s Right To Rent policy.
That is the finding of the Residents’ Landlords Association (RLA), who is calling for a judicial review into the scheme.
The RLA revealed last month that private landlords are being put off letting their properties to non-UK nationals, because of a fear of penalties.
The number of private renters aged 35-44 has doubled in the last 10 years* and it is estimated that the amount will overtake mortgaged home owners by 2022.
Right To Rent, introduced as part of the 2014 Immigration Act, aims to restrict illegal immigrants accessing the private rented sector.
The accommodation provider must also keep copies of documents that prove their potential tenant’s right to residency in the UK, and continue to do so every year that their tenant rents the property. If a tenant fails the follow-up check, and this is not reported to the Home Office, their landlord could be fined or sent to prison for up to five years.
Recent research shows that more than half of landlords** have been deterred from letting to foreign nationals as a result.
In addition, nearly half of those who were surveyed (48%) said that they would be less likely to rent to someone who didn’t have a British passport.
Furthermore, 49% said that because of Right to Rent, they were less likely to let a property to anyone who only had permission to live in the UK for a limited amount of time.
David Smith, the RLA’s policy director, said: ‘This is a damning critique of a failing policy. Landlords should not be used for scapegoats for the failures of the border agencies. It is time to suspend this controversial and unwelcome policy.’
Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, David Bolt, appeared to agree, saying recently that the policy has ‘yet to demonstrate its worth as a tool to encourage immigration compliance,’ and that Home Office ‘is failing to co-ordinate, maximise or even measure effectively its use, while at the same time doing little to address the concerns of stakeholders.’
Tenants across the country spend over half of their disposable income on rent. The average UK monthly rent is £761, but it is more than double that in London - £1,879.
* Family Resource Survey
**Information taken from the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants
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