Right to Rent Checks for migrants in the UK

From September this year, all migrants and UK nationals alike can expect to have their immigration status and identification checked when renting a property.

These checks have been christened ‘Right to Rent Checks’ and their piloted introduction last year to the Midlands came as part of a government effort to crackdown on illegal immigration by restricting access to rented housing.

The checks will now apply to the rest of the UK as of September 2015 and the forthcoming legislation will include measures for fining and even imprisoning landlords who are found to be housing migrants with no right to be in the UK.

It is hoped that the new legislation will help to reduce the number of rogue landlords whose aim is to exploit illegal migrants trying to find accommodation in the UK.

Those legal migrants coming to the UK can therefore expect to experience these checks as part of the process of procuring accommodation for the duration of their stay in the country. As part of the right to rent checks, landlords will need to ask prospective and current tenants for evidence of their identity and citizenship, for example a passport or biometric residence permit (BRP).

If you have any questions about the process of moving to and working in the UK, please contact our friendly and helpful team here at Smith Stone Walters

Helping people move to the UK is our business, it is what we do best.