Landlords to be responsible for checking immigration status

Published: 16/05/2013

Landlords could be made responsible for verifying the immigration status of their tenants according to government plans outlined in the Queen’s Speech last Friday.

The plans however have been widely criticised; the Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, even going so far as describing them as “unworkable”, a reaction shared by GW LET solicitor, Rob Denman:

“Placing such a heavy burden of regulation on landlords is not only unfair but totally unrealistic as well as potentially ruinous for those whose businesses are centred on immigrant tenants.

“While implementation of this legislation remains in its infancy, it is likely to involve landlords checking passports and visas. This puts a significant financial risk upon landlords as failure to comply could result in hefty fines. There is also much confusion from experts in the industry surrounding how a landlord can be expected to establish the authenticity of the information they receive.

“We fear, should this legislation come to fruition, landlords could be left as immigration scapegoats.”

Details of how such a policy will be enforced are yet to be revealed by the Government.

Content correct at time of publication