Legislation change is good news for landlords

Published: 07/11/2013

The Government is to amend the Immigration Bill after the Residential Landlord Association (RLA) raised concerns that the wording of one of its clause could leave landlords at severe financial risk.

As it stood clause 17 of the legislation appeared to legalise squatting and left landlords unable to enforce payment of rent or regain possession of the property from a tenant who was residing illegally in the country pending deportation or an appeal. They would have also incurred a double penalty for any breach of the new legislation.

Immigration Minister Alan Ward responded to the RLA’s concerns by saying:

“I agree that the wording of clause 17, when read in isolation from the rest of the Bill and when taken with recent case law, does risk introducing some potential ambiguity in relation to the wider validity of a tenancy contract. I share the Association’s concern to avoid this occurring and I am pleased to inform you that I intend to table a technical amendment at the Commons Committee stage which will make clear that nothing in the Chapter affects the validity of any residential tenancy agreement.”

Content correct at time of publication