A new piece of research carried out by the Residential Landlords Association has again raised concerns over the Right to Rent scheme.
Nearly half of private landlords asked said that the scheme has made them less inclined to let to would-be tenants without a UK passport.
Checks
Around 17% of UK citizens do not have a passport, which means they could unintentionally lose out under stringent immigration checks.
51% of landlords are less likely to consider letting to tenants outside the UK. As uncertainty surrounding the status of EU nationals in Britain continues, 22% of landlords said that they are less likely to rent property to nationals from the EU or the European Economic Area.
Right to Rent affecting those with no passport
Most landlords surveyed said that they were less likely to let to people who cannot provide a UK passport, as they fear criminal sanctions should they be inadvertently tricked by fraudulent documents.
As a result, the RLA is supporting an application for a judicial review of the Right to Rent policy by the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants. It is concerned that the scheme discriminates against those who cannot provide their status easily.
Damage
RLA policy director David Smith, noted: ‘These figures show the damage that the right to rent scheme is causing for those who might have the right to rent property, but cannot easily prove their identity.’[1]
‘The added threat of criminal sanctions is clearly leading many landlords to become even more cautious about who they rent to. This is a dangerous and divisive policy that is causing discrimination. It must be scrapped,’ Mr Smith concluded.[1]
[1] https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2017/6/britons-with-no-passport-struggling-to-rent-due-to-immigration-checks