From 1st December, private landlords in the West Midlands who let their property to undocumented migrants will faced civil penalties of up to £3000 per tenant. This also applies to anyone taking in a lodger, although the civil penalty is less, at up to £80 per lodger.
This is a pilot of a national scheme that could be rolled out as part of the Immigration Act 2014. Landlords can avoid this penalty by conducting an immigration check on each person living in the property who is over 18, even if they are not on the tenancy agreement. The immigration check is to ascertain whether a person has a ‘right to rent’ in the UK.
This policy could have a harmful effect on people with a non-British ethnic background, migrants who are in the UK legally, international students and the wider private renter population.
Jeremy Corbyn MP has put down this Early Day Motion:
That this House notes:
- the introduction on 1 December 2014 of the pilot scheme of the requirement for private sector landlords to conduct immigration checks on their tenants;
- believes that this will lead to new fees from letting agents to all of Britain's nine million private tenants on moving to conduct these checks;
- considers that almost no undocumented migrants will be caught, as they will move into illegal tenancies, and in so doing will create a new market for illegal and exploitative landlords;
- further notes that this requirement will encourage discrimination in the lettings process;
- and further believes that it is morally objectionable to remove from any person access to shelter, just as it would be to remove access to water or to emergency medical care.
The more MPs who sign this motion, the more pressure we can put on the Home Office to think again. Please take two minutes to email your MP requesting that they sign it.
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Individual Advice
Generation Rent can’t offer advice about individual problems. Here are a few organisations that can:
- Advice for Renters provides free or low-cost legal advice and representation from expert housing specialists.
- Shelter’s free housing advice helpline 0808 800 4444 is open 8am-8pm on weekdays and 8am-5pm on weekends, 365 days a year.
- Citizens Advice has a network of local bureaux
- A solicitor listed on Housing Law Practitioners Association
- A solicitor listed on Law Centres Network
- Safer Renting protects tenants dealing with criminal landlords, specialising in preventing illegal evictions
- Get Rent Back can help you claim back rent from a negligent landlord
- Justice for Tenants can help you claim back rent as above, and recover an unprotected deposit
You might also find quick but informal help on ACORN’s Facebook forum, and there are more suggestions on The Renters Guide.