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With new legislation about to come into effect, the National Landlords Association (NLA) is reminding landlords to check new tenants thoroughly before offering them a tenancy. As of December 1st, landlords with properties in the West Midlands will be responsible for carrying out checks on whether a potential tenant has a ‘right to rent’.
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The NLA is urging landlords to comply with the new rules.
“In some areas as early as this December, the Immigration Act will place a legal responsibility on landlords to help prevent illegal immigrants from accessing private rented accommodation,” says Carolyn Uphill, Chairman of the NLA.
“It has always been best practice to conduct a thorough check on prospective tenants, but if landlords don’t do their due diligence on tenants they could be in line for a hefty penalty.”
Hefty Fines for Landlords
Landlords who don’t check a potential tenants immigration status could end up facing fines of up to £3,000 if the tenant is subsequently discovered to not have the right to rent in the UK.
Checking a tenant’s references is something all landlords should do prior to offering them a tenancy. However, under the new legislation, landlords will have to go one step further and check a tenant’s original ID documents in the presence of the holder, so make sure you are au fait with the new rules as the scheme will be rolled out to the whole of the UK in 2015.
