The government has unveiled plans to fine private landlords £3000 is they fail to inspect tenants’ passports to ensure that are not illegal immigrants.
Ministers say the proposals would make it more difficult for people to stay and live in theUKwithout permission, however some organisations have expressed concern over the burden it would put on landlords.
In order to avoid discriminating against people on grounds of “race and ethnicity”, everyone who rents a property will be required to provide their passport or other proof of their right to live inBritain.
If landlords suspect documents provided to them are forgeries, they are expected to contact the Home Office to raise concerns.
Unveiling the proposals, the Home Secretary Theresa May, said: “Landlords must make checks on a non-discriminatory basis, i.e. they should not make any assumptions about a person’s migration status based on their ethnicity, name, accent, etc.”
The move is expected to affect all 4 million or so people who rent home in theUK. British citizens will be expected to provider a copy of their passport when they sign new tenancy agreements, while those from outside the European Economic Area would be required to supply their residence permit or visa stamp.
Before renting out a room, private landlords will need to carry out checks on the migration status of every tenant before renting out the room.
Those who fail to do so could be fined £1,000 per illegal immigrant in their property, and those who have previously received a warning letter could be fined £3000 per tenant.
A spokesman for the National Landlords Association said: “If this is to work, it is vital that the system is simple, straightforward and easy for landlords to use and understand.
“It makes sense to base the requirements on the established system used by employers to verify that individuals have the right to work in theUK, not least because there is a clear acknowledgement that employers, like landlords, are not immigration experts.