19th
Nov 2024
Generation Rent is calling for the Renters Rights Bill to be amended to end the Right to Rent policy.
This policy mandates that landlords or their agents must check a tenant's immigration status to ensure they are legally allowed to rent in England.
The scheme is based on provisions from the Immigration Act 2014 and the Immigration Act 2016.
Although landlords and agents are prohibited from making assumptions about tenants' right to rent, Generation Rent points out that past government research found 25% of landlords were unwilling to rent to non-British passport holders, even when they had the legal right to do so.
Generation Rent’s research indicates that in 2022 over 40% of migrant private renters had difficulty finding a landlord or letting agent willing to rent to them due to their migrant status. Additionally, a recent survey conducted this summer found that 24% of landlords felt unable to rent to non-UK passport holders.
According to the activists research it claims 56% of landlords who were reluctant to rent to non-UK passport holders cited the fear of civil penalties under the Right to Rent policy. An immigration help service reported that 85% of prospective tenants received no response when they requested landlords or letting agents to conduct an online 'Right to Rent' check.
Generation Rent says: “The Renters’ Reform Bill is a huge opportunity to reform and rebuild private renting for all. However, for it to be a successful Bill, it must reach those in most need of change. That is marginalised renters – especially those who are from migrant and minority ethnic communities – facing the sharpest end of the housing and rental crisis.
“For the Renters’ Rights Bill to reach through to marginalised communities it must end the Right to Rent policy.
“This discriminatory policy restricts the number of safe and secure homes available to migrant peoples and minority ethnic communities and forces many to choose between enduring poor quality and even dangerous living conditions and homelessness.”
The government stated it has no intention in scrapping Right to Rent.
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