26^th Apr 2019

A legal firm is warning letting agents and landlords they should be prepared post Brexit because it could turn Right to Rent into an even bigger mess.

This is irrespective of the recent High Court ruling that Right to Rent breaches human rights of those tenants who do not have British citizenship as it is discriminatory against non - UK nationals.

Ros Monk and Fran Rance, of the firm, are warning agents and landlords about Right to Rent that: “Brexit is only likely to further increase landlords' responsibilities under the scheme in the future, as they may have to take into account European nationals as well as foreign nationals when assessing who has the right to rent.”

Right to Rent was 'invented' by Theresa May when she was Home Secretary and it has been engulfed by controversy ever since its introduction.

Landlords and agents across England must follow the regulations to make sure that their tenants have the right to rent a home in the UK. Failure to carry out the immigration checks by making copies of tenants' visas and or passports. If landlords are found to be housing 'illegals' they will face heavy fines in civil or criminal prosecutions.

In the High Court hearing the judge also explained that the Right to Rent scheme caused letting agents and landlords to actively discriminate and said it was “logical and wholly predictable” this occurred, rather than having to face fines.

The Home Office has won the right to appeal against the decision.


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