Poll
Government urged to halt right to rent scheme
New research published by the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) has revealed that 51% of landlords surveyed were less likely to consider letting to foreign nationals as a result of the right to rent scheme, while 42% said the same for those without a British passport.
In a mystery shopping exercise, a British black minority ethnic tenant without a passport was also ignored or turned down by 58% of landlords.
Currently only in force in England, JCWI has now called on the government to abandon right to rent and to immediately halt any plans for roll-out.
Saira Grant, chief executive of JCWI, said: “We have been warning for some time that the right to rent scheme is failing on all fronts.
“It treats many groups who need housing unfairly, it is clearly discriminatory, it is putting landlords in an impossible position, and there is no evidence that it is doing anything to tackle irregular immigration.
“Creating a so-called ‘hostile environment’ that targets vulnerable men, women and children is bad enough, implementing a scheme that traps and discriminates against British citizens is absurd.”
Under the right to rent scheme, landlords or letting agents could be fined up to £3,000 or receive a five-year prison sentence for improper immigration status checks or knowingly renting to a person who does not have the right to occupy a property.
Since February 2016, 91 landlords have been issued with a civil penalty as a result of the scheme.
Alan Ward, chairman of the Residential Landlords Association, added: “The government’s own figures show the right to rent scheme is not working, so maybe it is time to scrap it and think again.
“With the threat of a jail sentence hanging over landlords if they get it wrong, it is hardly surprising that they are being cautious.”
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