Feb 2024 saw the introduction of increases to civil penalty fines for non-compliance of Right to Rent checks, with penalties of up to £20,000 for landlords and lettings agents who fail to comply with the rules.

Civil penalty fines for landlords and letting agents for first breaches have been increased to up to:

• £5,000 per tenant
• £10,000 per occupier

(Up from £80 and £1000 respectively)      

For repeat breaches penalties fines have been increased to up to:

• £10,000 per tenant
• £20,000 per occupier

(Up from £500 and £3000 respectively)

The increase was first announced in August 2023, as part of a wider government crackdown on illegal renting in the UK.

Private landlords and agents have a responsibility to prevent those without lawful immigration status from accessing the private rented sector, achieved by landlords or agents conducting right to rent checks on all prospective adult tenants before the start date of a tenancy agreement, ensuring prospecting tenants are not disqualified from renting a property by reason of their immigration status

Legislation to limit access to the private rental property sector only to those with the lawful right to be in the UK was introduced through sections 20 to 37 of the Immigration Act 2014. Under section 28 of the Act, a landlord who enters into a tenancy agreement with a disqualified person may be subject to a civil penalty.

The Immigration Act 2016 made it a criminal offence to knowingly let to someone disqualified from renting a property. The Act also set out how a landlord can end a tenancy due to a tenant’s immigration status.

The UK Right 2 Rent Register
Web:  www.theukright2rentregister.org
https://www.facebook.com/theukright2rentregister/