Fines for Right to Rent checks have increased significantly today, with penalties of up to £20,000 for those that fail to comply with the rules.
All landlords and their agents have a legal responsibility under the Immigration Act 2014 legislation to prevent those without lawful immigration status from accessing the private rented sector
Landlords and agents who knowingly rent their properties to unauthorised migrants up until yesterday faced penalties of up to £5,000 per lodger and £10,000 per occupier for a first breach, up from £80 and £1,000 respectively. Repeat breaches would have cost them up to £10,000 per lodger, up from £500, and a maximum of £20,000 per occupier, up from £3,000. But that has now changed.
From today, the penalties for violating Right to Rent rules have increased from £80 per lodger and £1,000 per occupier for a first breach to a substantial £5,000 per lodger and £10,000 per occupier. Repeat breaches will now incur even steeper fines, reaching up to £10,000 per lodger and £20,000 per occupier, a substantial increase from the previous £500 and £3,000 respectively.
Landlords and agents are reminded that, in addition to the hefty fines, failure to check the occupier’s right to rent status may result in potential imprisonment.
These huge sums mean it’s absolutely vital that landlords and letting agents stay vigilant and ensure they have all the processes in place to make sure their adult tenants have the Right to Rent,” Costas Frangeskou, a director at Goodlord said.
Lauren Hughes, of Vouch, added: “For those that avoid or put off implementing measures that will ensure compliance, it’s a sure fire way to land yourself in hot water later down the line.
“Agents should be making sure their landlords are covered and that their processes aren’t set up to fail. With the advent of IDVT, which the Government approved use of in 2022, it’s now much easier to stay compliant. The flip side is that agents who fall foul of the rules will struggle to explain why.”
