Landlords in the West Midlands must now undertake “right to rent” checks on all prospective tenants. The checks, which took force in the Midlands on December 1, 2014, come as part of a rolling implementation of the government’s latest immigration bill.
To adequately perform these checks, private landlords, letting agents, and homeowners who let rooms must obtain evidence of an individual’s identity and citizenship. This may come in the form of official documents such as a passport or biometric residence permit. If a prospective tenant does not have his or her documentation because of a pending Home Office application, landlords may use an online “right to rent” tool.
Failure to undertake the appropriate checks may result in fines of up to £3,000.
