Immigration Issues: New service launched to support rental sector ‘Passport Police’
- New legislation to dictate that private landlords must check tenants’ immigration status before agreeing rental
- Pilot scheme to take place in West Midlands from December, rolling out to rest of UK in 2015
- New Ready Rentals system to support private landlords with legislative changes
A new service, launched today, will address the controversial issue of making private landlords ‘passport police’, as new legislation comes into play in the private rental sector.
Ready Rentals, a new online support system for private landlords, is launching just as those renting out their properties in the West Midlands are preparing to face new rules that mean that they must check the immigration status of prospective tenants before granting a rental agreement.
Coming into play from 1st December this year, new Home Office legislation will dictate that private landlords across Birmingham, Dudley, Wolverhampton, Sandwell and Walsall will, by law, have to ask those applying to live in one of their properties for proof of their right to reside in the UK – be it passport, right of abode certificate, or alternative documents that confirm their immigration status – before granting them right to rent.
Although recommended as best practice by the National Landlords Association (NLA) to minimise the risk of tenants reneging on rent, a check on immigration status is not currently a legal requirement, yet the new legislation, which will form part of the Immigration Act, will mean that a landlord failing to comply could receive a fine of up to £3,000.
This pilot scheme, which, if successful, will be rolled out to the rest of the UK next year, has stirred up much feeling amongst the private rented sector, making it a controversial topic, with some questioning whether it is the landlord’s place to act as ‘immigration officer’ in this way. Others fear the additional weight of responsibility on private landlords might negatively affect the industry, putting people off renting out their properties as they struggle to cope with the changing legislative demands.
Neil Woodhead, Founder of Ready Rentals, who established the service from his background of more than 35 years in the property management sector nationally, explains,
“The immigration issue is a hot topic at the moment, with the government and opposition openly debating their approach to the nation’s growing problem, but I don’t see this new legislation merely having been presented as a vote-winner. Checking a tenant’s immigration status is not only beneficial to the country as a whole, it also helps the landlord to feel more assured that they will receive their rent successfully.
“For some it can feel as though the legislation that private landlords have to follow is constantly changing, and this can be daunting for many. Yet it is important that private landlords face this, and other legal demands placed upon them, in a thorough manner – the result is legal compliance and a professional service for tenants, a win-win for all.”
Just one of the issues that Ready Rentals will address, the new immigration laws will be fully supported by the service, providing landlords in the West Midlands and further afield when it is rolled out, with access to all the advice and referencing systems needed to ensure that they meet the new demands of the immigration legislation.
An online system available for an affordable annual fee, the newly launched Ready Rentals will make the life of a private landlord easy and the service they offer legally compliant and seamless, addressing concerns and providing invaluable answers to problems faced by individual landlords. This is achieved by providing access to all the documentation needed to become a private landlord, a tailored system to suit individual needs; continually updating advice on statutory regulations and letting a property; providing the ability to market online to major portals; giving information on general marketing and advertising; and everything else needed to function as a successful landlord – all at the click of a button!
Regulated by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), as well as a Member of the Ombudsman Services Property which allows landlords to manage their portfolio with confidence, Ready Rentals is accessible from anywhere in the world and currently supports landlords with properties in England, Wales or Scotland.
Combining invaluable experience in the rental sector with a cutting-edge online system that forms the basis of Ready Rentals, the result is an innovative new service which aims to provide much-needed assistance for currently unsupported private landlords, allowing them to deliver a professional and legally compliant servicewith ease and peace of mind.
For more information about Ready Rentals visit www.readyrentals.co.uk or call 0141 212 9120.