This report from February 2017 examines the impact of the ‘right to rent’ scheme a year on from its nationwide roll-out in England. The scheme requires landlords and agents to check the immigration status of all prospective tenants and refuse tenancy to anyone without valid leave. If they fail to fully comply with the scheme they face a fine of up to £3,000 or a prison sentence of up to five years. The report builds on an independent evaluation published in 2015.
The report reveals that foreigners and British citizens without passports, particularly those from ethnic minorities, are being discriminated against in the private rental housing market.

51% of landlords surveyed said that the scheme would make them less likely to consider letting to foreign nationals.
42% of landlords stated that they were less likely to rent to someone without a British passport as a result of the scheme. This rose to 48% when explicitly asked to consider the impact of the criminal sanc…