Landlords and letting agents need to ensure they properly carry out Right to Rent checks more than ever, as the level of fines skyrocketed today.
Fines have increased from £80 per lodger to £5,000, and from £1,000 per occupier to £10,000.
Repeat breaches will face fines of £10,000 per lodger and £20,000 per occupier.
Right to Rent was first introduced by the UK government in 2016, while it put the onus on landlords and letting agents to check the immigration status of tenants they rent to.
Costas Frangeskou, director of growth, Goodlord, said: “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.”
Lauren Hughes, head of customer success, Vouch, said: “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.”
