Agents and landlords set to be given new responsibilities for policing immigration post Brexit

Agents and landlords set to be given new responsibilities for policing immigration post Brexit

The private rented sector will take on much of the ‘heavy lifting’ in terms of immigration control after Brexit.

Private landlords – and/or almost certainly their agents – are likely to be given major responsibilities in terms of policing whatever new immigration policies are put in place.

There will also be tough sanctions for those who knowingly let to tenants who do not have the right to live in the UK post-Brexit.

The proposed regime, which builds on the existing Right to Rent rules, is set to be spelled out in a White Paper likely to be published in the next few months.

Under Right to Rent, landlords can by agreement hand their legal responsibilities over to agents. Breaches result in both civil penalties and criminal sanctions, with a maximum five-year jail term.

There is speculation that this could increase, reports The Times, “as part of efforts to make them [landlords] shoulder the burden of a new migration system”.

Employers will also be given new responsibilities to help police immigration post-Brexit.

A senior minister told The Times: “We will be making landlords and employers do a lot of the heavy lifting on the enforcement. That’s the direction of travel.”