Will the start of landlord immigration checks affect you?
After what has seemed like a lengthy wait, the Home Office has announced the pilot region for the landlord immigration check requirements under the Immigration Act 2014.
The initial areas will be Birmingham, Walsall, Sandwell, Dudley and Wolverhampton. The requirement will come in to force in those areas only on 1 December 2014, with other towns and regions to follow at unspecified dates in 2015.
Therefore at the time of writing, landlords in Southend on Sea and the surrounding areas will not be affected. However, at Pace, we have been checking passports and visas of all tenants since 2007, so if we manage a property on your behalf, you can rest assured that we are already looking at whether a prospective tenant has the right to rent.
If you would like to learn more about the above-mentioned checks, The Home Office has issued a Code of Practice for landlords and letting agents concerned about the ‘Right to Rent’ immigration checks.
Martin Ransom is Office Manager at Pace, an independent Southend on Sea Letting Agent.
With nearly 25 years experience in the property industry, Martin is well placed in his role as Branch Manager for Pace.
After joining the business in 2010 Martin took it upon himself to foster excellent customer service among the team and this continues to position Pace as a leader in its field today.
