The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants has succeeded in its challenge in the High Court to the Right to Rent scheme.
Below is a Home Office statement in response.
A Home Office spokesperson said:
We are disappointed with the judgment and we have been granted permission to appeal, which reflects the important points of law that were considered in the case. In the meantime, we are giving careful consideration to the judge’s comments.
Further Lines:
• The law is clear that landlords and lettings agents should not discriminate on racial grounds when conducting checks.
• The Right to Rent scheme deters people from staying in the UK when they have no right to do so. It is part of a package of measures to deter illegal migration and to tackle those who would profit from it.
• The Scheme is based on simple checks and there is online guidance and a Code of Practice which all landlords are expected to follow.
• An independent mystery shopping exercise for the department found no evidence of systemic discrimination in the Right to Rent Scheme. We are considering options for further evaluation of the Scheme.