A survey, carried out by the Association of Residential Lettings Agents, revealed that 55% of landlords were not confident making the checks suggested while one in five did not know if they would be able to make the checks.
Ian Potter, managing director of ARLA, said: “Checking the immigration status of prospective tenants is a sensitive and potentially lengthy task. It’s perhaps not surprising that even experienced landlords are concerned about exercising these new duties.”
Potter said the sheer variety of documentation alone added a new layer of complexity to the whole process and it was therefore vital that landlords worked with the government to ensure the final bill was workable when passed.
ARLA’s surveyed revealed that despite the majority of landlords registered with the association being highly experienced only 23% said they felt confident in their ability to conduct the checks.
Findings from the survey showed that the average landlord is now 54 years old and owns a record average of almost nine properties.
This average figure for the number of properties owned is the highest seen since 2004 when comparative ARLA records began.
