Hong Kong landlords warned over renting UK property to illegal tenants

Hong Kong-based landlords of British property must ensure their tenants have the right to live in Britain under new government plans announced this month. Landlords who do not comply with the proposed legislation will be fined.

In an attempt to crack down on rogue property investors and illegal immigrants, the British government wants all landlords, including those living abroad in places like Hong Kong, to check tenants' passports to ensure they have permission to live, work, or study in Britain. Tenants from non-European Union countries must have their visas verified.

Eric Pickles, minister for communities and local government, said: "We are taking action to stop rogue landlords who cash in from housing illegal immigrants. These tough measures will send a strong signal and help reduce unsustainable immigration."

Details on how landlords can check the validity of passports and visas, and on the extent of fines, have yet to emerge. Under similar existing legislation affecting employers, companies can pay fines of up to £10,000 (HK$118,000) for each illegal immigrant they employ.

A landlord remains liable for verifying a tenant's immigration status correctly even if a letting agent does it on their behalf.

Richard Lambert, chief executive officer of the National Landlords Association, warned that landlords should be aware that the responsibility for housing an illegal immigrant would ultimately lie with them "regardless of whether they enlist the services of a letting agent to manage the property".