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‘Racist’ Right to Rent now a ‘farce’

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New High Court ruling seen as another strike against the increasingly discredited policy.

By- Bill Tanner

“Racist” Right to Rent is now a “farce”, as the High Court hits the flagship immigration policy with another legal torpedo.

A ruling released today (21st March) is interpreted by the RLA as saying a landlord seeking to repossess property where the Home Office tells them a tenant does not have the right to rent is breaching equalities law.

“This new ruling makes the Right To Rent a farce, to put landlords in a position where acting on a direct instruction provided by the Home Office leaves them open to breaching equality law cannot be tolerated,” said RLA policy director David Smith.

The RLA is seeking urgent changes from the Home Office to address the “farcical” situation.

“With the High Court having ruled that discrimination is baked into the Right To Rent scheme, it is time for the policy to be scrapped altogether,” said Smith.

Earlier this month, the High Court concluded that the scheme breached the European Convention on Human Rights on the basis that it led to discrimination against non-UK nationals with the right to rent and British ethnic minorities.

Then, the Judge said the scheme caused landlords to discriminate where otherwise they would not, describing such discrimination by landlords a being “logical and wholly predictable” when faced with potential sanctions and penalties for getting things wrong.

Speaking after that case, Chai Patel, Legal Policy Director for the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, said the ruling showed ”there is no place for racism in the UK housing market”.

But, as reported by 24housing, the government is giving no ground over Right To Rent, as it prepares to appeal the High Court’s rejection of the policy.

Though, a Home Office minister has conceded to the possibility of further evaluation of its operation – with Windrush in mind.

Theresa May has also rejected the High Court ruling, despite being accused at PMQs of promoting a policy “fanning the flames of racism”.

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