The Rent Inequality Campaign has several different objectives- including raising more awareness in the community, getting non-UK/EU citizens to understand the potential danger of right to rent policy and to contribute with ideas with the Government for changing it- but ultimately one simple goal: to put pressure on the Government to look to either amend or review the policy as soon as possible.
Originally, the right to rent scheme was introduced to target a specific sector of the society, illegal immigrants, but it actually affected legal migrants too causing rent discrimination and inequality.
Our petition, which is gaining more support everyday since JCWI ( Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants) launched their ‘Right to Rent’ campaign and the recent statistics showing that landlords are prepared to discriminate against those with complicated immigration status and those who cannot provide documentation immediately.
Steven Hampson, from Manchester, signed the petition almost out of sympathy as he feels that many landlords act unfairly to tenants as they know they have no other options.
“I am signing this because as a student I feel lots of landlords can get away with dodgy housing and charge a lot from students as they have no other options.”
Dominique, another #Rentinequality supporter from Hamburg, says the campaign makes sense as an EU citizen who got affected by the right to rent policy.
Last June, a cross-party group formed from MPs from Labour, the Lib Dems, SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Greens urged Sajid Javid to reassess the Right to Rent policy. The call to action rose after the Windrush scandal were many people was left without homes.
Phillippa Kaufmann QC, who is representing JCWI told the Guardian: ” Landlords are incentivised by the very nature of the scheme to go down the path of least resistance, if they have someone who comes to them with a British passport, they know they are at no risk of criminal liability.”
Phillippa Kaufmann QC representing JCWI
“As JCWI group we think that the policy is clearly affecting people who were in Britain legally.”
“The government is not in any position to justify this policy because it has not gathered any evidence that its ‘hostile environment’ is having any effect – that is, the desired effect of prompting illegal migrants to leave, rather than going underground to be exploited by rogue landlords. It can’t show that it is achieving that end, and it can’t show it has given any consideration of the unintended impact it is having.”
A recent survey conducted by our campaign indicates that 50% of people who took it has consider that the right to rent policy is unfair, and 60% believes that the scheme might have a negative effect on them.
While 70% think that the policy must be amended or reviewed, the 20% of participants who voted for unsure had other suggestions to improve rent conditions for foreigners without changing the policy.
Other suggestions:
- Introduce strict immigration laws and this will decrease illegal immigrants.
- Set up specific letting agents and landlords that specialises in renting to immigrants only.
- Making people aware on how this policy might have a negative effect on potential immigrants who are necessary in supporting England’s economy either by investing their money inside the country or by offering job opportunities.
It is time to stand up to the Home office and Government to protect foreigners until the policy is challenged in court.
Take Our Survey!Sign the petition here.
#RENTINEQUALITY 