Emotions have sky rocketed in this country recently over legal and illegal immigration and there shows no signs of this hot issue abating in the near future. A similar situation happened in England last year when they rolled out the “Right to Rent” policy. This was passed in response to Britain’s illegal immigration challenges. Getting strict with immigration laws and policies seems to be the trend with US Allies and now the USA itself.
From The Belfast Telegraph (Feb 13, 17):
Right to Rent was rolled out across England last year, requires landlords to establish that tenants have a right to be in the country by taking copies of documents such as passports or identity cards. belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/uk/immigration-checks-on-tenants-fuelling-discrimination-report-warns-35445645.html
Immigration is a major hot button issue in America as it has been in Britain. The move to force landlords to check for legal right to be in the country has caused considerable challenge and concern in the UK.
The Belfast Telegraph conducted research on the new policy and determined that it does, in fact, create significant challenges to landlords and property managers.
From the Belfast Telegraph (Feb. 13, 17):
The paper concluded: “The Right to Rent scheme conscripts ordinary members of civil society into the immigration enforcement arm of the Government, and does so in such a crude and ham-fisted fashion that it creates structural incentives for them to discriminate unlawfully against foreigners and ethnic minorities.” Ibid
Other papers in the UK have taken note of the challenges with Right to Rent and statistics appear to point toward potential discrimination. This goes beyond when and how criminal background checks can be performed prior to leasing.
From MorningStarOnline (Jan 23, 17):
Statistics from research into the pilot scheme showed that 42 per cent of landlords admitted they are less likely to consider renting to someone who does not have a British passport, regardless of their actual migration status.
Moreover, a further 25 per cent stated that they would be less likely to open discussions with someone who “had a name which doesn’t sound British” or “had a foreign accent” and 65 per cent of landlords stated that they would be less likely to rent to someone who needs time to provide documentation. morningstaronline.co.uk/a-73f6-The-governments-racist-housing-policy#.WKECEdIrLIU
With the serious tone of the new administration in Washington DC accompanied by the dramatic changes that have occurred specifically in its direction toward immigration, it is probable that a sudden and dramatic shift in tenant screening polices similar to Right to Rent, could happen in the United States.
Already States are looking into how to thwart such new policies before they can become law. Like many times in the past the State of California may be the first state to proactively introduce legislation to prevent an American Right to Rent law.
From CBS Sacramento (Feb 03, 17):
Assemblyman David Chiu’s said … he’s introduced a bill that would prohibit landlords from disclosing information related to tenants’ immigration status. AB291 would also bar them from threatening to report tenants to immigration authorities.
The San Francisco Democrat says his bill would eliminate one method President Donald Trump’s administration could use to deport immigrants. sacramento.cbslocal.com/2017/02/03/california-lawmaker-proposes-immigrant-tenant-protections/
As US lawmakers continue to watch the effectiveness, responses and challenges of Britain’s “Right to Rent” policy they will at some point have a good idea whether or not similar policies would work in the USA or if they would be unfair and/or discriminatory to US Residents that should not be treated like criminals or unwanted aliens. Landlords and apartment managers should stay attuned to such changes happening and partner with a well-qualified tenant screening agency in order to stay ahead of any potential legislation effecting tenant background checks and housing laws.”
To learn more about how immigration policies could affect tenant screening practices in the USA and how Britain has been dealing with this issue read recent TenantScreeningUSA.com press release: http://tenantscreeningusa.com/tenant-screening-news/could-british-immigration-style-tenant-checks-come-to-the-united-states/