The financial risks associated with non-compliance with Right to Rent legislation have dramatically increased, following a sharp rise in enforcement activity since late 2024.

New Home Office data reveals a massive surge in penalties issued to landlords and letting agents who fail to properly verify a tenant’s immigration status:

• Total Fines Soar: Civil penalties levied reached £4.2 million, a sevenfold increase compared to the £596,400 collected in the previous reporting period.
• Enforcement Rises: The number of civil penalties issued has also climbed steeply, from 235 to 375, signalling that compliance checks are now a core focus for the authorities.

Compliance as a Core Business Risk

According to Tim Barnett, chief executive of Credas Technologies, these figures confirm that enforcement is “not just tightening—it’s accelerating,” making the financial consequences of administrative error far greater than before.

The Right to Rent rules, introduced in England to prevent illegal migrants from renting in the private sector, legally require landlords and agents to confirm a tenant’s eligibility before a tenancy is granted. Non-compliance can result in significant civil penalties or, in the most serious cases, criminal prosecution.

With fines continuing to rise, compliance experts are warning that relying on outdated manual checks is vulnerable to error and that the sector must immediately adopt secure digital verification processes to protect their businesses. The message is clear: enforcement is becoming more data-driven, more consistent, and more costly for those who fail to keep pace.