Immigration Act 2014
The Act that created Right to Rent, requiring landlords in England to check every adult occupier has the legal right to rent in the UK. Penalties for failing to check or for knowingly renting to someone disqualified can reach £20,000 per tenant or a criminal offence.
At a glance
- Created
- Right to Rent regime
- Applies
- England (not yet Scotland, Wales, NI)
- Max civil penalty
- £20,000 per tenant
- Criminal route
- Knowingly renting to a disqualified person
Full guide
Read the complete landlord guide on Immigration Act 2014
Deadlines, fines and step-by-step compliance in our in-depth resource.
Open full guideWhy Immigration Act 2014 matters for landlords
The Immigration Act 2014 is the law behind Right to Rent — landlords in England must check every adult occupier before move-in. The penalties tiered up significantly in 2024 and knowingly renting to a disqualified person is prosecutable, not just finable. Agents can be appointed to carry out checks, but liability still sits with the landlord unless a valid written agent-check-delegation document exists.
Official sources
LetCompliance editorial reviews this entry every quarter against the sources above. Always confirm specific duties with a qualified solicitor or your local council.
Related terms
Right to Rent
The legal requirement on all private landlords in England to check every adult occupier has the legal right to rent in the UK before the tenancy starts. Introduced by the Immigration Act 2014. Fines: £1,000 per adult for a first offence, rising to £20,000 for repeat breaches.
ICO (Information Commissioner's Office)
The UK data protection regulator. Landlords who process tenant data (names, ID copies, bank details) are data controllers under UK GDPR and may need to pay the ICO's data protection fee. A privacy notice to tenants is required.
Accelerated Possession
A fast-track court procedure used under a Section 21 notice in England and Wales. Abolished for new claims from 1 May 2026 because Section 21 no longer exists. Possession is now pursued under Section 8 using a specified ground.
AST (Assured Shorthold Tenancy)
The most common form of private tenancy in England. From 1 May 2026 all existing ASTs converted to assured periodic tenancies under the Renters Rights Act 2025, and new fixed-term ASTs can no longer be created for most residential lets.
Arrears (Rent Arrears)
Unpaid rent that is past its due date. Ground 8 of Schedule 2 to the Housing Act 1988 (mandatory) requires at least 3 months of rent arrears under the Renters Rights Act 2025 (previously 2 months). Grounds 10 and 11 remain as discretionary grounds.
Awaab's Law
Provisions extending to the private rented sector under the Renters Rights Act 2025 that set strict timescales for landlords to investigate and remedy hazards such as damp and mould. Named after Awaab Ishak. Breach can lead to tenant compensation and enforcement by the local housing authority.