Immigration Matters: Fines issued to property landlords under right to ...

Immigration Matters: Fines issued to property landlords under right to ...: Fines for immigration breaches were imposed on 62 property landlords between February and Sept last year under Home Office ‘right-to-rent’...

Fines issued to property landlords under right to rent rules

Fines for immigration breaches were imposed on 62 property landlords between February and Sept last year under Home Office ‘right-to-rent’ rules, the Press Association has revealed.

The Right to Rent rules requires landlords or householders to obtain evidence that tenants or lodgers have a right to be in the country by taking copies of official documents such as passports or identity cards. Failure to do so can lead to fines of up to £3000.

The data on Home Office civil penalties levied for letting to tenants or lodgers without the right to rent were reveled following a Freedom of Information request.

The level of fines i ranged from £80 to £3,000, with most relating to one or two tenants, with three cases involving three tenants.

Despite the reports of 62 fines, it should be remembered that there are around 2 million buy-to-let landlords in the UK who provide accommodation for the private and public sector, for instance through private sector leasing or accommodation for homeless families.

Some investment experts (like stockbrokers and bankers who sell shares) claim that the stock market offers the best returns, but where else can you use 80% leverage or loans to purchase investments which gives a healthy yield and capital growth over the longer term? 

Put another way, will your bank lend you £80,000 to buy shares or even their own managed unit trusts and pension funds? To save you time and embarrassment from being laughed out of the bank, I'll give you the answer: "NO"! Why? Because it's too "risky" they will say. Try asking them.

Too risky for them to lend on, but not for their financial advisers to sell you to save for your retirement! They will lend on property on a buy-to-let investment at rates starting at LESS than 2%. 

You pay one fifth of the price of a property, the bank lend your four fifths and the tenant pays off 100% of the loan.

The UK is an attractive place to work, start a business or buy property - even with no money down, with no restrictions on foreign buyers and a vibrant mortgage market with record low interest rates. Leading economists predict that, despite Brexit, house prices will continue rising due to shortages of stock and strong demand in the rental sector.

If you would like to learn more about investing in UK property, I have a limited number of complimentary tickets to a LIVE EVENT  - Beginners Property Course (held in the UK), which will give you the basic knowledge and techniques to get started. If you are interest, email me your full name and telephone number to euukimmigration@gmail.com.

See also:

Turn Your Passion into Profit

Cyprus, the fastest route to EU citizenship and European passports for you and your family

How will UK Immigration changes on 6 April affect you?

Rents rise as young first-time buyers struggle to get a foot on the UK property ladder, but there is help available

Immigration Matters: Fast-track asylum appeal system to be reintroduced...

Immigration Matters: Fast-track asylum appeal system to be reintroduced...: The Justice Secretary will reintroduce time limits for the appeals of detained asylum seekers and foreign criminals against removal from t...

Fast-track asylum appeal system to be reintroduced to speed up removals

The Justice Secretary will reintroduce time limits for the appeals of detained asylum seekers and foreign criminals against removal from the UK, as part of proposals to bring back a fast-track appeal system.

Judges said the previous fast-track appeal rules were unlawful in 2015, but the government will implement safeguards and a case management system, which will be considered by the independent Tribunal Procedure Committee.

The new rules, if implemented, will affect detainees (including foreign offenders and failed asylum seekers) appeal against a Home Office removal (deportation) decision to remove them from the UK.

The previous fast-track appeal system, meant that cases before the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) were governed to time limits, and could be decided in as little as 12 working days of an initial decision. Appeals heard by the Upper Tribunal were given more time under the system eventually ruled unlawful by judges.

Under the government's proposals, the time between an initial decision and conclusion of an appeal to the tribunal would be capped at between 25 and 28 working days.

The Justice Secretary Liz Truss said: "It is vital that foreign nationals who have no right to remain in the country should be removed as quickly as possible.

"We must ensure that foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers are not exploiting the justice system by attempting to stay in the UK after their claims have been rejected.

"Our proposals are also better for detainees as it will see their detention time cut."

The Home Office said the new procedure will expedite 2,000 cases a year saving the taxpayer an estimated £2.7 million. State legal aid has funded appeals to the tune tens of millions of pounds in the past, which excludes the costs of running the courts and tribunals, and paying immigration judges over £100,000 per year taking into account pensions and benefits.

The Law Society, which represents the legal profession, claims the fast-track system puts speed before justice.

The have been a number of changes to the Immigration Rules this month. To find out how you may be affected by the April immigration changes click here.

UK Prime Minister, Theresa May

The previous Home Secretary, Theresa May, slashed the number of appeals available in order to help clear the backlog of thousands of cases clogging up the courts for years.

Now Prime Minister, Mrs May has announced a surprise June general election this week and has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reduce net migration to “sustainable numbers” below 100,000 per year.

The Conservatives want to increase their majority in Parliament and strengthen their hand in the Brexit negotiations following the triggering of Article 50 on 29 March 2017, which will take the UK out of the European Union.

See also:

Cyprus, the fastest route to EU citizenship and European passports for you and your family

How will UK Immigration changes on 6 April affect you?

Fines issued to landlords under right-to-rent offences

Turn Your Passion into Profit

Immigration Matters: How will UK Immigration changes on 6 April affect ...

Immigration Matters: How will UK Immigration changes on 6 April affect ...: This year the Home Office has implemented a number of key  changes to the  UK Immigration Rules, including introducing recommendations by ...

Immigration Matters: Cyprus, the fastest route to EU citizenship and Eu...

Immigration Matters: Cyprus, the fastest route to EU citizenship and Eu...: As people all over the world celebrate the Easter holidays, the ancient island of Cyprus comes to mind, which plays a part in early Christ...

Cyprus, the fastest route to EU citizenship and European passports for you and your family

As people all over the world celebrate the Easter holidays, the ancient island of Cyprus comes to mind, which plays a part in early Christian history. The Apostles travelled to Cyprus and formed some of the earliest Christian churches in the region during the days of Roman Empire.

Two thousand years and several invading empires later, Cyprus is now a member of the European Union and Commonwealth, and is strategically placed to take advantage of economic growth in a growing region as it straddles Europe and the Middle East.

Cypriot EU Passport

Cyprus has recently been ranked the 5th best relocation destination in the world by an international lifestyle review (source: 2014 report prepared by Knight Frank, a leading independent, global real estate consultancy firm). Ranked by key business and leisure indicators, Cyprus was the only European country alongside Switzerland to make it into the top five – ahead of London, Madrid and Monaco. 

The Country is ranked highly because of its favourable tax regime for new residents, particularly high net worth individuals. And with at least 320 days of sunshine a year, and classified as the sunniest European location, you can enjoy an incredible lifestyle on this beautiful island in the sun.

EU citizenship and passport in 6 months, really?

Europe is established itself as the most sought after region in terms of high net worth immigration, accounting for over half of the total number of global citizenship applications, with the Caribbean in second place, followed by North America in third. Recent studies conducted by global immigration experts, ranked the Cyprus Citizenship by Investment Program among the “top ten best in the world”.

The Cypriot immigration policy and legal framework now enables non-EU applicants to obtain Cypriot citizenship on an expedited basis – fast. There are a number of reasons the Cyprus Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Program is now considered to be the most attractive in Europe, including:

• 6 months application process and approval granted within 2 to 3 months - the fastest route to EU Citizenship and European passport.
• There is no requirement to make a donation to the local government, in contrast to many other citizenship programs worldwide.
• Cyprus does not require applicants to live on the island prior, during or after the application process, unlike all other EU countries with citizenship programs that impose residency requirements.
• Simple and straightforward application process with no requirements to disclose source of wealth or funds,
• No medical testing, no interview, and no language requirements.
• Approved by the EU (being one of only two CBI programs in Europe with official EU approval).

Since 2013, there have been over 2,000 successful CBI applicants under the Cypriot program, generating more than €3 billion in investment.

So what’s the catch? No catch as such, the rules are clear and fair. You just have to invest at least 2 million Euros in Cyprus to qualify. The country wants to attract high net worth investors in exchange for EU citizenship - a passport to a region of 300 million people. However, unlike many other EU citizenship schemes, the rules are flexible and the process is super quick - you could be holding a red EU passport in six months.

I have been researching EU passport schemes for years, but never found anything as easy, fast and flexible as the Cyprus investor programme. I have also found a company that can not only take care of all the paperwork, but will also source the qualifying real estate investment for you.

This is an investor programme, not a skilled worker or student scheme, sorry, seriously loaded investors only need apply.

If you would like full details on how you can legally obtain an EU passport in around six months, email me,

How will UK Immigration changes on 6 April affect you?

This year the Home Office has implemented a number of key changes to the UK Immigration Rules, including introducing recommendations by the Migration Advisory Committee to managed migration and Tier 2 working visas, most of which will take effect on 6 April 2017.

Tier 2 sponsoring employers and those applying or Tier 2 working visas or work permits to work in the UK should take note of the following new requirements:

Immigration Skills Charge

As announced by UK Immigration Matters last month, an Immigration Skills Charge of £1000 per skilled worker per year will be levied on employers in the Tier 2 (General) and Tier 2 (ICT) categories, reduced to £364 for small and charitable sponsors.  The money raised by the tax will be used  for training to help reduce skills gaps in the UK workforce. The charge will not apply to Ph.D.-level occupations, ICT graduate trainees, and those switching in country from Tier 4 student visas to Tier 2

Overseas Criminal Record Certificates

The UK Home Office is extending the requirement to provide criminal record certificates for certain occupations to Tier 2 (General) applicants and their adult dependent partners. The requirement will not apply to those applying under the Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer (ICT)) route.

Migrants applying from overseas after 6 April 2017 where the main applicant is coming to work in the UK in the education, health, or social care sector will be required to obtain criminal record certificates.

Immigration Health Surcharge

First introduced in 2015, non-EEA migrants applying for Tier 2 (ICT) and their dependants will be required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge of £200 per person per year. This also applies to non-EEA nationals in the UK and applying to extend their visas.

Tier 2 Application changes

The Home Office frequently change application forms, so always check the latest version before submitting an application. Minimum salary threshold for Tier 2 (General) experienced workers is increasing by £5000 from £25,000 to £30,000, but will be held at £20,800 for “new entrants”.

The Tier 2 category covers UK companies employing or “sponsoring” non-EEA nationals to work in skilled jobs in the UK. The threshold and entry bar has been rising for a number of years for non-EEA workers and there are far less migrants coming to work or study in the UK, in comparison to the Blair government years and we are now seeing net migration falling.

The main changes include:

• A temporary exemption to the Tier 2 (General) minimum salary threshold will apply for nurses, medical radiographers, paramedics, and secondary school teachers in mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, and Mandarin until July 2019.
• The Shortage Occupation List (jobs listed in this list mean sponsors do not have to carry out Resident Labour Market Tests) has been amended to include secondary school teachers in combined science, computer science, and Mandarin. However, secondary school teachers in chemistry are being removed from the Shortage Occupation List.
• The minimum salary for indefinite leave to remain applicants submitted on or after 6 April 2022 will increase to £37,900.

Relocation of High-value Business to the UK

In order to encourage the relocation of a high-value business and significant new inward investment projects into the UK, some changes are being made to Resident Labour Market Test where the sponsor is a newly registered  branch or subsidiary of an overseas business and the investment involves new capital of £27 million or the creation of at least 21 new British jobs.

Visitor visa rules have been changed so applications for visitor visas can be made at any post in the world designated by the UK Home Office.

EU Passport in 6 Months

Britain is not the only country trying to attract high net worth individuals and businesses. EU countries like Cyprus, Malta and Portugal all offer citizenship, and EU passports in return for varying levels of direct investment,

EU member Cyprus offers probably the fastest and most flexible route to citizenship with no residency requirement and a 6 month application process for individuals with at least 2 million Euros to invest in Cypriot property via their investor programme.

See also:

Fines issued to landlords under right-to-rent offences