Landlords have responded to the government’s plans to consult on proposals to prohibit illegal migrants from renting accommodation in the UK.

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has given a cautious response.

Richard Lambert, the NLA’s CEO, said: “The NLA welcomes the government’s consultation on its plans to require private landlords to check the immigration status of all new tenants.

“If this is to work, it is vital that the system is simple, straightforward and easy for landlords to use and understand.

“It makes sense to base the requirements on the established system used by employers to verify that individuals have the right to work in the UK, not least because there is a clear acknowledgement that employers, like landlords, are not immigration experts.

“They can only be expected to carry out reasonable checks that someone is who they say they are, and that they have the documentation to prove they have the right to be here.”