Industry group tries to reassure EU-born tenants over rental prospects

Thirty one per cent of European Union citizens living in the UK’s private rented sector say they are worried that the result of the referendum will make it harder for them to rent.

The findings - from the National Landlords Association and based on 944 responses to the association’s quarterly tenant panel research - also show that 25 per cent are worried that landlords will now be less willing to let to non-UK nationals following the Brexit vote.

The poll found that 18 per cent of private renters – which the NLA says represents around two million people – are EU citizens who currently have the right to freedom of movement within the EU.

“These findings show a significant proportion of tenants from the EU are genuinely concerned they’ll have to uproot themselves from work, studies, or friends and family on the strength of the referendum” says Richard Lambert, chief executive officer at the NLA. 

“There is still a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the referendum, but we want to reassure European citizens living in the UK it’s simply not the case that landlords will stop letting to them just because the country has decided to leave” he adds.

“However, if the right to freedom of movement within the EU is curtailed during the exit negotiations, then landlords may have no other option than to end tenancies rather than facing fines and even jail time if they let property to someone without the legal right to remain in the UK”.