The published results of the Right to Rent pilot scheme are disappointing and mostly unhelpful insists the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks. 

The AIIC says sample sizes from the West Midlands project were small and the numbers who responded were disappointing.

For example, when the participants in the pilot project were asked how ‘informed’ they felt about the Right to Rent scheme, the results show responses from only 68 tenants, 114 landlords and 44 letting agents.

And when evaluating the number of letting agents and landlords who required photo ID before and after the scheme, the results only display responses from 64 letting agents and just 35 landlords.

Even so, the government announced this week that Right To Rent would roll out across all of England from February 1.

“While it is pleasing that the results have finally been publicised, it is disappointing to see the input and experiences from so few landlords and letting agents” says Patricia Barber, chair of the AIIC. 

“If landlords and agents up and down the country will now have to carry out immigration checks of prospective tenants it would at least be helpful if they had a better idea of what they are up against” she says.

“The results of the pilot project presented the perfect opportunity to showcase the experiences of the landlords, tenants and agents involved in Right to Rent so far, and could have been used as a genuine and useful form of training and preparation for what is ahead. Unfortunately, with so little to go on and hearing from so few participants, I feel this is a missed opportunity.”