Section 33A: Offences: landlords, Immigration Act 2014

The landlord under a residential tenancy agreement which relates to premises in England commits an offence if the first and second conditions are met.

The first condition is that the premises are occupied by an adult who is disqualified as a result of their immigration status from occupying premises under a residential tenancy agreement.

The second condition is that the landlord knows or has reasonable cause to believe that the premises are occupied by an adult who is disqualified as a result of their immigration status from occupying premises under a residential tenancy agreement.

But unless subsection (5) applies the landlord does not commit an offence under subsection (1) if—

the premises are located in an area in relation to which section 22 is in force,

the adult mentioned in subsections (2) and (3) is a limited right occupier, and

the eligibility period in relation to that occupier has not expired.

This subsection applies if the Secretary of State has given a notice in writing to the landlord which—

identifies the adult mentioned in subsections (2) and (3), and

states that the adult is disqualified as a result of their immigration status from occupying premises under a residential tenancy agreement.

It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under subsection (1) to prove that—

the person has taken reasonable steps to terminate the residential tenancy agreement, and

the person has taken such steps within a reasonable period beginning with the time when the person first knew or had reasonable cause to believe that the premises were occupied by the adult mentioned in subsections (2) and (3).

In determining whether subsection (6)(a) or (b) applies to a person, the court must have regard to any guidance which, at the time in question, had been issued by the Secretary of State for the purposes of that subsection and was in force at that time.

Guidance issued for the purposes of subsection (6)—

must be laid before Parliament in draft before being issued, and

comes into force in accordance with regulations made by the Secretary of State.

Section 22(9) applies for the purposes of subsection (1) as it applies for the purposes of that section.

A person commits an offence if—

there has been a post-grant contravention in relation to a residential tenancy agreement which relates to premises in England,

the person is the responsible landlord in relation to the post-grant contravention,

the person knows or has reasonable cause to believe that there has been a post-grant contravention in relation to the agreement, and

none of paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of section 24(6) applies in relation to the post-grant contravention.

Subsection (10) applies whether or not the landlord is given a notice under section 23 in respect of the contravention.

Section 33A: Offences: landlords

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