The Government has admitted that the issuing of Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs), which are used by non-UK citizens to prove they have a right to rent properties, has been taking too long.

This has left landlords and their tenants in the lurch as they wait for the Home Office to issue the permits, which minister Tom Pursglove (main pic, inset) says has been caused by ‘process errors’.

A BRP proves that a visa holder has the right to live, study, or work in the UK. It is the main proof of a person’s immigration status and holders must carry it with them when they travel abroad in order to be allowed to return to the UK.

Landlords who are housing international students are most likely to come across BRPs, as these students must have a visa to live and study here.

Problems

Problems with the permit issuing system have been going on for some time as immigration law firm Gherson warned of delays four months ago.

Promising improvements in answer to a parliamentary written question from Labour MP Charlotte Nichols (pictured), Pursglove said: “We have introduced a dedicated support function to work at speed to resolve user/process issues and to drive BRP process improvements across the end-to-end system”.

“Where customers encounter a delay in the receipt of their BRP, we offer a range of services to allow customers to report the delay, and we aim to resolve the problem within five working days of notification.

Those renting out homes can use the Landlord Checking Service to verify a right to work or rent in the absence of a BRP, Pursglove pointed out.