KEIGHLEY MP Kris Hopkins has welcomed a Government drive to crack down on rogue landlords who make money out of illegal immigration.

Amendments to the Immigration Bill, due to be tabled in the autumn, will enable landlords to terminate a tenancy when a person's leave to remain in the UK ends.

Also, landlords will be required to conduct checks on a prospective tenant's immigration status before offering a tenancy agreement.

Landlords failing to carry out the checks will have committed a criminal offence.

Mr Hopkins (pictured), a former housing minister, said: "No one should be profiting from illegal immigration, and that includes landlords.

"Under the changes we are proposing, landlords must ensure that the individuals renting their properties are legally entitled to be in the country.

"And they must also fulfil their basic responsibilities as landlords. For example, practices such as renting out dangerous, dirty and overcrowded properties must stop.

"The private rental sector provides a home to nine million people across the country and the Government is already on a major drive to root out the minority of landlords who do not fulfil their obligations.

"This has been backed up by the release of £6.7 million to local authorities to tackle rogue landlords in their respective areas."