The government’s controversial Right to Rent scheme, which forces landlords to undertake immigration checks on prospective tenants, is to be challenged in the High Court in December.

The government faces a challenge to its “hostile environment” policy after the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) won the right in June to launch a High Court case against the Home Office’s scheme obliging landlords to check the immigration of would-be tenants.

Now the JCWI has announced that it has gained consent for a full hearing to take place before the High Court on 18th and 19th December.

The organisation said: “This is going to be the first proper chance a court in the UK will have to determine the legality of the hostile environment Theresa May created that conscripted ordinary people into acting as her border guards.

It added: “We are close to ending this pernicious experiment once and for all.”

The JCWI is seeking to crowdfund the challenge, having so far raised £5,090 of the £15,000 target.

The JCWI’s legal challenge has received support from various bodies, including the Residential Landlords Association (RLA).

Reflecting on the decision of the High Court in June to allow for a judicial review of the Right to Rent policy, RLA policy director David Smith said: “Landlords will welcome the High Court decision to allow a judicial review of the Right to Rent policy which has put them in the impossible position of acting as untrained Border Police trying to ascertain who does and who does not have the right to be in the country.

“This has created difficulties for many legitimate tenants as landlords are forced to play safe and only rent to those with a UK passport.”

“The announcement is an important step towards overturning a policy which the government’s own inspectorate had described as having yet to demonstrate its worth.”