NEW rules leaving landlords facing five years in jail for housing illegal immigrants could leave legitimate asylum seekers homeless, it has been claimed.

Worried Sandra Betton, who used to work for Bolton Council as a housing adviser, said the new rules could confuse asylum seekers who do not have English as a first language.

Mrs Betton, who now works for the North West Landlords Housing Association, said new arrivals to the UK often do not understand the importance of the papers they need, and risk being refused accommodation.

Mrs Betton said: "We have been advising people for the last 12 months to be extremely careful and headlines like this can look quite frightening.

"The public perception is that landlords are multi-millionaires and have loads of houses, but a lot just let out one or two properties.

"The easy advice that I don't like to give is that you can't give a property to anyone. Many genuine asylum seekers may not have sufficient English to know which paperwork is important or appropriate.

"Landlords may feel sorry for people and want to help but they can't do so now, as it is too much of a risk."

The latest measures will be included in the Government's upcoming Immigration bill, which aims to make it harder for migrants to stay in the UK after their visas expire.

Communities secretary Greg Clark said the new criminal offence — punishable by imprisonment or a fine — would affect landlords who fail to remove immigrants or carry out status checks before renting properties out.

A blacklist of "rogue" landlords will allow councils to keep track of those convicted and ban them from renting out properties if they are repeat offenders.

Unlike previously, landlords will now sometimes not require a court order to end a tenancy.

Mr Clark said: "We are determined to crack down on rogue landlords who make money out of illegal immigration - exploiting vulnerable people and undermining our immigration system.

"In future, landlords will be required to ensure that the people they rent their properties to are legally entitled to be in the country."