Right to Rent checks explained
In England, landlords and letting agents must check that every adult who will live in the property has the right to rent. The rules don't apply in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Always follow the latest Home Office guidance.
Who you must check
Every occupier aged 18 or over, whether or not they are named on the tenancy agreement, before the tenancy starts.
How to check
- Manual check: see original documents, such as a British or Irish passport, in the person's presence (or by video call with the originals)
- Online check: for many non-UK nationals, use their share code on the GOV.UK service
- Identity service provider (IDSP): a certified digital check for British and Irish passport holders
Keep a record
Keep copies of the documents or the online check result, with the date you made the check, for the whole tenancy and for a year afterwards.
Follow-up checks
If someone has time-limited permission to stay, you must re-check before it runs out.
Penalties
Letting to someone without the right to rent can lead to civil penalties of thousands of pounds per occupier, and repeated breaches can be a criminal offence.
How Estateflow helps
Store Right to Rent evidence against each tenancy and set a reminder for any follow-up check date, so it never slips.
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