Right to Rent Checks

Right to Rent Checks  

By law it is a responsibility of the letting agent or landlord to check an applicant's right to rent before granting them a tenancy, failure to do so could result in a fine of up to £20,000.

To pass a right to rent check, applicants of the age of 18 or over would need to provide proof that they have the right to live in the UK. For UK nationals this would be as simple as showing a British Passport or for applicants that have come from overseas this would be in the form of a ‘Right to Rent’ share code alongside the tenant's identification/date of birth or their original immigration documents.

As an applicant, if you do not have a Right to Rent code, this can be obtained in 4 simple steps from the Home Office online service as below:

https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-rent/get-a-share-code-online

It is usual for an applicant's right to rent code to be limited to a certain timeframe and once this period has expired it is essential that the tenant renews their rights to remain in the UK and share their new code with their managing agent or landlord. Failure to provide a new right to rent code on request would require the agent or landlord to report this to the Home Office.

If there is a problem with checking someone's right to rent, the Home Office helpline is available to assist during weekday office hours on 0300 790 6268.