Right to Rent Checks:
Complete Guide for UK Landlords

What is a right to rent check?

The right to rent scheme requires landlords in England to check that all adults who will occupy a rental property have permission to be in the UK before granting a tenancy. It was introduced by the Immigration Act 2014 and applies to all private landlords, not just letting agents.

The check establishes whether a prospective tenant has an unlimited or time-limited right to rent. Unlimited right to rent means no follow-up is required. Time-limited right to rent requires a repeat check before permission expires.

Who must be checked

Every adult aged 18 or over who will use the property as their only or main home must be checked — including adults who are not named on the tenancy agreement. A landlord cannot limit checks to named tenants only.

The check applies to prospective tenants, not to short-stay guests or lodgers in owner-occupied properties (different rules apply to lodgers).

Acceptable documents

The Home Office publishes the full Right to Rent user guide with all acceptable documents. The table below covers the most common categories.

How to conduct the check

For most tenants, original documents must be checked in person. For tenants who hold an eVisa or EU Settlement Scheme status (including pre-settled status), there is no physical document — the check is conducted via the Home Office online right to rent service, using a share code provided by the tenant.

Steps for a manual (in-person) check:

1. 1.Ask to see the original document (not a copy)
2. 2.Check it is genuine, belongs to the person, and has not expired (passports can be expired for British and Irish citizens)
3. 3.Make a clear copy and record the date of the check
4. 4.Note whether the right is unlimited or time-limited
5. 5.If time-limited: diarise the follow-up check date

Keep the copy for the duration of the tenancy and for at least one year after it ends.

Follow-up checks for time-limited permission

Where a tenant has a time-limited right to rent (a visa, pre-settled status, or other time-restricted leave to remain), the landlord must carry out a repeat check. The repeat check must be done on whichever is the later of:

• →The date the permission expires, or
• →12 months after the initial check

If the follow-up check reveals the tenant no longer has the right to rent, the landlord must notify the Home Office. Continuing to rent to a disqualified tenant without reporting does not protect the landlord from penalty.

Civil penalties

Where a landlord lets to a tenant who does not have the right to rent in the UK, a civil penalty of up to £20,000 per occupant can be imposed. Penalties are issued by the Home Office, not the courts.

A landlord has a statutory excuse against a penalty if they can demonstrate that a compliant check was carried out before the tenancy began and the documents appeared genuine. This is why keeping records — copies of documents and the date of check — is essential.

Common mistakes