As a landlord, it is important to ensure that your tenants have the right to rent your property. To do this, you must perform a manual right to rent check. This involves asking for original documents from the tenant that prove they are legally allowed to live in the UK. You must then verify that the documents are genuine and belong to the tenant, with their presence.
It is important to make and keep copies of the documents and record the date of the check. There are three types of right-to-rent checks: a document-based manual check, a right-to-rent check using identity verification technology (IDVT) through the services of an identity service provider (IDSP), or an online check through the Ministry of the Interior's online right-to-rent check service. Please note that if you perform a manual verification of the right to rent, you will not be able to accept green cards or biometric permits. If your tenant can only provide them, you'll need to use the online verification service (see below). To perform a manual check, you need to see the original documents that prove your tenants' right to rent; a list of accepted documents can be found on the government website. If you or someone you live with doesn't have the right to rent, the landlord can evict everyone from the property.
Once you have received the participation code, you can check the tenant's right to rent by following the link found here. If your tenant loses their right to rent during their tenancy, you'll need to report this to the Home Office. If you check this document correctly, as stated here and in the Landlord's Guide to the Right to Rent, you will establish a statutory exemption from liability for a limited time and you'll need to check it again before your legal excuse expires. Landlords must prove the right to rent in a fair, justifiable and consistent manner, regardless of whether they believe the tenant is British, a resident or a person with limited permission to be in the UK. According to the government, if you are unsure if you are eligible for a rental permit, you should contact either the owner of your case or the team that handles your case, or ask when you visit an immigration information center.
You will receive a positive or negative response from the Ministry of the Interior about whether the applicant has the right to rent the property or, if no response is received after two business days, you will receive confirmation that you can rent your property to them for up to 12 months. Newcomers to the United Kingdom must prove their right to rent through documents they used when entering the country. If they have a biometric residence permit, biometric residence card, are enrolled in the EU settlement system or have been granted status digitally through an electronic visa, they can only prove their right to rent using an online verification service. On this document is a complete list of documents that can be used in combination with each other in order to verify their right to rent. The Ministry of Interior's online right-to-rent service offers an easy way for landlords to digitally verify their tenants' eligibility without needing physical documents. With new technology providers, landlords can remotely verify their tenants' identities and demonstrate their eligibility for renting.
If someone needs permission from authorities in order for them to stay in UK but doesn't have one, they don't have any right for renting. Most landlords ask prospective tenants for making deposits - an amount of money which will protect them from losing money in case of property damage or non-payment of rent.
