Are you looking to rent a property in England? If so, you need to be aware of the Right to Rent checks that are required by law. This article will provide an overview of what a Right to Rent check is, how it is conducted, and what it means for you as a renter. A Right to Rent check is a verification process that landlords and rental agents must undertake before allowing an adult occupant to live in a rental property. This process is similar to presenting your passport and visa at an immigration checkpoint.
The landlord or rental agent must verify the immigration status of the adults who will be living on the property before the tenancy begins. Right to Rent requires leasing agents in England to verify that all tenants occupying their properties have legal status to live in the United Kingdom. This means that before you can rent a home in England, a tenancy agent must verify your identity before renting the property. Your landlord or leasing agent will ask you to show your immigration documents or passport when you start or renew your lease.
You will also be asked to see the documents of any other adult living with you. They do this to prove that you have the right to live in the UK and to rent; this is called a “right to rent check”. It's a legal requirement for landlords before the start of a lease. The right to rent check shows that a tenant or tenant has the right to rent property in England. The right to rent system requires landlords to verify that the potential tenant of a privately rented home has the legal right to stay in the United Kingdom. Verifying the immigration status of a potential tenant is a legal requirement for all landlords.
You'll also need to prove that you and any other adult living with you have the “right to rent” in the UK. The landlord or rental agent will use your participation code or documents to prove that you have the right to rent. Basically (in the eyes of the law) people who are allowed to be in the country have the right to rent, and anyone who doesn't have permission to be here has no right to rent. In these circumstances, where there are doubts about the right of a potential tenant to rent, landlords should consult the Landlord Verification Service for verification by the Ministry of the Interior. If you left Ukraine because of the war, you have the right to rent as long as you have permission from the Home Office to stay in the UK. Check with the Home Office if the tenant is a Commonwealth citizen but doesn't have the correct documents; they may still have the right to rent in the UK.
Landlords can be fined up to 3,000 pounds sterling if they rent to a person who has no right to rent or if they fail to meet the right to rent check. Certified Identity Service Providers (IDSP) are external providers that comply with a government standard to carry out digital controls on the right to rent for British and Irish citizens who hold a valid passport (including Irish passport cards). IDPs offer an option for making convenient checks, but not all agents can offer rent checks through an IDSP (not even for this restricted group) and whether this is suitable for your lease will depend on several different factors. The Home Office introduced Right To Rent checks with the aim of making it harder for people who are living and working illegally in England. If you are unable to provide accepted documents confirming your identity and right to live in the UK, you will not be able to rent property in England. Limited stay in the United Kingdom Landlords and rental agents have a legal obligation to re-verify the right to rent if the identity document you provide belongs to “list B”, as these documents only serve as legal excuse for limited time. Then, they can allow remaining legal tenants continue their tenancy by reassigning it one or more remaining adult occupants who have right to rent.
Landlords are responsible for verifying immigration status of potential tenants in private rented sector.
