What Are Right to Rent Checks and What Are Your Obligations as a Landlord?

If you're a landlord or leasing agent, you know that it's essential to verify the immigration status of potential tenants before renting a property. This is known as a “right to rent check” and it's mandatory in the UK. Failure to comply can result in serious consequences, including civil sanctions. Right to rent checks must be performed before the start date of the lease.

The landlord or their leasing agents must ensure that the documents show that the tenant has the right to live in the UK and rent the property. If you rent your property to someone who has no right to rent it in England, you can receive a fine of up to £3,000 for each tenant or be sent to prison. To maintain a legal excuse, you must perform a follow-up check before the right to rent expires. People with refugee status or those seeking asylum or protection on humanitarian grounds also have the right to rent housing.

Real estate investors can also be fined if they cannot prove that they have proven their tenants' right to rent. In the case of a first offence, renting your property to a tenant without the right to rent could result in a fine of £1,000 per tenant or £80 per tenant. Once you have verified that you need to carry out a manual check of the right to rent, you should ask the tenant for the original documents to prove that they can live in the UK. Acceptable documents that can be used to prove your identity and your right to rent depend on your nationality. There are a number of obligations that real estate investors must consider when it comes to Right to Rent checks. It's important for landlords and leasing agents to understand their responsibilities and ensure they are compliant with all relevant laws and regulations.