Did you know that if you are a private landlord, it is your responsibility to check your tenants right to rent and ensure than an up-to-date check is kept on file at all times?

Many are not aware, but a driving licence cannot be used as ID for the purposes of the right to rent. If the tenant is of British origin, then you will need to see either their passport or birth certificate. The driving licence can then be used as their proof of address.

From June 2021 landlords have been required for tenants of any other nationality to see their passport, proof of address (dated in the last three months) and a right to rent share code. The share code can be obtained by the tenant from the government website and they will need their BRP card number for this.

The right to rent share code starts with a ‘R’ and is not to be confused with the right to work share code which starts with a ‘W’.

Once they give you the share code, you can do a quick check online against the code and their date of birth and it will provide you with a PDF document highlighting the expiry date of their right to rent. It is important to note the expiry date as you will need to re check again before then to ensure you remain compliant.

The fines for landlords who do not comply can be in the region of £10,000 per tenant.

If you are a landlord, or tenant and need advice on right to rent checks then give us a call on 01634 294994 and we will be happy to help.