5th May 2020
Q: Do I need to do right to rent checks on my tenants?
A: Yes. You, or your agent, will need to check the tenant’s eligibility to rent a property in the UK.
Landlords are required to know their tenants in much the same way as employers are required to know their employees. In particular, they need to know the immigration status of all of their adult tenants. There are exemptions, such as commercial leases, employer provided accommodation, care homes and so on. Penalties are high if mistakes are made.
If you are going to check your own tenant’s validity, then we would suggest that if the tenant does not have a UK passport, visit the Home Office website and read their guidelines.
The process includes things like:
- Checking the original documents for inconsistencies (dates across documents; that they look like the person sitting in front of you etc.)
- Noting the date of expiration on any leave periods
- Making a full copy of all the documents (front and back)
- Holding the document copies on file with the client’s consent
- Having a system in place to check back prior to the expiration date on the leave that permission has been renewed
Once you are satisfied they meet the right to rent requirements, you can go ahead with the rental procedure. If this all sound a little too much work, then contact our office; we are more than happy to get this done for you.
