About The Scheme
Landlords and letting agents must carry out 'Right to Rent' checks on people before entering into a tenancy agreement with them. This scheme is a requirement of the UK Government and applies to everybody, including those who are British or European.
Under the 'Right to Rent' scheme, prospective tenants will fall mainly into two categories depending on their immigration status.
Unlimited Right To Rent
The following groups of people have an unlimited right to rent in the UK:
- British citizens
- Irish citizens
- Individuals who have the right of abode in the UK, or who have been granted settlement or have settled status, including via the EUSS, or have no time limit on their permission to stay in the UK
Time Limited Right To Rent
If you do not fall into the three categories above, but have valid immigration permission, then you have a time-limited right to rent. This includes most international students. If you do not have valid immigration permission, then you have no right to rent in the UK, are not able to rent a property from us.
If you live overseas, we can agree to a tenancy in principle based on scanned copies of your documents. We will need to see the original documents when you arrive.
Prove Your Status Online
We are able to verify your status online, if you have:
- Biometric residence card or permit
- Settled or pre-settled status
- Applied for a visa and used the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document on your phone
For us to check your status online, we will need your date of birth and 'share code'. To get your 'share code', visit the Prove Your Right To Rent page.
Provide Documents To Prove Your Status
In most cases, your UK passport is sufficient to prove your unlimited right to rent status. There are other acceptable documents too, please check the UK Government website for further details.
If you are not a British or Irish citizen, the following documents are acceptable proof:
- Current passport or travel document endorsed to show that the holder is allowed to stay in the UK for a time-limited period
- Current immigration status document issued by the Home Office to the holder, with a valid endorsement indicating that the holder has been granted limited leave to enter or remain in, the UK.
There are other documents that we can accept, however these are the most common. Please check the UK Government website for further details.
