Letting Agents and Estate Agents – Right to Rent Checks2024-05-03T13:21:45+01:00

Right to Rent Checks for Estate Agents and Letting Agents

MyVetting.com delivers fast, affordable online Right to Rent, DBS Checks, Right to Work checks for lettings agents, removals specialists and surveyors.

Vetting Checks For the Property Sector 

Why do Letting Agents need a Right to Rent Check? 

Letting agents will only require a personal Right to Rent check for themselves if they are renting a residential property in England. However, letting agents may find themselves responsible for undertaking hundreds of Right to Rent checks on potential tenants if they are acting on written instructions of a landlord for whom they are working. 

To have the right to rent in England, you will need to have the right to live in England. 

Who Needs a Right to Rent Check? 

Right to Rent checks are a legal requirement of all tenancy agreements in England with all tenants and lodgers required to undertake a Right to Rent check before they start a new tenancy agreement. Right to Rent checks work to prevent people with an illegal immigration status from renting residential properties in England.  

It’s the responsibility of the landlord to conduct a Right to Rent check – and they can do it quickly and affordably with MyVetting’s online right to rent checks. However, landlords can instruct a letting agency to undertake the checks on their behalf, with agreement in writing.

Introduced under the Immigration Act 2014, landlords and letting agents had been responsible for checking tenants’ paperwork in person, but as approved operators of Home Office IDVT technology, Right to Rent checks can be carried out by MyVetting digitally. It’s faster, more secure and more streamlined.  

Right to Rent – The Landlords’ Responsibilities 

The landlords or letting agents acting on their behalf must: 

  • Undertake Right to Rent checks all individuals aged 18 and over that will live in the property as their only or main home 
  • Request tenants to evidence original documentation that shows they have the legal right to be in the UK  
  • With MyVetting.com, documents are checked and verified digitally 
  • Check that the Right to Rent check has been certified as ‘passed’ on the MyVetting.com digital report 
  • Conduct follow up checks at the correct times 

With MyVetting.com, documents are checked and verified digitally. This is because we’re a Home Office pre-approved provider of online Right to Rent checks. 

In England, individuals that require a Right to Rent check are: 

  • All tenants aged 18 or over 
  • Tenants named on the tenancy agreement or not 
  • Tenants with or without a tenancy agreement 
  • Tenants with or without a written tenancy agreement 

When to do a Right to Rent Check 

Right to Rent checks must be carried out by landlords or letting and estate agents before keys are handed over. In fact, the checks should be run before the tenancy agreement has been signed. Typically, this would have required a face-to-face meeting where documentation was checked and scrutinised, copies made and filed securely.  

With MyVetting, estate agents, landlords and letting agents, can simply buy Right to Rent checks online and send check requests digitally, from their Client Dashboard.

Tenants will receive a notification to submit their documentary evidence securely online, with the Right to Rent check beginning as soon as they submit their evidence.

Clients can track the check’s progress through the Right to Rent process and will be notified as soon as the check is completed. 

MyVetting’s Right to Rent checks use Home Office IDVT technology and all check reports are digital, which makes it easier and more convenient to store them securely. 

Right to Rent checks should be carried out no sooner than 28 days before the letting starts.  

Right to Rent checks should only be carried out on the tenants’ main home, which is classified as the property where they: 

  • Live in most of the time 
  • Have a partner or child/children living 
  • Keep most of their belongings 
  • Are registered to vote at the property address 
  • Are registered with a doctor at the property address 

How long do Right to Rent checks take?   

Applying for Right to Rent checks for individuals applying for roles in lifestyle businesses is quick and simple.    

Register in seconds and send check alerts directly to the applicant. They’ll be alerted instantly and can begin the check process straight away. Don’t worry – if they’re busy and forget to start their check, we’ll send them a text reminder after 24 and 48 hours.    

When your employees upload their proof of identity, their reports will be returned within 5-10 days.     

Apply for an Online Right to Rent check 

 

Right to Rent Checks for Estate Agents and Letting Agents

Our Products

Right to Rent

£10

1-10 applicants

£8

11-99 applicants

£6

100+ applicants

  • Real-Time Checks

  • Data-Encrypted Online System

  • Approved UK Home Office Provider

  • Powered by Digital Identity Validation Technology (IDVT)

  • Live Status Updates

  • Expert Customer Support

Helpdesk

Frequently asked questions

What is a Right To Rent Check?2024-01-12T10:41:13+00:00

A Right to Rent Check requires lettings and rental agents in England to ensure that tenants who occupy the properties in their care have legal status to live in the UK. Before renting a home in England, lettings and rental agents must complete ID checks prior to letting the property.

On who Do I Need To Do a Right To Rent check?2024-01-12T10:40:18+00:00

As a lettings agent or rental agent, you must undertake a Right To Rent check on all prospective tenants over the age of 18, regardless of whether they have their name on the tenancy or not.

As a prospective tenant over the age of 18, whether named on the tenancy or not, you must expect to be requested to submit to a tenancy check.

Valid documents for submission in a Right To Rent check (depending on nationality):

UK, EEA or a Swiss citizen – 

A valid passport

A valid EEA/Swiss national ID card

A valid UK driving license and original UK birth certificate (British citizens only)

Other nationalities – 

A combination of a passport, a valid visa or a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP).

Do I need to carry out a Right to Rent check if I am subletting?2024-01-12T10:38:46+00:00

Yes, if you’re subletting the property you rent, it is your responsibility to carry out a Right to Rent check and gather evidence of their Right To Rent before they move occupier in. Failure to do so leaves you accountable for any enforcement action or fines. If requesting your landlord to carry out a Right To Rent checks on your behalf, please agree in writing and retain a copy as proof.

How do British citizens prove their Right to Rent2024-01-12T10:37:46+00:00

If you are a British or Irish citizen, you have unlimited Right to Rent in the UK. This does not exclude these people from having to go through a Right to Rent check.  

If British or Irish citizens seek rented accommodation in England from a private landlord, they will still have to prove their residency or immigration status. This is called having the ‘Right to Rent’. This affects all new lettings including tenancies, licences, lodging arrangements and sub-lets.  

If you’re a British, you can prove your Right to Rent in England by showing your landlord a British passport. It can be a current passport, but an expired passport will also be accepted. If you do not hold a passport, you can provide a valid UK driving licence and a UK birth certificate.  

If you are an Irish citizen, you can also use your passport or passport card. Just like British citizens, for Irish citizens this can be an expired passport.   

Other accepted documents for an Irish citizen are a certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen.  

Who is exempt from Right to Rent checks2024-01-12T10:36:30+00:00

Children under the age of 18 are exempt from Right to Rent checks but landlords are allowed to verify the age of the person claiming to be under 18.   

Also, you can be exempt from Right to Rent checks if you are staying in the certain types of accommodation such as: 

  • Holiday accommodation of less than three months.  
  • Housing provided by local authorities through homelessness or allocations procedures (including most housing association homes)  
  • Care homes  
  • Hostels or refuges  
  • Homeless accommodation provided by the local    
  • Home Office accommodation for migrants  
How to get a share code to use to prove your Right to Rent?2024-01-12T10:34:00+00:00

A share code is a 9-character code generated through the Home Office online service. This code is valid for 90 days and can be used multiple times within that period. Renters can provide this share code, along with their date of birth, to prospective agents or landlords for the Right to Rent check.  

How to Generate Your Share Code:  

Follow these steps to generate your share code and provide it to your agent or landlord.  

Step 1:  

Visit the Home Office online service and review the provided information.  

If you have all the necessary documents, click “Start now” under the ‘Prove your Right to Rent online’ section.  

Step 2:  

In this step, you will:  

  • Provide information about your immigration status.  
  • Enter details of your evidence, such as your biometric residence card number.  
  • Provide your date of birth.  

Step 3:  

Select the reason for sharing your status. In this case, choose “to prove your Right to Rent.”  

A preview of the information to be shared with the agent or landlord will be displayed.  

Step 4:  

Click “Create share code” to generate your unique 9-character code.  

You can then enter this code into your Rent Passport under the Right to Rent section (if requested).  

By following these steps, renters can efficiently generate a share code to demonstrate their Right to Rent in the UK to prospective agents or landlords.  

What is the penalty for landlords not complying with Right to Rent in the UK?2024-01-12T10:31:52+00:00

Potential Fines for Landlords Regarding Right to Rent:  

Landlords in the UK could face significant fines, potentially reaching as high as £20,000, for their failure to ensure that their tenants and lodgers possess the legal Right to Rent in the country.  

Increased Fines for Landlords Dealing with Illegal Immigrants:  

In cases where landlords engage with illegal immigrants as tenants, the fines are set to escalate significantly. For a first breach, the fines will rise from £80 per lodger and £1,000 per occupier to a range of up to £5,000 per lodger and £10,000 per occupier.  

In the case of repeat breaches, the fines will further increase, potentially reaching up to £10,000 per lodger and £20,000 per occupier. This marks a substantial hike from the previous fines of £500 and £3,000, respectively.  

Imprisonment as a Potential Consequence:  

It’s important to note that, in addition to fines, landlords can also face the possibility of imprisonment if they fail to adhere to the requirement of verifying the Right to Rent status of their occupiers.  

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