This guide provides homeowners with information about the rules for verifying documents, examples of acceptable documents, and frequently asked questions. Verification of your documents is likely to take place after finding the property you want to rent and before you move, around the same time you are expected to pay your rent deposit. A British passport (current or expired), an Irish passport or passport card (current or expired), and a certificate of registration or naturalization as a British citizen are all key parts of your rental request. You won't have to prove your right to rent student housing, social housing, or accommodation offered by your employer, to name a few.
A full list of exemptions can be found here.At Ocasa Homes, we perform all the checks on your documents within a 48-hour period, so you don't have to wait long to see if you can rent the property of your choice. The landlord or rental agent may also need to repeat checks during or at the end of the lease if there is a time limit on your right to stay in the United Kingdom. If you can't prove your right to rent, there's a chance you won't be able to rent the property you've chosen.If you weren't born in the UK but are currently living here, you'll need to provide information about your immigration status. You can show a passport or a residence document to pass this check.
However, if you are not an EU citizen, your passport must confirm that you are allowed to be in the UK. If your documents are in the hands of the Ministry of the Interior, simply provide the landlord with your reference number so that they can verify their immigration status.Leasing agents and some landlords will perform credit checks to see if you've had trouble paying rent or bills on time. This may sound a little scary at first, but don't worry. First they have to ask you for permission and they won't penalize you if you don't have a credit history.
Remember that the landlord cannot charge you for credit checks, as this is illegal. Don't pay any fees you're not sure about. You'll also need to provide a reference showing that you can afford the rent and that you'll be a good renter.The GOV, UK certificate of registration or naturalization lists other documents you can use if you don't have any of these. You will need to show 2 documents.
For example, a birth certificate and a UK driver's license. You can get a stock code on GOV (UK). Then, you can use it to check your right to rent. On GOV, UK GOV (United Kingdom) has more information about immigration documents you can use to prove your right to rent.Apply for an entitlement check to rent from GOV, UK.
The Home Office introduced rent-to-rent checks with the aim of making it harder for people to live and work illegally in England. Leases in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are not subject to right-to-rent checks. Certified Identity Service Providers (IDSP) are external providers that comply with a government standard for digitally verifying the right to rent of British and Irish citizens who hold a valid passport (including Irish passport cards). IDSPs offer convenient checks, but not all agents will be able to offer Right to Rent checks through an IDSP (even for this restricted group) and whether this is a suitable option for your lease will depend on several different factors.
You can see a list of IDPs on GOV, United Kingdom.In most cases, verifying the right to rent is simple. However, if your tenant is a foreigner, make sure that their right to remain in the country has not ended. If they can't prove it or have a case pending appeal, you'll need to check with the Home Office. The original documents include data such as passports and immigration status documents issued by the Ministry of the Interior.
There's a full list of documents you can show to prove your right to rent at GOV, UK. You can call the Windrush support team yourself to request documents confirming your situation and to request compensation under the Windrush compensation plan. It states that Commonwealth citizens who have lived in the United Kingdom permanently since before 1973 and who have not been outside the United Kingdom for long periods in the past 30 years have the right to live in the United Kingdom and to rent property. If you have been a long-time resident in the United Kingdom and are unable to submit any of the documents on list A, group 1, list A, group 2 or list B to prove your right to rent, your landlord should not deny you rent.
The check for the right to rent is ultimately the responsibility of the landlord, although this task can be transferred to a real estate agent. If you don't have any restrictions on your right to stay in the UK (for example, if you're a British or Irish citizen or an EU citizen who has documents to prove your “resident status”), the landlord or leasing agent won't have to do more checks.
