If you let residential property in England, you must check that every adult tenant has the right to live in the UK before the tenancy starts. This is called a right to rent check, and failing to do one can result in fines up to £3,000 per tenant or criminal prosecution.

Process accurate as of February 2026. The Home Office updates accepted documents and the online checking service periodically. Always verify the current process at gov.uk/check-tenant-right-to-rent-documents before conducting a check.

Here's exactly how to do it.

Who needs to do right to rent checks?

All landlords and letting agents in England must carry out right to rent checks on prospective tenants. This applies to:

Private landlords
Letting agents acting on behalf of landlords
Lodger arrangements where a room is rented in your own home

Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are currently exempt. If your property is in Wales, this obligation does not apply — though other obligations do. Use our free compliance score tool to see what applies to your property.

When to do the check

You must complete the check before the tenancy begins. Specifically:

No more than 28 days before the start of the tenancy
Before the tenant moves in
You cannot backdate checks

If you have a sitting tenant and there was no check done at the start of their tenancy (perhaps they moved in before the rules applied), you're not required to do a retrospective check — but it's good practice.

Step-by-step: how to do a right to rent check

Step 1: Ask for original documents

Ask the tenant to provide original documents proving their right to rent. You cannot accept photocopies or photos — you need the originals.

Accepted documents fall into two lists:

List A documents (give an ongoing right to rent — no follow-up check needed):

UK or Irish passport (current or expired)
Certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen
EU/EEA permanent residence card or document
Biometric residence permit showing indefinite leave

List B documents (give a time-limited right to rent — you must do a follow-up check before the expiry date):

Biometric residence permit with time-limited leave
Current passport with visa endorsement
Immigration status document with time-limited leave
Certificate of Application (for EU Settlement Scheme)

Step 2: Check the documents

With the original documents in hand:

Check the photograph — does it match the person standing in front of you?
Check the date of birth — is this person the right age for the document?
Check the expiry dates — are the documents still valid?
Check for tampering — do the documents look genuine? Are there signs of alteration?
Check the names match — if the name on the document differs from the name given, ask for supporting documents (marriage certificate, deed poll, etc.)

Step 3: Using the Home Office online service (share codes)

For many non-UK nationals, the right to rent check is now done online using a share code. This applies to:

EU Settlement Scheme holders
People with eVisas
Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) holders who've been transferred to eVisa

How to use a share code:

Ask the tenant to generate a share code at gov.uk/prove-right-to-rent
The tenant gives you the share code and their date of birth
Go to gov.uk/view-right-to-rent
Enter the share code and the tenant's date of birth
The system tells you whether they have a right to rent and whether it's time-limited

Share codes expire after 90 days from generation — the tenant may need to create a new one if theirs has expired.

Step 4: Make and keep copies

You must keep copies of the documents (or a printed record of the online check) for the duration of the tenancy and for at least 12 months after the tenancy ends.

For physical documents:

Make a clear copy of every page with a right to rent endorsement
Copy the front cover of any passport
Record the date you made the check

For online checks:

Save or print the "Landlord view" page showing the result
Record the date of the check and the share code used

Step 5: Follow-up checks (if needed)

If the tenant has time-limited permission to stay in the UK (List B documents), you must do a follow-up check before their permission expires. The Home Office will often write to you to remind you, but don't rely on this — set a reminder.

What if the tenant can't provide documents?

If a tenant cannot provide documents because their application to the Home Office is ongoing, you can request a Landlord Checking Service verification. This takes up to 2 working days and will tell you whether the person has a right to rent.

Contact the Landlord Checking Service via gov.uk/landlord-immigration-check.

Penalties for not checking

The consequences are serious:

Offence	Penalty
First civil penalty (no previous breach)	Up to £3,000 per tenant
Repeat civil penalty	Up to £10,000 per tenant
Criminal offence (knowingly letting to someone without right to rent)	Up to 5 years' imprisonment

You also cannot serve a valid Section 21 notice in England without having completed the right to rent check.

Common mistakes

Checking only one tenant in a joint tenancy — you must check every adult occupier, not just the lead tenant
Accepting photocopies — you need original documents or the online check
Not recording the date of the check — this is essential for your statutory excuse
Missing follow-up checks — if a tenant has time-limited leave, you must re-check before it expires
Discrimination — you must check all tenants equally. Don't only check tenants who "look" like they might not have a right to rent. The same process applies to everyone.

How DueProper will help

DueProper will track your right to rent check status for each property. You'll get reminders before follow-up checks are due, and you'll be able to upload copies of documents as compliance evidence.

Coming soon — join the waitlist for early access.

Check your compliance score for free →

Right to Rent Checks: A Step-by-Step Guide for Landlords