Landlord’s guide to right to rent checks Page 1 of 63 Published on 31 August 2021 Contents About this guidance ................................................................................................ 6 Previous versions of Right to Rent Scheme guidance ............................................ 6 Summary of changes in this issue of the guide ...................................................... 7 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 8 Discrimination ......................................................................................................... 8 References in this guidance ................................................................................... 9 Legislation ............................................................................................................ 11 Who may be liable for a civil penalty? ...................................................................... 13 Liability .................................................................................................................. 13 Transfer of Liability ............................................................................................... 13 Appointing an agent .......................................................................................... 13 Tenants who sub-let and lodgers ...................................................................... 14 Sitting tenants and changes in landlord ............................................................ 14 Who can occupy residential accommodation? ......................................................... 16 Those with an unlimited right to rent ..................................................................... 16 Those with a time-limited right to rent ................................................................... 16 The eligibility period .......................................................................................... 17 Those with no right to rent .................................................................................... 17 Those who have been granted permission to rent by the Home Office ................ 17 Children ................................................................................................................ 18 Letting Arrangements that fall within the Scheme .................................................... 19 Residential tenancy agreements .......................................................................... 19 Property for use as an only or main home ............................................................ 20 Holiday accommodation ....................................................................................... 20 House guests ........................................................................................................ 21 Excluded agreements ........................................................................................... 21 Accommodation involving local authorities ........................................................ 21 Social housing ................................................................................................... 21 Care homes, hospitals and hospices and continuing healthcare provision ....... 22 Hostels and refuges .......................................................................................... 22 Mobile homes .................................................................................................... 22 Tied accommodation ......................................................................................... 22 Student accommodation ................................................................................... 22 Long leases ....................................................................................................... 23 Page 2 of 63 Published on 31 August 2021 The ways in which a landlord can establish a statutory excuse against liability for a civil penalty ............................................................................................................... 24 When to conduct initial right to rent checks .......................................................... 24 Agreeing to a tenancy in principle ......................................................................... 25 Ways to evidence a right to rent ........................................................................... 25 Conducting a manual document-based right to rent check ............................... 25 Step 1: Obtain ................................................................................................ 25 Step 2: Check ................................................................................................ 25 Step 3: Record and retain evidence of the check .......................................... 26 Lists of acceptable documents which can be used for a manual document check ............................................................................................................. 26 Conducting a right to rent check using the Home Office online service ............ 27 How does the service work? .......................................................................... 27 Step 1: Use the Home Office online service............................................... 28 Step 2: Check ............................................................................................ 28 Step 3: Copy and retain evidence of the check .......................................... 30 The Home Office Landlord Checking Service ....................................................... 31 Certificate of Application ................................................................................... 32 Nationals of an EEA country, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea or the USA who are visitors to the UK.............................................. 33 How to conduct a right to rent check on nationals of the EEA, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea or the USA who are visitors to the UK ..................................................................................................................... 34 When to conduct a follow-up check ...................................................................... 34 Making a report to the Home Office ...................................................................... 35 When to end a tenancy due to immigration status ................................................... 36 Ending a tenancy: your options ............................................................................ 36 Using a Notice of Letting to a Disqualified Person ................................................ 36 Using a Notice of Letting to a Disqualified Person when it names all the tenants . 37 Using a Notice of Letting to a Disqualified Person when it names some of the tenants .................................................................................................................. 37 Taking other steps to recover possession ......................................................... 38 Tell the Home Office that a disqualified person has left your property .................. 38 Request a Notice of Letting to a Disqualified Person ............................................ 38 ‘Minded to serve’ process ..................................................................................... 39 Check if a person is still disqualified from renting ................................................. 39 Further advice on ending a tenancy .................................................................. 39 What are the sanctions if you are found to be renting to a disqualified person? ...... 40 Page 3 of 63 Published on 31 August 2021 Civil penalties ....................................................................................................... 40 The offence of ‘knowingly letting to a disqualified person’ .................................... 40 How and when a civil penalty is served ................................................................ 41 Paying a civil penalty ............................................................................................ 41 Fast payment option .......................................................................................... 41 Payment by instalments .................................................................................... 41 Objecting to a civil penalty .................................................................................... 42 Appeal against a civil penalty ............................................................................... 43 Annex A: List of acceptable documents for a manual right to rent check ................. 44 Lists of acceptable documents to establish a continuous statutory excuse .......... 44 Annex B .................................................................................................................... 49 Biometric Residence Permits ................................................................................ 49 Windrush generation ............................................................................................. 49 Students ............................................................................................................... 50 First time students from overseas ..................................................................... 50 Returning students from overseas .................................................................... 50