Right to rent checks for landlords in England

Last updated 26 Oct 2026

In England, a private landlord must check that every adult who will live in the property as their main home has the right to rent, before the tenancy starts. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have no right to rent checks.

Gov.uk says: "You do not need to prove your right to rent in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland." Source: GOV.UK, prove your right to rent. This page covers England only.

Who you must check

Gov.uk says you must check all tenants aged 18 and over before a new tenancy starts, even if they are not named on the tenancy agreement, there is no agreement, or it is not in writing. Lodgers are checked too. Source: GOV.UK, check your tenant's right to rent.

Everyone, not only some. The Home Office guide says to check every adult who will use the property as their only or main home, including British citizens.
Children. People under 18 do not need a check.
Exempt lets. These include social housing, care homes, hostels and refuges, student accommodation and leases of 7 years or more.

When to check

Unlimited right to rent. You can do the check at any time before the tenancy agreement is entered into.
Time-limited right to rent. You must check "no earlier than 28 calendar days before the date the tenancy agreement is entered into."

Source: Home Office, landlord's guide to right to rent checks, 1 October 2026. That version applies to checks made on or after 1 October 2026.

How to check

There are three ways to check, and you must finish before the tenancy is entered into.

Method	Who it suits	What you do
Home Office online check	Tenants with an eVisa or a share code	Enter the share code and date of birth on gov.uk and view the result yourself
Digital Verification Service	Tenants whose documents a registered provider can check, such as a British or Irish passport	Use a provider on the government's register to check the documents
Manual document check	Anyone with accepted original documents	Check the originals with the tenant in person or by live video, and keep copies

Source: Home Office, landlord's guide to right to rent checks.

Share codes

A tenant with an eVisa gets a share code online and gives it to you. You check it with the tenant's date of birth at view a tenant's right to rent. You cannot accept biometric residence cards or permits as documents; ask for a share code instead.

Validity. The Home Office guide says a share code "is valid for 90 days and must be used together with the person's date of birth."
The right code. Right to rent share codes begin with "R". Codes starting with "W" or "S" are for other services.
British and Irish citizens. Gov.uk says they cannot get a share code, so check their original documents instead.
Keep a record. Save or print the profile page and record the date of the check. Source: GOV.UK, how to do a check.

Follow-up checks and records

If a tenant's permission to stay in the UK is time-limited, gov.uk says to do a follow-up check just before the later of the end of that permission or 12 months after your previous check. If the tenant fails it, you must tell the Home Office. Source: GOV.UK, follow-up checks.

The Home Office guide says to keep copies of the check for the whole tenancy and at least one year after it ends. If a tenant has an outstanding application or appeal, use the Home Office Landlord Checking Service, which replies "within two working days".

Penalties

A correct check, done in time, gives you a statutory excuse against a civil penalty. Without one, the Home Office can fine you per person who does not have the right to rent:

	First breach	Repeat breach within 3 years
Lodger	£5,000	£10,000
Occupier	£10,000	£20,000

Source: Home Office, right to rent code of practice, 1 October 2026.

Letting to someone you know, or have reasonable cause to believe, has no right to rent is also a criminal offence in England. On conviction on indictment it carries up to five years in prison, a fine or both. Source: Immigration Act 2014, section 33A and section 33C.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

There is no right to rent scheme outside England, so landlords in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland do not make these checks. Other duties still apply there, such as deposit protection and landlord registration.

Track the check with Letbook

Letbook is a compliance tracker for landlords. For each tenancy in England, Letbook adds a right to rent check item, and notes that time-limited permissions need a follow-up check. Sign up free.

Sources

Facts checked on 26 October 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.