UK right to rent checks: information for hosts
Right to rent checks required by the UK Government came into force in 2016.
Short stays (UK/Irish passport holders only) e.g. up to 1 week
The statutory code suggests if the letting is for a short period and the guest has a current home address in the UK, then the landlord may conclude that the property is to be used as temporary/tourist accommodation. We would still expect to make basic ID checks in the normal way.
All other stays = record checks
As a landlord/host you have a responsibility to check anyone living in your accommodation has a ‘right to rent’ in the UK. In essence, we must record checks for all visitors: for citizens of the UK and Ireland we continue to record passport/ID; for visitors outside this zone we must record their Right to Rent Share Code and check any time-limits affecting their right to rent in the UK.
Don't worry ...we can prepare your checks!
GuestRoomsCoventry can undertake preliminary checks as part of the booking process e.g.
• purpose and duration of visit
• record copy of passport/travel document to confirm nationality and right to rent in the UK
• request the Right to Rent Share Code and perform the online checks at Gov.uk, noting any time-limits to their right to rent in the UK (within 28 days of arrival)
Our charge is a single flat rate ‘right to rent check’ fee to request and record the relevant document copies: £25 per adult
Your bit
Ultimately only the landlord/host (you) are legally responsible for checking the validity of these documents. So when your guest arrives:
look at them in person to check passport photo and date of birth matches guest
check their leaving date is BEFORE any visa expiry date (date they must leave the UK)
record the date you checked
You can access the official guidance here:
• how to make a right to rent check
