Find out what you need to do to prove your right to rent in the UK.
Right to rent checks
Landlords and letting agents are legally required to carry out checks relating to the immigration status of all their tenants to make sure that they have the right to rent in the UK.
This applies to all over the age of 18 living in private rented accommodation. These checks shouldn’t be undertaken until 28 days before the beginning of your tenancy.
A landlord isn’t allowed to discriminate against you on the basis of your immigration status.
If you’re a British or Irish citizen
You can prove your right to rent by providing:
- a British or Irish passport
- a certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen.
If you don’t have these documents, see other ways to prove your right to rent.
If you are not a British or Irish citizen
You can prove your right to rent using your original immigration documents or an online share code.
You can apply for an online share code from the Government if you have:
- a biometric residence permit or card
- applied for settled or pre-settled status from the EU Settlement Scheme
- used the Government app on your phone to scan your identity documents, when applying for your visa or settled or pre-settled status.
Your landlord can then use the share code to check if you can rent in the UK.
If you’re entering the UK as a visitor and don’t require a visa to study for a course up to six months
If you’re not provided with a visa, you won’t be issued with a ‘share code’. Instead, you should be able to provide evidence, such as:
- an original or copy of a boarding pass or electronic boarding pass for air, rail or sea travel to the UK, establishing the date of arrival in the UK in the preceding six months
- an original or copy of an airline, rail or boat ticket or e-ticket establishing the date of arrival in the UK in the preceding six months
- any type of booking confirmation (original or copy) for air, rail or sea travel to the UK establishing the date of arrival in the UK in the preceding six months
- any other documentary evidence which establishes the date of arrival in the UK in the preceding six months.
There is further information in the Home Office guidance (Pages 44-46) that you may want to present to your letting agent.
If you do meet any resistance from the landlord/agent, you (or they) can get in touch with the Home Office helpline on (+44) 0300 790 62686.
If you have any questions about your visa or immigration status, get in touch with our Visas and Immigration Team.