FAQs: Right to Rent

Why do I have to do provide the agent with my right to rent?

It is a legal requirement in England for an agent/landlord to ensure a renter has the right to rent in the UK. You will not be able to proceed with your tenancy application if you fail this check. The government has provided a list of documents that are acceptable proof of this, to find out more click here.

Please note: Once you have pre-validated your right to rent with Canopy, you will still need to show your Agent or Landlord the actual documents in person - as this is a legal requirement.

How do I know I need to demonstrate my right to rent with Canopy?

You can only provide evidence of your Right to Rent if an Agent or Landlord has requested it - if they have, you will get an email or notification to let you know, and in the Renter app you can see the 'Right to Rent' section on your Rent Passport as follows:

If you do not see this section on your Rent Passport you do not need to provide a Right to Rent to us at this time. If you think that is not right, please check with your Agent or Landlord.

How do I demonstrate my right to rent with Canopy?

First, get the documents together you need to demonstrate your Right to Rent - the quickest is a UK or Irish passport if you have that - but other documents are also valid (see section below).

Now simply tap on the 'Right to Rent' section in your Rent Passport - as shown above - and you'll be guided through the steps.

• First confirm you give access to your ID documents to your Agent - they need this under UK law.
• Now you can validate your identity document with our trusted partners at IDnow - with the document you would like to use, upload a photo of this and then take a video selfie to validate the ID.
• Once complete the agent will do the rest. For further instructions click here.

Note: You will still need to show your valid documents to your Agent or Landlord in person as you finalise your tenancy so be sure to take your documents with you. This is a legal requirement under law.

What documents are valid to demonstrate my right to rent?

As of August 2021 the easiest documents to use if you have them are:

• UK or Irish passport (valid or expired)
• UK Residency Card (valid)

Other documents, such as a UK driving licence, are valid but only in conjunction with other evidence.

The full list of valid documents can be found here.

Can I provide a UK government share code?

Yes. You can provide a valid share code during the process.

Note: share codes are time limited, so please make sure you have a recent share code  - ideally from that day - when you submit it.

I want to prove my Right to Rent with a British Driving Licence - can I?

Under law a Driving Licence is not complete evidence of Right to Rent (as of December 2021). You will need to provide additional evidence.

If you have validated your Driving Licence already on our Renter app - you need to upload scans or photos of the supporting documents as well before your Agent can proceed.

What is a 'share code' and how do I get one?

The UK Government provides a share code system, that allows you to get a time limited unique code you can share with us and your Agent / Landlord. If you have this code you can provide it during our Right to Rent process.

To set up your share code follow this link to the government site.

My ID won't scan properly / the picture isn't accepted

Here are some tips on how to scan your ID effectively:

• When taking a picture of your ID ensure this is well lit but try to avoid glare on the image and don't use camera flash. The large patches of white light stop the system validating your ID.
• When taking an image of yourself, ensure there is plenty of light, and it is shining on your face and not from behind you (eg, stand with your face towards a window).
• Make sure that you have a strong, active internet connection. We recommend using WiFi, but a mobile data connection will work too.
• If you still have issues, try to restart the process - close and re-open the app if you are on mobile app.

Note: We recommend for phone users to use our iOS or Android apps rather than web, and it is better to use your mobile phone than a desktop computer as smartphone cameras are generally better than a laptop webcam.

I only have a visa to prove my right to rent

Not to worry, this should be acceptable but double check the government guidelines to ensure you upload all the correct documents.

Unfortunately we are not able to validate documents such as visa letters/other paper documents via IDnow but once you have uploaded these, your agent/landlord can check these.  You can also provide a share code (available from the Government site here) if that is allowed for your type of documentation.

Do I still have to show my documents to my Agent or Landlord?

Yes.

The Government has ruled that only your Landlord, or an appointed representative - ie, an Agent - is legally able to confirm your Right to Rent. So you must show your documents to them as well. By using Canopy to pre-validate you help the process move more smoothly to help get you quickly into your next home.

Note: due to the Covid-19 situation, until August 31st 2021 your Landlord or Agent is able to review documents over a video link. Full information on the government site here.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is to the best of our knowledge at this time - ultimately the UK Government website provides the latest up to date information.