FAQs: Right to Rent

Demonstrating your Right to Rent is a legal requirement in England. Your Landlord or Agent will need to confirm you are legally allowed to reside in the UK for the duration of the tenancy.

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

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 demonstrate my right to rent with Canopy?

It’s an easy journey which takes you step by step. Simply select which document you would like to use, upload a photo of this and then take a video selfie to validate the ID.

Our partners at IDnow will take care of the verification. Once complete the agent will do the rest. For further instructions click here.

Please note: You will still need to show your valid documents to your Agent or Landlord before you finalise your tenancy.

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.

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.