Right to Rent: Valid Document Evidence

If you have been asked to demonstrate evidence of your Right to Rent, you need to provide one or more of the following documents. These can be uploaded via the app, and they will also need to be shown in person to your agent or landlord.

Please note: As of 1st July 2021 EU citizens no longer automatically have a Right to Rent, so EU passports are not valid forms of documentation.

General Document Guidelines

In order for documents to be acceptable you must provide:

• Original documents that clearly represent the person applying with the Right to Rent.
• Documents that are declared as valid in the information below or on the Government's Guide (external link to PDF).
• Clearly readable photos of the document, with nothing blocking key parts of the document from being read- for example, fingers or light glare.
• Both the front and back of the document must be provided where applicable - eg, for passports, Residence cards or visas.

Right to rent documents are classified into 3 categories:

• Single Documents that Show unlimited Right to Rent
• Combination Documents that show unlimited Right to Rent
• Documents that show time-limited Right to Rent

Single Documents that Show unlimited Right to Rent

You only need to provide one of these to demonstrate unlimited Right to Rent - this is 'List A, Group 1' of the UK Government Guidelines:

• A current UK passport.
• A passport or passport card (current), showing that the holder is an Irish citizen.
• Expired UK/IE passport (this cannot be immediately verified).
• A current document issued by the Home Office to a family member of an EEA or Swiss citizen indicating the holder is allowed to stay indefinitely or has no time limit on their stay in the UK.
• A document from the Isle of Man, Bailiwick of Jersey or the Bailiwick of Guernsey (UK Crown Dependencies with EUSS status) with proof of their settled immigration status, verified by the LCS.
• A current permanent residence card issued by the Home Office to a family member of an EEA or Swiss citizen.
• A biometric immigration document (current or expired) issued by the Home Office indicating the person named is allowed to stay indefinitely or has no time limit in the UK.
• A passport or other document (current or expired) endorsed to show the holder is exempt from immigration control, is allowed to stay indefinitely, has the right to abode or has no time limit on their stay in the UK.
• An immigration status document (current or expired) containing a photograph issued by the Home Office to the holder with an endorsement indicating that the person named in it is allowed to stay in the UK indefinitely or has no time limit on their stay in the UK.
• A certificate of registration or naturalization as a British citizen.

The items in bold above can be immediately verified via our Identity provider, IDnow. The rest of the documents can be uploaded for review by your agent or landlord.

Combination Documents that show unlimited Right to Rent

You need to provide two of the following documents in combination to demonstrate unlimited Right to Rent - this is 'List A, Group 2' of the UK Government Guidelines:

• UK, Irish, Channel Islands or Isle of Man birth or adoption Certificate (long or short).
• A letter from a UK Government Department or Local Authority which;
  • (a) is issued by a government department or local authority no longer than three months before the date on which it is presented;
  • (b) is signed by a named official stating their name and professional address;
  • (c) confirms the holder’s name; and
  • (d) confirms that the holder has accessed services from that department or authority or is otherwise known to that department or authority.
• A letter of attestation from a UK passport holder working in an acceptable profession, which:
  • (a) is issued no longer than three months before the date on which it is presented;
  • (b) is signed by a British passport holder who is or has been a professional person or who is otherwise of good standing in their community;
  • (c) confirms the holder’s name;
  • (d) states how long the signatory has known the holder, such period being of at least three months’ duration, and in what capacity; and
  • (e) states the signatory’s name, address, profession, place of work and passport number.
• A letter issued by a person who employs the holder no longer than three months before the date on which it is presented, which indicates the holder’s name and confirms their status as an employee and employee reference number or National Insurance number and states the employer’s name and business address.
• A letter issued by a police force in the UK no longer than three months before the date on which it is presented, confirming that the holder has been the victim of a crime in which a document listed in List A (Group 1) belonging to the holder has been stolen and stating the crime reference number.
• An identity card or document issued by one of Her Majesty’s forces or the Secretary of State confirming that the holder is or has been a serving member in any of Her Majesty’s forces.
• .A letter issued by Her Majesty’s Prison Service, the Scottish Prison Service or the Northern Ireland Prison Service confirming that the holder has been released from the custody of that service no longer than six months before the date on which that letter is presented and confirming their name and date of birth.
• A letter issued no longer than three months before the date on which it is presented by an officer of the National Offender Management Service in England and Wales, an officer of a local authority in Scotland who is a responsible officer for the purposes of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 or an officer of the Probation Board for Northern Ireland confirming the holder’s name and date of birth and confirming that the holder is the subject of an order requiring supervision by that officer.
• Full or provisional UK driving license
  A current licence to drive a motor vehicle granted under Part 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (to include the photocard licence in respect of licences issued on or after 1st July 1998) or Part 2 of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (to include the photocard licence).
• A certificate issued no longer than three months before the date on which it is presented, by the Disclosure and Barring Service under Part V of the Police Act 1997, the Scottish Ministers under Part 2 of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 or the Secretary of State under Part V of the Police Act 1997 in relation to the holder.
• Benefits paperwork (document or screenshot).
  A document, or a screenshot of an electronic document, issued no longer than three months before the date on which it is presented, by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, the Department of Work and Pensions, the Northern Ireland Department for Social Development or a local authority confirming that the holder is in receipt of a benefit listed in section 115(1) or (2) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
• A letter from a private rented sector access scheme, which:
  • (a) has been issued no longer than three months before the date on which it is presented;
  • (b) has been issued by a public authority, voluntary organisation or charity in the course of a scheme operated to assist individuals to secure accommodation in the private rented sector in order to prevent or resolve homelessness;
  • (c) confirms the holder’s name; and
  • (d) states the address of a prospective tenancy that the authority, organisation or charity is assisting the holder to obtain.
• A letter from a UK further or higher education institution, which
  • (a) has been issued by a further or higher education institution in the UK;
  • (b) confirms that the holder has been accepted on a current course of studies at that institution; and
  • (c) states the name of the institution and the name and duration of the course.

Documents that show time-limited Right to Rent

To prove a time-limited Right to Rent, ie, you can rent up until a certain date, you need to provide one of the following documents in combination to demonstrate unlimited Right to Rent - this is 'List B' of the UK Government Guidelines:

• A current passport or travel document endorsed with a time-limited period.
• A current biometric immigration document with time-limited leave.
• A current document issued by the Home Office to an EEA/Swiss family member with time-limited leave.
• A letter from the Isle of Man (a UK Crown Dependency) proof of their pre-settled immigration status verified by the Landlord Checking Service.
• A letter or document from the Bailiwick of Jersey or the Bailiwick of Guernsey (UK Crown Dependencies with EUSS status) with proof of their pre-settled immigration status or pending in-time (30 June 2021) EUSS application verified by the Landlord Checking Service.
• A Frontier Worker Permit.
• A current residence card or derivative residence card issued by the Home Office to a non-EEA citizen who is a family member of an EEA citizen or has a derivative right of residence with time-limited leave.
• A current UK immigration status document with a time-limited endorsement from Home Office.
• A document issued by the Home Office confirming an application for leave to enter or remain under the EU Settlement Scheme, made on or before 30 June together with a positive right to rent notice issued by the Landlord Checking Service.

Disclaimer

Please note: Demonstrating your Right to Rent is a legal requirement for all landlords in England. This information is provided based on the UK Government Guidelines. This provides more detailed information on what is and isn't acceptable as evidence. You are responsible as a renter for following all Government Laws.