Right to Rent: the 2026 landlord checklist

A factual, GOV.UK-sourced checklist for England landlords: when to check, how to check (manual, IDVT, Home Office online), follow-up checks, record-keeping, and the civil penalties that rose on 13 February 2024.

England landlords must establish that every adult occupier has the right to rent in the UK before the tenancy begins. This guide summarises what the Home Office publishes — nothing more. It is not legal advice. Links go straight to GOV.UK and legislation.gov.uk.

Scope. Right to Rent applies to private residential tenancies in England only. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are out of scope.

1. When the check must happen

The check must be completed in the 28 days before the tenancy starts and before the adult occupier takes occupation under the agreement. It applies to every adult (18+) who will live in the property as their only or main home — not just the named tenant.

Source: GOV.UK — Right to rent checks: a guide for tenants and landlords.

2. The three permitted ways to check

You must use one of the three methods set out by the Home Office:

1. Home Office online check — required for anyone who can only prove their right with a share code (most non-UK/non-Irish nationals, plus British/Irish nationals who choose to). Use Check if someone can rent your property in England with the tenant's share code and date of birth. 2. Manual document check — for people whose documents you can examine in person. Use only documents from Lists A or B. Check the document is genuine, that the photo matches, and that dates are consistent. Take and keep a clear copy. 3. A registered Digital Verification Service (DVS) — GOV.UK's current term for what was previously called IDVT carried out by a certified IDSP. Only available for British and Irish citizens with a valid in-date passport (or Irish passport card); see GOV.UK — Checking your tenant's right to rent.

3. Follow-up checks

If a tenant's right to rent is time-limited, a follow-up check is required when their permission to be in the UK expires. Read the current Home Office code of practice for the exact timing that applies to your tenant.

If a follow-up check shows the tenant no longer has the right to rent, you must make a report to the Home Office using their online form. Doing so transfers the statutory excuse for any subsequent occupation.

4. Records you must keep

For every check, retain: - A clear copy of the documents or the Home Office "profile" PDF from the online check. - The date you carried out the check. - For a Digital Verification Service check, the provider's identity-verification report.

Keep records for the whole duration of the tenancy and for one year afterwards, in a format that cannot be altered (PDF or image). The Home Office can audit them.

5. Civil penalties — increased 13 February 2024

The Home Office increased penalties for renting to a disqualified occupier: