Right to Rent Check — Record Sheet

A record sheet for landlords in England to document a Right to Rent check on each adult occupier. Captures who was checked, what was seen, the date of the check and any follow-up date, so you have a dated record if the Home Office asks.

*Record of the manual or share-code check you carried out before the tenancy started*

Last reviewed: 2026-08-01. Next review: 2026-11-01.

Right to Rent check record

Complete one sheet per adult occupier. Carry out the check before the tenancy starts. Where the person has time-limited permission to be in the UK, GOV.UK says the check must be done in the 28 days before the tenancy starts.

Who you must check

GOV.UK states that you must check that a tenant or lodger can legally rent your residential property in England. Before the start of a new tenancy you must check all tenants aged 18 and over, even if they are not named on the tenancy agreement, there is no tenancy agreement, or the agreement is not in writing.

If the tenant is only allowed to stay in the UK for a limited time, the check must be done in the 28 days before the start of the tenancy.

• Check all new tenants — it is against the law to check only people you think are not British citizens.
• You must not discriminate against anyone because of where they are from.
• Follow the landlord's code of practice on illegal immigrants and private rented accommodation.

When you do not need to check

GOV.UK lists accommodation where a right to rent check is not needed:

• Social housing
• A care home, hospice or hospital
• A hostel or refuge
• A mobile home
• Student accommodation
• Accommodation provided by a local authority
• Accommodation provided as part of a job ('tied accommodation')
• Property let on a lease of seven years or longer

If the tenant has no documents or share code

GOV.UK says you must use the landlord's checking service to request a Home Office right to rent check. The service can tell you whether the tenant still has the right to rent — for example where the Home Office holds their documents, they have an outstanding case or appeal, or they have been given 'permission to rent'. You will get an answer within 2 working days and you will need the tenant's Home Office reference number.

Do not rent to someone in England if they do not have the right documents, do not have a valid share code, and the Home Office check says they are not allowed to rent.

Good-practice notes

• Date every copy you take and store it with this record sheet.
• Keep the record for the whole of the tenancy and refer to the code of practice for how long to retain it afterwards.
• Diarise the follow-up date now where permission to stay is time-limited.
• Store copies securely — they contain personal data and are subject to UK GDPR.
• The Home Office landlord's helpline is 0300 790 6268 if you are unsure about a check.

Important

This sheet is a record-keeping aid produced from GOV.UK guidance. It is not a Home Office form and does not replace the statutory guidance or the landlord's code of practice. Always check the current GOV.UK pages before carrying out a check.

Sources: - GOV.UK — Checking your tenant's right to rent — https://www.gov.uk/check-tenant-right-to-rent-documents - GOV.UK — Right to rent document checks: a user guide — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-rent-document-checks-a-user-guide - GOV.UK — Code of practice on illegal immigrants and private rented accommodation — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-rent-landlords-code-of-practice