Last updated: June 25, 2025

Right to Rent checks are a legal requirement for all landlords in England, but the landscape has changed significantly in 2025. With the transition from physical documents to digital eVisas and new schemes for Ukrainian nationals, it's crucial to stay up-to-date with the latest requirements.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about conducting Right to Rent checks in 2025, including the recent changes that came into effect in February and June.

What is Right to Rent?

Right to Rent checks are legal requirements introduced by the Immigration Act 2014. They require landlords to verify that all adult tenants (18 and over) have the legal right to rent property in England before they move in.

Key points:

All landlords in England must conduct these checks
You must check every adult who will live in the rental home as their main residence
Checks must be completed before the tenancy begins
You need to see original documents and take copies
It's illegal to only check people you think might not be British citizens

Who does it apply to?

All residential properties in England; these rules do not currently apply if you are renting in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
All tenants named or otherwise over 18 years old even if there is no tenancy agreement.
All lodgers and sub-letters

Major Changes in 2025

Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) Decommissioned

What changed: All Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) expired on 31 December 2024 and have been replaced by eVisas.

What this means for landlords:

Tenants can no longer use physical BRP cards as proof of right to rent
Tenants with expired BRPs can use them for up to 18 months after expiry to create share codes for right to rent checks
All immigration status is now checked digitally through the Home Office online service

Clipped Passports No Longer Acceptable

What changed: The guidance confirms that a clipped British or Irish passport is a cancelled document and therefore not acceptable proof of right to rent.

What this means: If you see a clipped passport (corner cut off), this cannot be used as valid identification for Right to Rent checks.

Birth Certificates Clarified

Good news: Both short and long birth certificates are now explicitly confirmed as acceptable proof of right to rent.

Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme

What's new: The Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme opened on 4 February 2025, providing Ukrainian nationals and their families with a further 18 months of permission to work, study, rent property in England, and receive public funds.

What this means: Ukrainian tenants may now have extended permission to rent through this new scheme.

Travel Changes for Expired Documents

Important update: From 2 June 2025, expired BRPs can no longer be used to travel to the UK, though they can still be used within the UK for right to rent checks for up to 18 months after expiry.

Penalty Increases

Higher fines: The maximum civil penalty for landlords has increased from £1,000 to £10,000 from 13 February 2024 for allowing someone without the right to rent to occupy a property.

How to perform a Right to Rent check

Landlords can delegate the checks to agents or referencing agencies, however, there must be a written agreement to do so. However, should you want to perform them yourself, here are the steps:

Step 1: Understand Who Needs Checking

All adults (18+) who will live in the rental home as their main residence
This includes tenants, lodgers, and anyone else living there permanently
Temporary guests don't need to be checked

Step 2: Know Which Documents Are Acceptable

Group 1 Documents (Unlimited right to rent):

Current or expired UK/Irish passport
Current UK driving licence AND full birth certificate
Certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen

Group 2 Documents (Time-limited right to rent):

eVisa accessed through Home Office online service
Current passport with valid visa or endorsement
Biometric Immigration Document
Current Immigration Status Document

No longer acceptable:

Expired BRPs (for new tenancies - though they can generate share codes)
Clipped or cancelled passports

Step 3: Check Documents

You have two main paths:

Path A - For Group 1 and 2 documents: Check acceptable documents manually

Meet the tenant in person
Examine original documents (never copies)
Take photocopies or photos of the documents
- For passports: copy the pages showing expiry date, nationality, date of birth, and photograph
- For other documents: take complete copies
Date your copies and store them securely

Path B - For Group 2 documents: Use the Home Office online checking service

For tenants with eVisas or digital immigration status. The tenant provides you with a share code and their date of birth.
- For Ukrainian nationals: Check if they have status under the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme through the online service.
Check their status online at gov.uk/view-right-to-rent
Print and keep the results

Record Keeping Requirements & Follow-up checks

You must keep copies of documents for the duration of the tenancy plus 12 months after it ends. It’s best to always have the date you made the copies saved as well.

If a tenant has time-limited permission that expires during the tenancy, you must conduct follow-up checks before their permission expires. If they can't prove continued right to rent, you must report this to the Home Office or risk the penalty.

Common Mistakes to Avoid during Right to Rent checks

Only checking some tenants: You must check everyone aged 18+ regardless of nationality or appearance
Accepting copies: Always insist on seeing original documents
Ignoring time limits: For time-limited permission, you must check within 28 days of tenancy start
Keeping documents insecurely: Don't store copies where they can be accessed by others. Treat it better than you would treat your private data.
Accepting expired documents: Except where specifically permitted (like expired BRPs for share codes)

Red Flags to Watch For

Documents that look tampered with or altered
Photos that don't match the person presenting them
Reluctance to provide required documents
Documents with inconsistent information
Expired documents where current ones should be available

What exactly are Right to Rent checks?