Before your landlord can grant you a tenancy, they must check your immigration status to confirm you have the right to rent in the UK. This is a legal obligation under the Immigration Act 2014 and applies to all tenants aged 18 or over, regardless of nationality.
The check usually involves your landlord viewing your original identity documents, such as a passport or biometric residence permit, and taking copies. If you're a British or Irish citizen, a valid passport is sufficient. If you have a time-limited right to rent, your landlord must carry out follow-up checks before your permission expires.
Landlords who fail to carry out proper Right to Rent checks can face civil penalties of up to £10,000 per tenant for a first breach and up to £20,000 for repeat offences. However, the scheme has been criticised for leading to discrimination against people who appear to be foreign nationals. It's illegal for a landlord to refuse you a tenancy because of your race, nationality, or ethnicity.
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