Dear Samii

What ID do I need to meet the right to rent regulations?

Samii says

Available documents are as follows:

• Group 1 documents in List A permit the holder permanent right to rent in the UK.

• Group 2 documents in List A must be shown in a combination of two.

• Documents in List B permit the holder to a time-limited right to rent in the UK.

List A (Group 1): Acceptable single documents which show an unlimited right to rent are:

• UK passport.
• EEA/Swiss national passport/identity card.
• Biometric Residence Permit with unlimited leave.
• Passport or travel document endorsed with unlimited leave.
• Registration Certificate or document certifying permanent residence of EEA/Swiss national.
• UK immigration status document endorsed with unlimited leave.
• EEA/Swiss family member Permanent Residence card.
• A certificate of naturalisation or registration as a British citizen.

List A (Group 2): Acceptable document combinations which show an unlimited right to rent (any 2 of the below to be shown in combination):

• UK birth or adoption certificate.
• Full or provisional UK driving license.
• A letter from HM Prison Service.
• A letter from a UK Government Department or Local Authority.
• A letter from National Offender Management Service.
• Evidence of current or previous service in UK armed forces.
• A letter from a police force confirming that certain documents have been reported stolen.
• A letter from a private rented sector access scheme.
• A letter of attestation from an employer.
• A letter from a UK further or higher education institution.
• A letter of attestation from a UK passport holder working in an acceptable profession.
• Benefits paperwork.
• Criminal Record Check.

List B: Documents which show a time-limited right to rent

• A valid passport endorsed with a time-limited period.
• Biometric immigration document with permission to stay for time-limited period.
• Non-EEA national residence card.
• UK immigration status document with a time- limited endorsement from Home Office.

Landlords and agents should apply the right to rent checks in a fair, justifiable and consistent manner; regardless as to whether they believe the prospective tenant to be British, settled or a person with limited permission to be here.

If you need any more clarification on the matter please don’t hesitate to get in contact with one of our helpful data processors, who will be happy to explain anything further.

Dear Samii

I feel sorry for a prospective tenant who’s failed on affordability, should I take them anyway?

Samii says

You should never take a tenant who cannot prove affordability, no matter what the circumstances. From a landlord or letting agents point of view it is commercial suicide and throughout my many years of hearing about landlords attending court to obtain possession orders I can guarantee you one thing: Citizens Advice and the Council housing officers will not feel sorry for you and will vehemently fight to keep the tenant in your property, even though they cannot pay. So letting a tenant in who cannot afford the rent is, in my mind, the biggest no-no of them all!

However at Tenant Referencing UK we are not here to pass judgement, we’re here to provide you with the information and the advice that you should prove 100% affordability, BUT the final decision is up to you.

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