New deadline for agents handling Right To Rent process

There’s been yet another deadline change for the revised Right To Rent rules.

Temporary checks introduced at the height of the pandemic were expected to end on April 5 but are now being continued until at least September 30. 

A statement from the Home Office says the revised deadline will give agents and landlords time to “develop commercial relationships with identity service providers, make the necessary changes to their pre-tenancy checking processes and carry out responsible on-boarding of their chosen provider”.

Up to and including September 30, if agents are carrying out a temporary adjusted check, they must:

- ask the tenant to submit a scanned copy or a photo of their original documents via email or using a mobile app;

- arrange a video call with the tenant – ask them to hold up the original documents to the camera and check them against the digital copy of the documents;

- record the date they made the check and mark it as “adjusted check undertaken on [insert date] due to Covid-19”;

- if the tenant has a current Biometric Residence Permit or Biometric Residence Card or has been granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme or the points-based immigration system agents can use the online right to rent service while doing a video call – the applicant must give you permission to view their details;

- from April 6, all biometric card holders will evidence their right to rent using the Home Office online service only. You will no longer be able to accept physical cards for the purposes of a right to rent check even if it shows a later expiry date.

More details are available to agents and landlords here.