A Landlord's Guide to Right-to-Rent Checks

Right-to-rent checks are a legal requirement for every tenancy in England, and the responsibility sits with the landlord — even when an agent is involved, unless that's been explicitly delegated in writing.

What the check actually involves

Before granting a tenancy, you (or your agent, on your behalf) must confirm every adult occupant has the legal right to rent in the UK. This means checking original identity documents in person, or completing an approved digital or Home Office online check, and keeping a dated record of what was checked.

Getting it wrong is expensive

Letting to someone without the right to rent, without having carried out a proper check, can result in a civil penalty of up to £5,000 per lodger or £10,000 per occupier for a first breach — and considerably more for repeat breaches. A correctly performed check that later turns out to involve fraudulent documents generally still protects the landlord, provided the check itself was done properly and recorded.

Common mistakes

• Checking only the lead tenant and not other named adult occupants.
• Not keeping a dated copy or record of the documents seen.
• Accepting expired documents, or not following up on time-limited right-to-rent status.
• Assuming a letting agent is handling it, without confirming this in writing.

Where Kastel fits in

On every managed instruction, right-to-rent checks are carried out and recorded as a standard part of referencing before a tenancy is granted — one less thing to track yourself, and done consistently rather than as an afterthought.