DOCUMENTS TO PROVIDE BEFORE THE START OF A TENANCY

1 - ID/Passport (Right To Rent):

The landlord/agent must check that a tenant can legally rent a residential property in England. To do so, the tenant will need to physically present an identification document. Here is the list of acceptable documents:

List A (Group 1):

If a prospective tenant can produce one document from this group then a continuous statutory excuse will be established:

1. A passport (current or expired) showing that the holder is a British citizen, or a citizen of the UK and Colonies having the ‘right of abode’ in the UK.
2. A passport or a passport card (current or expired), showing that the holder is a national of the Republic of Ireland.
3. A document (current or expired) issued by the Home Office to a family member of an EEA or Swiss citizen, and which indicates that the holder is allowed to stay indefinitely in the UK or has no time limit on their stay in the UK.
4. A document issued by the Bailiwick of Jersey, the Bailiwick of Guernsey or the Isle of Man, which has been verified as valid by the Home Office Landlord Checking Service, showing that the holder has been granted unlimited leave to enter or remain under Appendix EU to the Jersey Immigration Rules, Appendix EU to the Immigration (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Rules 2008 or Appendix EU to the Isle of Man Immigration Rules.
5. A current permanent residence card issued by the Home Office to the family member of an EEA or Swiss citizen.
6. A biometric immigration document (current or expired) issued by the Home Office to the holder which indicates that the person named in it is allowed to stay indefinitely in the UK or has no time limit on their stay in the UK.
7. A passport (current or expired) or other travel document to show that the holder is exempt from immigration control, is allowed to stay indefinitely in the UK, has the right of abode in the UK, or has no time limit on their stay in the UK.
8. A immigration status document (current or expired) containing a photograph issued by the Home Office to the holder with an endorsement indicating that the person named in it is allowed to stay in the UK indefinitely or has no time limit on their stay in the UK.
9. A certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen

List A (Group2):

If a prospective tenant can produce any two documents from this group then a continuous statutory excuse will be established.

1. A birth certificate issued in the UK.
2. An adoption certificate issued in the UK. 
3. A birth certificate issued in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Ireland. 
4. An adoption certificate issued in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Ireland. 
5. A letter which:

• (a) is issued by a government department or local authority no longer than three months before the date on which it is presented;
• (b) is signed by a named official stating their name and professional address;
• (c) confirms the holder’s name; and
• (d) confirms that the holder has accessed services from that department or authority or is otherwise known to that department or authority.

     6.  A letter which:

• (a) is issued no longer than three months before the date on which it is presented;
• (b) is signed by a British passport holder who is or has been a professional person or who is otherwise of good standing in their community;
• (c) confirms the holder’s name;
• (d) states how long the signatory has known the holder, such period being of at least three months’ duration, and in what
• capacity; and
• (e) states the signatory’s name, address, profession, place of work and passport number.

       7.  A letter issued by a person who employs the holder no longer than three months before the date on which it is presented, which indicates the holder’s name and confirming their status as an employee and employee reference number or National Insurance number and states the employer’s name and business address.

       8.  A letter issued by a police force in the UK no longer than three months before the date on which it is presented, confirming that the holder has been the victim of a crime in which a document listed in List A (Group 1) belonging to the holder has been stolen and stating the crime reference number.

       9.  An identity card or document issued by one of Her Majesty’s forces or the Secretary of State confirming that the holder is or has been a serving member in any of Her Majesty’s forces.

       10.  A letter issued by Her Majesty’s Prison Service, the Scottish Prison Service or the Northern Ireland Prison Service confirming that the holder has been released from the custody of that service no longer than six months before the date on which that letter is presented and confirming their name and date of birth.

        11.  A letter issued no longer than three months before the date on which it is presented by an officer of the National Offender Management Service in England and Wales, an officer of a local authority in Scotland who is a responsible officer for the purposes of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 or an officer of the Probation Board for Northern Ireland confirming the holder’s name and date of birth and confirming that the holder is the subject of an order requiring supervision by that officer.

         12.  A current licence to drive a motor vehicle granted under Part 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (to include the photocard licence in respect of licences issued on or after 1st July 1998) or Part 2 of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (to include the photocard licence).

         13. A certificate issued no longer than three months before the date on which it is presented, by the Disclosure and Barring Service under Part V of the Police Act 1997, the Scottish Ministers under Part 2 of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 or the Secretary of State under Part V of the Police Act 1997 in relation to the holder.

         14.  A document, or a screen shot of an electronic document, issued no longer than three months before the date on which it is presented, by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, the Department of Work and Pensions, the Northern Ireland Department for Social Development or a local authority confirming that the holder is in receipt of a benefit listed in section 115(1) or (2) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

         15.  A letter which:

• (a) has been issued no longer than three months before the date on which it is presented;
• (b) has been issued by a public authority, voluntary organisation or charity in the course of a scheme operated to assist
• individuals to secure accommodation in the private rented sector in order to prevent or resolve homelessness;
• (c) confirms the holder’s name; and
• (d) states the address of a prospective tenancy which the authority, organisation or charity is assisting the holder to obtain.

         16.  A letter which:

• (a) has been issued by a further or higher education institution in the UK;
• (b) confirms that the holder has been accepted on a current course of studies at that institution; and
• (c) states the name of the institution and the name and duration of the course.

List B:

Acceptable documents to establish a time-limited statutory excuse.

If a prospective tenant can produce one document from this group, then a time-limited statutory excuse will be established. A follow-up check will be required within the timescales outlined in eligibility periods.

1. A current passport or travel document endorsed to show that the holder is allowed to stay in the UK for a ‘time-limited period’.
2. A current biometric immigration document issued by the Home Office to the holder which indicates that the person named in permitted to stay in the UK for a time-limited period (this includes a Biometric Residence Permit).
3. A current document issued by the Home Office to a family member of an EEA or Swiss citizen, and which indicates that the holder is permitted to stay in the UK for a time-limited period. 
4. A document issued by the Bailiwick of Jersey, the Bailiwick of Guernsey, or the Isle of Man, showing that the holder has been granted limited leave to enter or remain under Appendix EU to the Jersey Immigration Rules, Appendix EU to the Immigration (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Rules 2008 or Appendix EU to the Isle of Man Immigration Rules, which has been verified as valid by the Landlord Checking Service.
5. A document issued by the Bailiwick of Jersey, the Bailiwick of Guernsey, or the Isle of Man, showing that the holder has made an application for limited leave to enter or remain under Appendix EU to the Jersey Immigration Rules or Appendix EU to the Immigration (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Rules 2008 or Appendix EU to the Isle of Man Immigration Rules, together with a Positive Right to Rent Notice issued by the Landlord Checking Service. Amended Entry. 
6. A frontier worker permit issued under regulation 8 of the Citizens’ Rights (Frontier Workers) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020.
7. A current residence card, or a derivative residence card, issued by the Home Office to a non-EEA citizen who is either a family member of an EEA or Swiss citizen, or has a derivative right of residence which indicates that the holder is permitted to stay in the UK for a time-limited period. 
8. A current immigration status document issued by the Home Office to the holder with a valid endorsement indicating that the holder has been granted limited leave to enter, or remain in, the UK. 
9. A document issued by the Home Office confirming an application for leave to enter or remain under Appendix EU to the immigration rules, made on or before 30 June 2021 together with a Positive Right to Rent notice issued by the Home Office Landlord Checking Service. 
10. A passport of a national of an EEA country, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea or the USA who is a visitor to the UK, together with evidence of travel to the UK that provides documentary evidence of the date of arrival in the UK in the preceding six months. Details on how to check a visitor from the above countries is outlined in the relevant section of guidance.
11. A Certificate of Application (digital or non-digital) issued by the Home Office showing that the holder has made an application for leave to enter or remain under Appendix EU to the immigration rules (known as the EU Settlement Scheme), on or after 1 July 2021, together with a Positive Right to Rent Notice from the Home Office Landlord Checking Service. Additional document entered to list.

2 - Proof of address:

This could be a letter from a bank or a utility bill showing current address and full name.