I have a tenant who is a French National. They were found & referenced by a well-established High Street letting agency four years ago. They passed referencing with them but I have no record of proof of residency. I’ve never seen their passport.
After the first year we let the AST become a rolling contract - I don’t know exactly what my tenant’s immigration status is. I’m not sure whether they have unlimited or time-limited right to rent.
What is the best way to ensure I am up to date? Should I simply ask my tenant for a share code?
you needed to have conducted a right to rent stage before the tenancy began. The agent should have done this and given you the details at the time. I would request them and a copy of their ID. It is your right to have all paperwork connected with the tenancy.
You need their date of birth and their share code. Search online for “check right to rent” and you’ll find the place to enter these details. Hopefully, they have right to rent. If not, you’ll need to follow home office guidance to get them to leave the property asap.
To ensure you’re compliant with current Right to Rent regulations, it’s perfectly reasonable to ask your tenant for a share code to verify their immigration status. You can politely request this by explaining that you’re updating your records in line with legal requirements. The share code, along with their date of birth, will allow you to check their status using the official government website.
This is especially important if you’ve never seen original documents or if their right to rent may be time-limited. It’s best to address this promptly to avoid any compliance issues.
Thanks all - it was actually more than 4 years (7 years now - time flies when you’re having fun!) - and as an EU citizen tenant had unlimited right-to-rent at the time of checkin - however Agent has advised since the legal framework changed from July 2021 - onus is on me to check ongoing status - which I have now initiated!