I have a prospective tenant with British passport i want to verify online. Can anyone recommend a company / service to do this please? I want to sign up for a service, send a link to the tenant then let the service do the check? Any help/suggestions? Cheers.
can you not meet the applicant in person with their ID?
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Unfortunately not. 200 miles apart.
I’m not aware of any service that does this, that is available to individual Landlords
There are loads listed on gov.uk. Are these really only available for use by businesses?
FROM NRLA :
_Rather than manually checking documents yourself, you may now use a certified digital identity service provider (IDSP) to establish right to rent.
These checks are performed via Identity Document Verification Technology (IDVT) rather than through face to face meetings with the occupiers and do not have any set requirements about how the check is performed.
To establish a statutory excuse, you should:
- Use a certified IDSP to ensure it meets the Right to Rent scheme guidance and standards set out in the trust framework. The Home Office has published a list of certified providers that landlords can use for this.
- Ensure that the documentation provided matches with the prospective occupant before granting the tenancy.
- Retain copies of the IDVT results throughout the tenancy and for one year after the occupier leaves the property.
This service is available for use by British and Irish potential occupants only
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When I click certified providers I can’t seem to find a company that will do the 1 short job. Any advice?
Guess that’s why I always had an agent when I was further than an hour away…
Just ask a local letting agent local to your property if they can do in person with the tenant and get the cost. They will tell tenant what docs to bring and arrange for tenant to pop in. Takes 5-10min max. You arent doing it anyway so why does it need to be done digitally, exactly?
Or try
Or
(You need to check these are on the gov register but their pages say designed for LLs and provide right to rent checks)
Let us know whom you use in the end please
Good luck
David - I’ve not seen an estate agent offer this service. I’m trying to get it done digitally to avoid the long return journey if I do it myself.
The provider has to be from the certified list. I’ve checked loads on the list but they’ve only got checks for letting agents with an account. TrustID is like this.
The other one you suggested offers exactly what I want - a pay-as-you-go service where I can order just this one check. Sadly the company (rentprofile) is not on the approved list.
Seems a bit unfair on sole landlords.
Just.phone any lettings agent. It wont be listed as a separate service on a website it’s a small task. They will do it for a fee. They do it routinely if they are fully managing but if you are doing a find a tenant/tenancy creation only , they let you choose what you want (you might want this but not referencing etc etc). For south london i could give you a couple of names. It’ll cost a silly amount for what is 5-10min work but you need it done before tenants move in.
Good luck
I didn’t think it was unfair that I had rental properties in the UK when I chose to move abroad. I planned accordingly and used an agent.
TBH, ID verification is the least of your worries. What if you get neighbour complaints about your tenants, need to do quarterly inspections, want to make sure the T’s lifestyle isn’t wrecking the place, get no response from comms with the T, need to do an inventory, need to check out, need to do a viewing… if each of those involves a 400 mile round trip, well, you’re going to offset your income with just mileage alone.
Why are you trying to self-manage? TBH, if I knew my LL was 200 miles away and I had no access to a real person if I had issues, I wouldn’t rent it.
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If your agent is so poor at picking you a tenant that you end up with all those problems AND need inspections every 3 months I’m glad I decided to do it my way which is all sorted now thanks. In the meantime you are welcome to your agent picking rubbish tenants and doing quarterly inspections to try to justify their existence and the fees they are ripping off from you. You sure all those repairs they told you about REALLY needed doing. You sure the best prices for said repairs were REALLY through the agent’s contractors?
I wouldnt expect quarterly which is max and more risks being harassment (nrla guidance)
Generally ill do 1m after move in then 6 monthly unless there’s reason for more oftrn
Insurance, lenders and selective licencing may require 6 monthly and detailed records.
What was your solution please share
Best
I don’t have an agent. Are you OK?
meanwhile elsewhere…
but…
Well, good luck to you mate.
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my insurers require quarterly with records. I used to do 6 months. I think that’s the right balance.
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6 monthly may feel like the right balance and I did that myself. However, I wouldnt recommend it to anyone now. The risks of punitive civil penalties if something goes wrong means that quarterly has to be recommended if you want to majntain a defence.
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Get them to provide passport details and a share code via the gov.uk website, meet them via zoom or similar so you can check it is the same person. You need a copy of the passport. I believe if you follow the rules as laid out in the gov.uk website you are protected.
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I think the share code is for non UK nationals. Anyway, in the end I did old school in person face to face.as the digital method really does seem to only be available to agents. Thanks to everyone for their help and suggestions.
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