The UK government introduced new ‘Right to Rent’ checks in October 2022. These will only apply to students looking to rent in the private sector – halls of residence are exempt from Right to Rent checks.
If you are looking to rent privately, it’s crucial as tenants that you comply with these government regulations.
If you are an international prospective student, trying to secure private accommodation from abroad, you will only be able to obtain a tenancy in principle. This won’t be confirmed until the landlord or letting agency completes your Right to Rent checks in person following your arrival to the country.
What will I need to show my landlord for my Right to Rent check?
Your landlord will have a legal duty to confirm that you are in the UK legally and will do this either by manually checking your documents or by using an online method to prove your right to rent.
To find out what you will need to show your landlord, take a look at the relevant section below.
How you prove your right to rent depends on your Student Visa evidence.
I have an eVisa
If you have an eVisa, you must prove your immigration status by producing a share code for your landlord.
I have a 90-day entry clearance vignette (sticker) in my passport
If you have a 90-day entry clearance vignette because you face a delay in collecting your BRP card, the landlord can do a manual document check of your passport and vignette but will be required to re-check your BRP card later.
I have a BRP card
If you have a BRP card, you will need to produce a share code for your landlord.
I have an entry clearance vignette (sticker) in my passport which lasts for the whole duration of my course
If you applied for your Student Visa outside the UK and your course or period of study is six months or less, you will receive a Student Visa as a vignette in your passport (you will not collect a BRP card). Your landlord will manually check your passport and vignette to prove your immigration status.
If you are an EU national with Settled or Pre-Settled Status, you will need to prove your right to rent by producing a share code for your landlord.
If you were able to enter the UK as a visitor without applying for entry clearance beforehand, an immigration officer at the border may have stamped your passport as a visitor. Your landlord must do a manual check of your passport and stamp.
If you are a national of an EEA country, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea or the USA who enters the UK as a visitor for a course which lasts for six months or less, you may not have your passports endorsed with an immigration stamp.
If your period of study is six months or less, you will be granted ‘Automatic Permission to Enter’ for a maximum period of six months and you will not have a document to evidence your lawful status in the UK.
A landlord will use a combination of your passport and evidence of your entry into the UK, such as flight tickets and a boarding pass, to demonstrate your right to rent. If you are asked for immigration evidence that you are not required to have, such as an endorsement in your passport or a BRP card, then please refer your landlord to The Landlord's Guide to Right to Rent Checks.
The University recommends that any international students entering the country should keep evidence of boarding passes and flights as these can be used as proof of entry within the validity of their visas.