Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department will take to ensure that information on tenants’ immigration status is kept fully up to date on the new Right to Rent online checking system for landlords.

The Home Office online right to rent service allows landlords to conduct right to rent checks on non-EEA citizens with a valid biometric resident permit or card, EEA citizens and their family members with status granted under the EU Settlement Scheme and EEA nationals granted status under the new points-based immigration system.

The information shown in the online right to rent checking service is derived from the Home Office immigration database, ensuring that information stays in step with the individual’s immigration status. The individual will be able to check their information is accurate before they choose to share it. If there are errors or technical issues with the information displayed individuals, are advised to contact our support centre to ask for the issue to be investigated before they share the information with a landlord.

Should errors occur, in order to avoid delays, non-EEA nationals can choose to use their biometric residence card or permit to evidence their right to rent. Furthermore, EEA citizens are able to rely on their passport or national ID card until 30th June 2021.

If a landlord is unable to establish that an individual has the right to rent, they are able to make a request to the Landlord Checking Service.

Work to provide further support to those individuals who encounter difficulties with the service to make sure they are able to demonstrate their right to rent is ongoing.