Since February 2016, Landlords in England have been required to check that anyone renting residential property’s the correct legal immigration status. This means that landlords and their letting agents (where applicable) must check documents manually or use the Landlord Checking Service through the Home Office to ensure that tenants have the Right to Rent.. 

On the 22 January 2024, the revised code of practice will be introduced, replacing the previous version and the changes implemented will coincide with higher maximum fines for non-compliance.

These higher fines represent what the Home Office has described as one of the “biggest shake ups” of civil penalties since the checks were first introduced.

Landlords are responsible for carrying out Right to Rent checks to ensure that all occupants of residential properties aged 18 and over have the Right to Rent in England. The penalties for non-compliance will increase from £80 per lodger and £1,000 per occupier for an initial breach to up to £5,000 and £10,000 respectively. Any repeat breaches will attract fines as high as £10,000 and £20,000.