LATEST: Agents given two months more to prepare for full Right to Rent checks
Government says decision has been made in light of Covid 'Freedom Day' being delayed for a further four weeks.
Letting agents and landlords have been given a further two months to get ready for the return of face-to-face Right to Rent checks for tenants following loosening of the rules during Covid.
This means until then agents and landlords will still be able to do online video identity checks and accept digital/scanned copies of identity documentation during this extended period.
Full face-to-face person and document checks had been due to return on 21st June but, following the Government’s decision to delay the full suspension of Covid restrictions in England, this has now been extended until the end of August.
This will also give agents and landlords more time to get their paperwork and systems ready.
The Government has also reiterated that, in order to stop discrimination against non-UK citizens, all tenants over 18 applying to rent within the private rented sector must be put through Right to Rent checks.
But as previously announced in April, retrospective checks on those who had a COVID-19 adjusted check between 30 March 2020 and 31 August 2021 will not be needed.
“You will maintain a defence against a civil penalty [for non-compliance] if the check you have undertaken during this period was done in the prescribed manner or as set out in the COVID-19 adjusted checks guidance,” the government’s new guidance says.
Also, after July 1st agents and landlords will not be able to take EU/EEC nations’ passports and instead must use the government online Right to Rent checking system.
Read the full Right to Rent regulations as they currently stand.