Before a new tenancy starts you check that every adult who will live there has the right to rent. This page sets out what GOV.UK and the Home Office landlord's guide say about who, when, how and what to keep.
Not legal advice. Every figure on this page states what the linked gov.uk page says.
Before the start of a new tenancy you must check all tenants aged 18 and over, even if they are not named on the tenancy agreement.
If a tenant is only allowed to stay in the UK for a limited time, the check must be done in the 28 days before the tenancy starts.
The landlord's guide lists three routes. Each one gives you a statutory excuse if it is done properly.
Source: Home Office: Landlord's guide to right to rent checks, 1 October 2026
If the first check showed time-limited permission, you need a follow-up check. The landlord's guide says your statutory excuse lasts until the later of 12 months from the date of the check or the end of the person's permission.
If a follow-up check shows the person no longer has the right to rent, you report it to the Home Office.
Source: Home Office: Landlord's guide to right to rent checks, 1 October 2026
Keep the record of the check for the length of the tenancy and for at least one year after it ends. Then destroy it securely.
Source: Home Office: Landlord's guide to right to rent checks, 1 October 2026
For tenants in rented accommodation the penalty is £10,000 for a first breach and £20,000 for a repeat. For lodgers in a private household it is £5,000 and £10,000. GOV.UK says you save 30% if you pay within 21 days.
Letward keeps the record of each check: the occupier, the date, the route, whether the permission is time-limited and the follow-up date. It stores no document images and reminds you before each follow-up is due.
Check your register window, freePage updated 10 October 2026. Each source shows the date it was last checked. Each guide states what the linked government page says, with the dates and nothing more. England only.