BREAKING: Home Office extends Right to Rent checks deadline until 5th April 2022

Landlords are now able to carry on completing Right to Rent immigration checks via virtual interviews and remote document checking until the 5^th April next year, the Home Office has announced.

The government had said previously that new tenants and their documents would have to be checked face-to-face from 31^st August onwards, but this has now been extended.

The statement by the Home Office (pictured) makes it clear that the delay is in part due to the technology advances recently that were developed to help tenants and their documents be checked safely during Covid.

“We have made the decision to defer the date following the positive feedback we received about the ability to conduct checks remotely,” the Home Office statement says.

“We initiated a review of the availability of specialist technology to support a system of digital right to rent checks in the future.

Digital solution

“The intention is to introduce a new digital solution to include many who are unable to use the Home Office online checking service, including UK and Irish citizens.

“This will enable checks to continue to be conducted remotely but with enhanced security.

“Deferring the end date of the adjusted checks to 5 April 2022 ensures the Right to Rent Scheme continues to operate in a manner which supports landlords and letting agents, whilst we look to implement a long-term, post-pandemic solution.”

The technology is now all the more needed – landlords or their letting agents habe been required to check all tenants regardless of their nationality including UK citizens since last month.

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