Renting in the UK: documents and your rights

What landlords usually ask for

• Proof of who you are, and before the tenancy starts a right to rent check: your passport, or a share code from GOV.UK
• Proof of income: recent payslips or an employment contract. Agencies often run a reference check, which must be free for you
• A reference from your current or previous landlord
• Often: a guarantor living in the UK, who usually needs a yearly income of about 36 times the monthly rent

What to cover on your documents

On your ID

In your dossier, cover the passport number and the machine-readable lines. The formal right to rent check comes later, just before the tenancy starts: British and Irish citizens show their passport, everyone else gives the landlord a share code from GOV.UK.

On your payslips

Cover your National Insurance number and your bank details. Your income and employer must stay readable.

What a landlord may not ask for

• Fees for referencing, viewings, credit checks or setting up the tenancy
• A holding deposit of more than one week's rent, or a tenancy deposit of more than five weeks' rent (six weeks if the yearly rent is £50,000 or more)
• More than one month's rent in advance, or bids above the advertised rent
• Turning you down because you have children or receive benefits

These are the rules in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own rental laws, and the right to rent check only applies in England. Landlords usually look for a yearly income of about 30 times the monthly rent. The limits on rent in advance, rental bidding and discrimination apply since 1 May 2026 (Renters' Rights Act).

Sources

• GOV.UK: checking your tenant's right to rent (England)
• GOV.UK: Tenant Fees Act 2019, guidance for tenants
• GOV.UK: guide to the Renters' Rights Act

General information, not legal advice. Checked against the sources below in October 2026.