All Nottingham compliance topics
NottinghamRight to RentUpdated 3 June 2026

Right to Rent Checks: Nottingham Landlord Guide

Every Nottingham landlord must verify a prospective tenant's right to rent before any tenancy begins. With around 60,000 students at UoN and NTU and a significant international intake, checks are routine. This guide explains the rules.

Check your complianceMore Nottingham guides

£10,000

Civil penalty per occupier

£20,000

Repeat offence ceiling

Pre-tenancy

Check timing requirement

5 years

Record retention recommendation

Who must be checked and how

Every adult aged 18 or over who will occupy as their main home. Three valid routes: manual (see original document), online via share code at gov.uk/view-right-to-rent, IDVT via approved Identity Service Provider.

Nottingham student lettings

For international students at UoN and NTU: online share-code check; save the result; diary follow-up for visa expiry. For HMOs in Lenton, Dunkirk, Arboretum, run the check for each named occupier separately.

Follow-up checks and penalties

For time-limited leave: follow-up before visa expiry or 12 months from initial check, whichever is later. Report to Home Office if leave ends. Per-occupier penalties: first breach up to £10,000; repeat up to £20,000; knowing breach criminal offence.

Integrating Right to Rent into Nottingham letting

Collect documents from every adult occupier. Run the right check route. Save timestamped evidence before signing. Diary follow-up. Retain records for tenancy plus at least one year. For HMOs, repeat every time occupants change.

Nottingham City Council

Right to Rent is administered by the Home Office, not Nottingham City Council. The Landlord Checking Service is at gov.uk/landlords-immigration-check.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to check every student in a Nottingham HMO?+

Yes. Every occupier aged 18 or over.

How do I check international student tenants?+

Online share-code check at gov.uk/view-right-to-rent.

What records do I need to keep?+

Document copy (manual), share-code verification (online), or IDSP evidence (IDVT). Dated. Tenancy duration plus at least one year.

Can I refuse a tenant based on nationality?+

No. Discrimination on nationality without a proper check is unlawful.

What if a Nottingham tenant's visa expires mid-tenancy?+

Run follow-up check. If not renewed, report to the Home Office and take steps to end the tenancy.

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