Right to Rent

International students who have a valid visa, or are in the UK and their visa application is pending, have the Right to Rent a property in the UK although you will need to prove this right to a landlord or rental agency.

The information on this page refers to renting in the private sector and does not apply to University halls of residence orstudent accommodation that is owned by the University. Our team do not provide advice on finding accommodation and would recommend you read the Accommodation Office webpages here in the first instance.

See below for ways to prove your right to rent depending on your situation.

When you have a BRP card or a digital immigration status

If you have a BRP card or were provided with a digital immigration status, the easiest way to prove your Right to Rentis to produce a share code and provide this to your prospective landlord, who can check you have the right to rent with the checking service.

You will then have the right to rent for 12 months or until your BRP card expires (whichever is later). After this date, the landlord will be required to do another check.

When you have an entry clearance vignette in your passport, but don’t have a BRP card

If you have a valid entry clearance vignette (sticker) in your passport, you will be able to prove your right to rent by showing the original document to your prospective landlord. You can do this in person or via a video call.

You will then have the right to rent for 12 months. After the 12 months, the landlord will be required to do another check.

However, once you receive a BRP card, you should notify you landlord as another right to rent check can be done at any time.

When you have entered as a ‘Visitor’

If you have a Visitor visa in the form of an entry clearance vignette (sticker) in your passport, the above advice applies.

If you used the eGates to enter the UK, you are able to prove your Right to Rent with your passport and evidence of entry to the UK. Acceptable evidence includes any documentary evidence which establishes the date of arrival in the UK in the preceding 6 months, such as a booking confirmation, ticket or boarding pass for air, rail or sea travel to the UK. Electronic versions and scanned copies are also acceptable.

Alternatively, if you arrived to the UK and received an entry stamp in your passport establishing the date of arrival, this is acceptable evidence.

You will then have the Right to Rent for 12 months. After the 12 months, the landlord will be required to do another check.

When you have made a visa application from inside the UK and you are waiting for the result (including an appeal or administrative review)

You will need to provide your visa application reference number and date of birth to the landlord, who will need to request a Home Office right to rent check. The landlord should receive a response from the Home Office after 2 working days, and they will provide your landlord with a Positive Right to Rent Notice (PRRN). You will have the right to rent for 12 months from the date of the notice.

After the 12 months, the landlord will be required to complete another right to rent check.

If within that 12 months you are granted a new visa to stay in the UK, you should notify your landlord as another right to rent check can be done at any time.

When you are outside the UK and have a visa application that is still being processed

Unfortunately, students who have made an entry clearance application and don’t already have a visa to stay in the UK will not have the right to rent until the visa is approved.