Q. I have been told that I have to carry out right to rent checks on tenants.  Do I have to check all my existing tenants?

A. The Right to Rent check legislation came into force in England on 1 February 2016 (having been trialled in the West Midlands since December 2014). It does not apply in Wales.

You need to check all new occupiers (i.e. everyone who is to live in the property, not just the named tenants) for new tenancies created on or after 1 February 2016. However, you do not need to check existing tenants unless the property that they are renting changes in some way (e.g. if they rent an extra part of a building) or if the named tenants change.

Q. We don't have any foreigners in our area and all our tenants are English. Do I still have to carry out the right to rent checks?