From 1 October 2026 landlords and letting agents in England must follow a revised Right-to-Rent code of practice published by the Home Office. The 184-page guidance updates document lists, introduces mandatory use of certified Digital Verification Service Providers (DVSPs) for fully remote checks, and formally recognises the government’s eVisa status share-code as primary evidence. The update also removes transitional provisions for Ukrainian nationals, reflecting the move toward uniform treatment of all migrants. For corporate housing and relocation teams the biggest practical change is that any landlord (including employers renting corporate flats) who chooses a fully digital check must contract a DVSP that appears on the statutory register overseen by the Office for Digital Identities and Attributes. Using an uncertified tech platform will invalidate the statutory excuse and expose the landlord to civil penalties of up to £3,000 per occupier. The guidance also stresses that physical visa vignettes are no longer acceptable after 1 July 2026, signalling the acceleration toward a paperless immigration system. Landlords must therefore train staff to recognise eVisas and verify share-codes, and should update onboarding procedures for assignees arriving on the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) or eVisa routes. Multinationals that lease accommodation on behalf of employees should review contracts to confirm which party – the company, a relocation agent or the individual – is responsible for the check, and ensure that privacy clauses allow passport images to be processed by a DVSP. Failure to comply not only risks fines but can delay key-worker moves at short notice.
Source: GOV.UK – UK Visas & Immigration
