How to conduct international tenant screening

The UK rental market is one of the most attractive destinations for international students and global tenants. For landlords in areas with high demand, this may mean that you come across international students at some point, especially in areas like Birmingham and London. But, although this is an exciting opportunity for landlords, you’ll need to familiarise yourself with international tenant screening procedures. 

International tenants won’t have a standard UK credit score or a domestic rental history, so how do you then verify how reliable they are? Here, we’ll go through everything you need to know about screening international tenants so that you feel confident, while remaining compliant.  

Right to rent compliance in 2026

The first thing to look at when screening an international tenant is whether or not they are legally allowed to live in the UK. This process has become a lot easier since 2024, being nearly completely digital now.

The move to eVisas

As of the beginning of 2026, most physical documents have been replaced by eVisas, which means that international tenants can now prove their ability to live in the UK via a share code, which is generated through the Home Office. 

• The share code: unfortunately, you can’t accept a screenshot of the share code, but you will need to use the government’s official GOV.UK “View a tenant’s right to rent report” service.
• Validity: the share code is valid for 90 days, so make sure you conduct the check within 28 days of the tenancy start date for those who may have a time-limited stay. 
• Manual checks: You’ll need to conduct a manual check for Irish or British citizens using their physical passports. Tenants outside of this can be checked digitally. 

If a student arrives from overseas and has not yet been able to collect their status, you can provisionally agree to the tenancy in principle. You will need to make sure, however, that all the digital checks are done before handing the keys over to them. 

Verifying overseas finances

Next, you’ll need to verify overseas finances as part of the international tenant screening process. This can be challenging as you won’t have access to any standard UK payslip. So, you’ll need to look at an alternative proof of income that is similar to this. 

Employment verification

If the tenant is relocating due to work, you’ll need to complete a standard reference check, but with a few extra steps added. 

1. Direct confirmation: Ensure that you get confirmation from the company’s HR department directly to verify the employment. 
2. The offer letter: make sure that the offer letter is on an official letterhead, stating the tenant’s gross annual salary, their job title and whether the role is a permanent position or not. You also need to clarify whether the tenant will be subject to a probationary period. 
3. Currency fluctuations: if the tenant is being paid in a foreign currency, use a ‘stress test’ to see if the income is at least three times the rent after converting to GBP. This is to ensure that the exchange rate is accounted for. 

Verifying international students

As you may be aware, the student rental market is a thriving one, and so there are a few things that you should do when completing the international tenant screening process for students. 

• Confirmation of acceptance for studies by requesting their acceptance letter from the university. 
• You need to make sure their studies are being funded by receiving proof of their scholarship letter, government sponsorship grant, or a ‘proof of funds’ letter from a home-country bank showing they can afford to cover their studies. 

Mitigating the lack of UK credit history

Most international tenants won’t have had time to grow their credit history in the UK, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that they have a bad credit score. Here are steps to help get past this without taking on loads of risk. 

Rent in advance

Landlords have historically been able to ask international tenants for 6-12 months’ rent in advance in order to mitigate the risk; however, there are now caps on how much money you can actually ask your international tenants. This is in line with the Renters’ Rights Act 2025

• The cap: landlords can no longer request more than one month’s rent in advance for new tenancies. 
• The signature rule: landlords also cannot accept any rent payment until after the tenancy agreement has been signed by all parties involved. Taking money earlier than this can lead to financial penalties. 
• Voluntary payments: tenants are able to make voluntary upfront payments; however,  once the contract has been signed, this should never be a prerequisite. 

The role of the guarantor

Due to not being able to request large upfront payments, the role of the guarantor has now become extremely useful for landlords. 

1. The homeowner guarantor: the guarantor should be a UK resident themselves who owns property, as this ensures you have a legal avenue to go down should the tenant be unable to make payments. 
2. Professional guarantor services: if your tenant is unable to secure a UK-based guarantor, there are professional services available where it can act as a co-signer for a fee paid by the tenant, which gives the landlord a guaranteed rental income.

Red flags to watch for

When conducting international tenant screening, there are common warning signs to look out for, for example:

• Resistance to digital checks: watch out for any documents an applicant is persistent on showing you if they are not digital, as this may be fraudulent. 
• Inconsistent data: always ensure that the data is consistent with overseas bank statements and the passport. There should never be any spelling errors with names. 
• Pressure to skip referencing: never accept any money from tenants who are desperate to bypass background checks. 

Final checklist for landlords

To help ensure a smooth international tenant screening  process, you can use this checklist:

International tenant screening doesn’t need to be as daunting as it is made out to be. Using digital compliance tools will help smooth the process out, which means that you’ll be able to offer your property to high-quality residents who are reliable with their payments.

Besides ensuring your international tenant screening process is in order, you may be looking for reliable landlord insurance deals. Make sure to get in touch with our team of specialists at CIA Landlords on 01788 818 670 for more information and ensure you invest in the safety of your property.