We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: Hello Forumites! In order to help keep the Forum a useful, safe and friendly place for our users, discussions around non-MoneySaving matters are not permitted per the Forum rules. While we understand that mentioning house prices may sometimes be relevant to a user's specific MoneySaving situation, we ask that you please avoid veering into broad, general debates about the market, the economy and politics, as these can unfortunately lead to abusive or hateful behaviour. Threads that are found to have derailed into wider discussions may be removed. Users who repeatedly disregard this may have their Forum account banned. Please also avoid posting personally identifiable information, including links to your own online property listing which may reveal your address. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
Lettings agent want a copy of visa
Comments
-
-
Your visa is the only proof that you are in the country legally. You can't prove that with a passport or driving license.
I don't understand why you're so reluctant to show it to them. My wife had a UK spousal visa so I know what's on them - nothing you wouldn't find on a passport. As a UK citizen I have had to show my passport when renting a flat so it's not like they're picking on you. And as others have said, it may soon be the law that they hae to ask for this.0 -
OP, if you are intending to sign a tenancy agreement for 6 or 12 months it is not unreasonable for the LA/LL to ask to check that you are actually entitled to be in the UK for that period of time.
If you weren't entitled to be in the country and deported the LL would incur additional reletting costs - possibly at very short notice.
I think the request by the LA is perfectly reasonable.It is a good idea to be alone in a garden at dawn or dark so that all its shy presences may haunt you and possess you in a reverie of suspended thought.
James Douglas0 -
Handsome90 wrote: »Wouldn't that be solved with a copy of IDs like driving license or passport?
So, you'd hand over your passport for copying by the agent but not your Visa which shows your entitlement to be here?
People are bound to find that a little bit odd, not to say suspicious.
What's on your Visa that you wouldn't want to be seen?0 -
Better_Days wrote: »If you weren't entitled to be in the country and deported the LL would incur additional reletting costs - possibly at very short notice.
And possibly quite soon a whacking big fine for not following the new law-to-be.0 -
Yes, name, date of birth, picture, document number, place of birth, and country of origin.What would be the issue with giving them a scanned copy? Does it contain details you would rather not have known?
Someone might be able to take that information, go to the town of my birth, and get a US Birth Certificate.
Why is this now the responsibility of landlords and EA? I thought there was a Government agency that enforces border control.0 -
Yes, name, date of birth, picture, document number, place of birth, and country of origin.
Someone might be able to take that information, go to the town of my birth, and get a US Birth Certificate.
Why is this now the responsibility of landlords and EA? I thought there was a Government agency that enforces border control.
Pretty much all of that the Letting Agent is going to have from your application form anyway (apart from the picture), and prob even more info than that.0 -
SnooksNJ wrote:Yes, name, date of birth, picture, document number, place of birth, and country of origin.
Why is this now the responsibility of landlords and EA? I thought there was a Government agency that enforces border control.
So thats the exact same information thats on your passport which you will no doubt need to show them...
Border control don't care if you're entitled to be in the country long enough to fufill a rental contract... the letting agent does.0 -
So, you'd hand over your passport for copying by the agent but not your Visa which shows your entitlement to be here?
People are bound to find that a little bit odd, not to say suspicious.
What's on your Visa that you wouldn't want to be seen?
I guess I was wrong, the main passport page and the visa page have same info.
But this still doesn't solve the problem that I raised earlier. I think you need to write down the address of your proposed accommodation in the visa application form as well as when apply for confirmation for acceptance of studies (CAS). So how can international students rent a property if landlords are unwilling to rent to them as they don't have a visa yet?0 -
CC-Warrior wrote: »You could scan in the document and brush away any details that aren't necessary. A lettings agency asked me for both sides of my debit card, so I removed some of the details in Photoshop.
I would be asking the agency why they need it, how they protect the information, who has access to it and at what point is it destroyed.0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 352K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.5K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 454.2K Spending & Discounts
- 245K Work, Benefits & Business
- 600.6K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.4K Life & Family
- 258.8K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards