HooYu and Yoti get certification for Right to Rent checks in the UK

The move will enable British and Irish citizens to use their passports to streamline the aforementioned processes using the firms’ digital ID verification software instead of needing to present physical documents.

In-branch verification services will also be offered at Post Office branches as part of the collaboration for people who are unable, or who choose not to use online verification.

According to Yoti, the new infrastructure will reduce the time necessary for applications, mitigate risks more efficiently, ensure compliance, and provide the reassurance of secure, encrypted document storage.

From a regulatory standpoint, the UK Government is shifting the responsibility for conducting these Right to Rent checks from the Border Force to the letting industry. To achieve certification, Yoti, together with the Post Office and HooYu completed an audit process undertaken by the Digital Identity Systems Certification service authorised by the Departure for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and UKAS, the accreditation body.

In terms of individual digital ID providers, Yoti will provide its verification services through a partnership with lettings management software company Propoly.

For context, legislation allowing UK employers, landlords, and letting agents to use the services of digital ID service providers (IDSPs) when carrying out identity verification checks first came into effect in April 2022, a month after the UK government established the interim Office for Digital Identities and Attributes to oversee security and privacy for digital IDs. The possibility of employers and landlords using such services began on 6 April 2022.