A solution is in sight for a problem that agents in East Anglia have had with Right to Rent checks.

In Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, letting agents often deal with US Air Force personnel wanting to rent.

However the USAF staff have been told that for security reasons, they must not allow anyone to photocopy their ID – as is required by Right to Rent law.

ARLA has been working with the Home Office to try to resolve this issue.

The USAF has now agreed to produce letters specifically for the purpose of evidencing their migration status to prospective landlords and agents.

The Home Office has told ARLA that:

• The letter will be for this purpose only and therefore can be kept or photocopied by the agent/landlord
• The US military are content for landlords/agents to see, but not copy, a military ID card, which will allow the landlord/agent to check their identity more fully and guard against abuse
• Family members/dependents will be covered by this process (details still to be agreed but the Home Office agree that it’s most likely that they will be named in the letter)
• The process will be outlined in forthcoming guidance
• Military personnel will be made aware of these letters and this process