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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Landlord taking away passport for verification AIBU

52 replies

NameChangeTimeNow · 15/04/2018 14:25

I’m moving into a new flat, and the landlord has asked to see my original passport and a photocopy of the first page.

They’ve said that they will return the passport after verifying the copy.

I would prefer for the landlord to verify my passport in my presence as I don’t feel comfortable with them taking my passport away. AIBU?

Could you help me think of a way to word this politely to them please, just to clarify how I feel about it?

Has this happened to anyone else before?

Thanks.

OP posts:

DairyisClosed · 15/04/2018 14:26

That is very weird. Normally you just go into the office and they do it in front of you.

Aquamarine1029 · 15/04/2018 14:26

You would be crazy to allow someone to take your passport. Anything they need to do can be done in your presence.

Firstaidnovice · 15/04/2018 14:30

Absolutely no way. Also, under new data protection rules, I'm pretty certain they wouldn't be able to keep a copy of either (at work we are not allowed to store copies of teacher's dbs certificates, just verify they have them, and keep a record of the certificate number and expiry date).

Oraiste · 15/04/2018 14:32

Can you take it to someone like a solicitor (you'll have to pay but not v expensive) or letting agency (if using one) who will verify the copy and sign it? That's what I've always done.

TheStoic · 15/04/2018 14:35

Are they expecting you to send it to them?

userxx · 15/04/2018 14:36

Maybe it's for his anti money laundering duties.

Jessbow · 15/04/2018 14:37

What can they verify with the original that isn't on the photocopy?

And if it doesnt stack up, will you get it back? Dont give it to them!

SlackerMum1 · 15/04/2018 14:41

Does sound odd that they want you to send it off - usually people just ask for a varified copy (post office will do this for a small fee). Landlords do now need to be very careful though and make sure it is all varified as Home Office introduced some strict new rules a few years ago which essentially make landlords open to prosecution if they rent to an someone without residency rights in the UK.

araiwa · 15/04/2018 14:42

Im fairly sure i read about new rules and regs that meant landlords could be fined for renting to illegal immigrants- this is the consequence as they have to cover themselves

Piffle11 · 15/04/2018 14:44

I used to work in a lettings agency in London: many tenants of all nationalities although mainly British - never once did any of the agents take a passport off a prospective tenant.

Grilledaubergines · 15/04/2018 14:44

No, you don’t give anyone your passport. There are new data protection rules but regardless you shouldn’t even before those. He could quite easily have checked it and taken a photo of it on his phone.

greendale17 · 15/04/2018 14:45

Never hand over your passport to anyone

hellokittymania · 15/04/2018 14:48

Even if they can be fine, they can still verify the passport in front of you. They don't need to take it away. I would be really, really uncomfortable with this. In Vietnam, sometimes the guest house will keep your passport and even that I don't like and sometimes I know the people for years. Not to mention, on one occasion I took a taxi from Ninh binh to Hanoi and forgot the passport in the guest house in Ninh Binh . So we had to turn back around, I missed my flight from Hanoi, and while in Hanoi Hanoi, the taxi went over the line so we were stopped by the police. I had no passport.

Original poster

NameChangeTimeNow · 15/04/2018 14:48

Thanks, everyone. How do I tell the landlord that I can’t let them take the passport away?

OP posts:

PuppyMonkey · 15/04/2018 14:49

What if you didn’t even have a passport?

OnTheRise · 15/04/2018 14:51

How do I tell the landlord that I can’t let them take the passport away?

You say, "You are welcome to look at my passport but you can't take it out of my sight." Easy.

Follyfoot · 15/04/2018 14:51

I would ask for it to be done in my presence.

At work we are not allowed to store copies of teacher's dbs certificates, just verify they have them, and keep a record of the certificate number and expiry date

DBS has a specific code of practice which prevents employers from keeping copies, so it is a different issue. Landlords have to keep a copy of all relevant pages AND keep those copies.

AlexanderHamilton · 15/04/2018 14:51

Assuming landlords work to the same rules as right to work checks you have to take a copy of the passport.

The existing DPA & the new GDPA allows you to collect & process personal information in order to carry out your legal duties.

Follyfoot · 15/04/2018 14:55

Just realised my last sentence is rubbish, it should have said have to take a copy of all relevant pages and keep those copies.

OlennasWimple · 15/04/2018 14:56

A photocopy isn't enough to verify that it's an original valid document, because it would be much easier to get away with a forgery. So the landlord needs to see the original and take reasonable steps to ensure that the document is valid. For most people who haven't been trained in document verification this is a quick flick through the pages to check that nothing has been obviously tampered with, and checking that the bio data page doesn't show obvious signs of something amiss, like fuzzy printing or a wonky photo. Hold the pages up to the light to check for watermarks and run a thumb over the bumpy security features most passports have now.

None of this requires the passport to be out of your sight at all.

OP - just say that you have always been advised not to allow your passport to be taken away or retained, so the checks will need to be done while you are there

Ohyesiam · 15/04/2018 14:57

Say
I’m not going to let the passport out of my sight, so can you check it while I’m here.

MoreProsecco · 15/04/2018 14:58

Why don't you show him it, then take a picture with your phone & email it to him?

summersmith · 15/04/2018 15:00

The right to rent thing has thrown a lot of landlords. Surely he could verify the copy himself with the original in front of him though?

viques · 15/04/2018 15:00

Unless your landlord has an obliging friend who works at an airport and is willing to put your passport through their machine there is nothing more he can "verify" than looking at the passport in his hand will do. I know landlords have a duty not to let properties to people who are living in the country illegally but if someone did have visa restrictions on their passport these would also be very clear.

LassWiADelicateAir · 15/04/2018 15:00

I used to work in a lettings agency in London: many tenants of all nationalities although mainly British - never once did any of the agents take a passport off a prospective tenant

The operative word is "used to". Landlords in England have to check tenants have right to be here. This doesn't apply in Scotland but landlords in Scotland will check ID from point of view of verifying ID. In both countries they are permitted to keep the copies.

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