Fraud is on the rise. The number of fraudulent applications from tenants looking to secure a new rental property rose by 140% last year – so it’s no wonder that two-thirds of letting agents say they're worried about the impact of tenant referencing fraud on their businesses. 

Just one missed fraudulent application could cost letting agents and their landlords thousands of pounds. And with fraudsters using increasingly sophisticated methods to falsify identity documents, it’s getting harder – sometimes impossible – for letting agents to detect fake IDs by sight alone.

That’s where Identity Document Validation Technology (IDVT) comes in. This game-changing technology is transforming the way letting agents conduct ID checks. In this blog, we’ll dig into what IDVT is, how it works, and why it’s helping letting agents protect their landlords (and their businesses) against identity fraud.

What is IDTV?

IDVT  (Identity Document Validation Technology) is a technology that digitally verifies the authenticity of identity documents, like passports or driving licences. IDVT cross-checks documents for signs of tampering or forgery that can’t simply be caught by the human eye. This provides agents and landlords with a more reliable way to verify applicants are who they say they are – while eliminating the need for time-consuming manual ID checks.

How does IDVT simplify right to rent checks?

Before IDVT, right to rent checks had to be conducted in person, so letting agents and landlords could verify the person standing in front of them matched the picture on their ID. IDVT has changed this.

Now, letting agents and landlords can stay compliant with right to rent legislation without checking applicants IDs in real life, using government-approved IDVT providers to conduct right to rent checks instead.

This is particularly useful for non-UK nationals or tenants moving from overseas, where meeting in person can be difficult and slow down the application process – even though they have a right to rent in the UK. IDVT  makes this a thing of the past, while giving agents and landlords more peace of mind they’re compliant with right to rent.

How does IDVT simplify right to rent checks?

1. Increased confidence

Hands down, the most significant advantage of IDVT is its next-level ability to detect fraudulent documents. IDVT greatly reduces the risk of renting to fraudulent tenants, who may cause financial or legal issues for letting agents or landlords down the line.

2. Increased security

Hands down, the most significant advantage of IDVT is its next-level ability to detect fraudulent documents. IDVT greatly reduces the risk of renting to fraudulent tenants, who may cause financial or legal issues for letting agents or landlords down the line.

3. Faster, easier right to rent checks

IDVT makes it easier and faster for letting agents to conduct right to rent checks, speeding up the tenancy application process and making it easier to rent to tenants who don’t currently live locally. Plus, using a government-certified IDVT provider to conduct right to rent checks gives agents and landlords increased confidence in their compliance.

Why letting agents should embrace IDVT for fraud prevention

IDVT makes it easier and faster for letting agents to conduct right to rent checks, speeding up the tenancy application process and making it easier to rent to tenants who don’t currently live locally. Plus, using a government-certified IDVT provider to conduct right to rent checks gives agents and landlords increased confidence in their compliance.