1. [Insights](/insights/) 2. [Technology](/insights/category/technology/) 3. [Digital Right to Rent: why DVS certification matte...](/insights/right-to-rent-dvs-certification/) [Technology](/insights/category/technology/)[Regulations](/insights/category/regulations/)[Estate Agents](/insights/industry/estate-agents/) # Digital Right to Rent: why DVS certification matters 9th October, 2026 ![Photo of Harriet Holmes](/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fa.storyblok.com%2Ff%2F171201%2F664x744%2F31e9d850e8%2F69fc935f-3cae-4f69-b555-1f0770ba4864_harriet-2.jpeg&w=128&q=75) Harriet Holmes Senior AML Enablement and Product Assurance Manager ![Digital Verification Services Register screen with "Thirdfort" marked as certified and a green checkmark symbol.](/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fa.storyblok.com%2Ff%2F171201%2F1200x630%2Febf770bf17%2Fdvs-register-1.png&w=3840&q=75) From [1 October 2026](/insights/digital-right-to-rent-checks-october-2026), using a Digital Verification Service (DVS) for a [Right to Rent check](/product/digital-right-to-rent) isn't simply about choosing a provider that offers identity verification. The service must be appropriately certified and registered. But what does certification actually tell you and why should landlords and letting agents care? When you use technology to check someone's identity, you're placing a lot of trust in what happens behind the screen. Was the document properly checked? Does it belong to the person presenting it? Are the right fraud controls in place? And can you rely on the result if you're later asked to evidence how the check was completed? That's where DVS certification matters. From 1 October 2026, where a landlord or letting agent chooses to carry out a **Digital Right to Rent check**, the service they use must be appropriately certified and registered for Right to Rent for the check to help establish a statutory excuse. But the value of certification goes beyond appearing on a list. It provides independent assurance that the service has been assessed against a defined government framework. ## What does DVS certification actually mean? DVS certification means an independent body has checked a digital identity service against the UK government's Digital Verification Services Trust Framework. The organisations carrying out this certification operate within the UK's accreditation framework. The framework and the register are set out in the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025\. The Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA) runs the register on the government's behalf. That assessment looks at the controls, processes and technology behind the service rather than simply accepting a provider's own claims about what its product can do. For Digital Right to Rent there is another important layer. A service must also be certified against the **Right to Rent supplementary code**. This sets the specific requirements a Digital Verification Service must meet if landlords and letting agents are going to use it for Digital Right to Rent checks. The service's status can then be checked on the government's public Digital Verification Services register. So rather than simply asking: **“Does this provider offer digital identity checks?”** The better question is: **“Is the service we're relying on registered for Digital Right to Rent?”** ## Why does independent assessment matter? Most landlords and letting agents are not document or identity-verification specialists and the Digital Right to Rent scheme doesn't expect them to become one. Digital identity verification allows specialist technology and controls to do more of that work. For Digital Right to Rent, the service must verify an eligible British or Irish passport or Irish passport card and establish the person's identity to at least a medium level of confidence under Good Practice Guide 45 (GPG 45), the government's identity-checking standard. It must also provide specific information back to the landlord, including details of the identity verified, an image of the identity document, a photograph of the individual, the date of the check and confirmation that the service and check meet the relevant requirements. Certification gives you independent assurance that the service has been assessed against those standards rather than asking you to rely solely on what a supplier says about its own technology. And because registered services are publicly listed, their status can be independently checked too. ## Certification doesn't remove your responsibility There is an important distinction. A certified DVS carries out the digital identity verification, but the landlord or letting agent still has a role to play. Once you receive the result, you must satisfy yourself that the photograph and biographical details provided by the DVS are consistent with the person presenting themselves for the tenancy. You also need to retain a clear copy of the check for the duration of the tenancy and for one year after it ends. Think of certification as giving you an independently assessed identity check - not outsourcing your entire Right to Rent responsibility. ## What Thirdfort's certification covers Thirdfort is listed on the government's Digital Verification Services register, with **Right to Rent** shown as a supplementary code. Kantara independently assessed our certification, and our public register entry shows the identity profiles and supplementary code it covers Our **Digital Right to Rent check** has been built specifically for this use case. That's an important distinction because not every identity check is a Digital Right to Rent check. Using another identity-verification product even one provided by a registered DVS does not automatically mean that particular check meets the requirements of the Right to Rent scheme. For firms, that means looking at the **service and use case**, not simply the name of the provider. ## Everything you need to keep A Digital Right to Rent check isn't just about reaching a result. You also need evidence of how that result was reached. The Right to Rent supplementary code specifies the information that a DVS must provide following a successful check. That includes: * The individual's name and date of birth; * An image of the passport or passport card; * A photograph of the individual; * The date the identity check was completed; * The service that carried out the check; * Confirmation that the DVS has a registered service; * Confirmation that the check complies with the Right to Rent supplementary code; * A link to the service's DVS register entry; and * Confirmation that the identity was verified. Thirdfort brings that information together in the Right to Rent report, giving your team a clear record to retain alongside the tenancy. And where a Digital Right to Rent check can't be completed successfully, that doesn't automatically mean the individual doesn't have a Right to Rent. It means another appropriate route may be needed. ## Choosing a Right to Rent provider You don't need to understand every technical component behind a Digital Right to Rent check. But you should understand who you're relying on. Check that: 1. The service appears on the government's Digital Verification Services register; 2. Its entry specifically shows **Right to Rent**; 3. The check you're buying is the provider's Digital Right to Rent service, rather than a general identity check; and 4. Your own process covers your remaining responsibilities, including checking that the result relates to the person taking the tenancy and retaining the required evidence. Certification doesn't mean taking a provider's word for it. **That's the point.** It means the service has been independently assessed against recognised standards, its status can be checked publicly, and you have clearer evidence about the identity check you're relying on. ## Digital Right to Rent FAQs ### What is DVS certification for Right to Rent? --- An independent conformity assessment body checks a digital verification service against the UK Digital Verification Services Trust Framework and the Right to Rent supplementary code. Certified services that are registered appear on the government's DVS register with Right to Rent shown as a supplementary code. ### Do I have to use a digital verification service for Right to Rent? --- No, it's your choice. If you choose a digital Right to Rent check from 1 October 2026, the service must be certified and registered for Right to Rent for the check to help establish a statutory excuse. ### How do I check if a provider is registered for Right to Rent? --- Find the service on the government's Digital Verification Services register and check its entry shows Right to Rent as a supplementary code. Then make sure the check you're buying is the provider's Digital Right to Rent service. ### Is a general ID check from a registered provider enough? --- Not automatically. A provider can be on the register without that particular check meeting the Right to Rent requirements. Look at the service and use case, not just the provider's name. ### What do I need to keep after a Digital Right to Rent check? --- Check that the photo and details match the person taking the tenancy. Then keep a clear copy of the check for the length of the tenancy and one year after it ends. ### What if a Digital Right to Rent check can't be completed? --- It doesn't automatically mean the person doesn't have a Right to Rent. You may need to use another appropriate route. We're registered to provide Digital Right to Rent checks. View our [GOV.UK register entry](https://www.access-dvs-register.service.gov.uk/register/service-details?serviceId=314&fromProviderPage=True) or find out more about our [Digital Right to Rent check](/product/digital-right-to-rent). ## Right to Rent for letting agents We're certified and registered for Digital Right to Rent checks. [Book a demo](/request-demo/) ## Subscribe to our newsletter Subscribe to our monthly newsletter for recaps and recordings of our webinars, invitations for upcoming events and curated industry news. We’ll also send our guide to Digital ID Verification as a welcome gift. 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