Your Tenant Needs a Letter for Their Visa Application – Here’s Exactly What to Write
A landlord letter visa application request arrived from one of my tenants on a weekday. Polite, a little anxious. One of my tenants needed a letter from me, a formal confirmation of who lives at the property, how long they’ve been there, and how the tenancy works, to support their partner’s visa application.
I said yes immediately. That part was easy.
The scramble came after. What exactly goes in it? What do I leave out? What format does an immigration caseworker actually expect to see? How do I give my tenant the best possible chance?
This is what I worked out, and what I’d send any landlord who finds themselves in the same position.
First: Why This Is Worth Your Time
Your tenants are building a life. Working, contributing, making a home in a country that isn’t always easy to navigate, particularly when you’re doing it without a spouse visa, without settled status, on timelines set by a government department that doesn’t know them personally.
As landlords, we hold a small piece of official authority. We can confirm facts that the Home Office considers strong evidence. A letter from us sits in a different category to a personal statement or a screenshot – it carries weight because we’re accountable for what we sign.
Using that authority costs us nothing. For the people asking, it can mean everything. I wrote about how I approach tenant management more broadly here.
What the Letter Needs to Cover
There’s no official government template, but immigration caseworkers look for specific information. Miss something and your tenant may face delays or requests for more evidence. Get it right and the letter does exactly what it needs to.
Who lives there and since when
Name every tenant on the agreement and state precisely when the tenancy started. For a visa application proving two years of cohabitation, dates are everything. Be exact.
The current tenancy status
This is the one that catches landlords out. If the original fixed-term agreement has expired and rolled into a periodic tenancy, as most do, you need to say so clearly. An expired agreement with no explanation looks like a gap to someone who doesn’t know how UK tenancies work.
A single sentence is enough: confirm the tenancy became statutory periodic under the Housing Act 1988 when the fixed term ended, that it continues on the same terms, and that it remains active as of the date of your letter.
Financial responsibilities
Be specific about who pays what. Council tax is worth naming directly – it’s a document the Home Office actively looks for as evidence of someone genuinely living somewhere. If utilities are included in the rent, say that too.
Your details
Name, address, contact information. If you’re writing as a company, use the registered company name and address. The letter needs to be traceable back to you as the landlord of record.
Format and Tone
Formal, factual, brief. This isn’t a character reference and it doesn’t need to be – you’re confirming verifiable facts, not vouching for someone’s personality.
Use a letterhead if you have one. Address it “To Whom It May Concern” and include a subject line referencing the property address. Three short sections covering the points above, signed with your full name and role. That’s it.
You don’t need a solicitor. You don’t need special paper. You need to be accurate, clear, and reachable if anyone wants to verify what you’ve written.
The Rolling Tenancy Paragraph
If your tenancy is now periodic, include something like this word for word:
“The original fixed-term tenancy agreement expired on [date]. In accordance with Section 5 of the Housing Act 1988, the tenancy has since continued as a statutory periodic tenancy on the same terms and conditions as the original agreement. The tenancy remains active as of the date of this letter.”
That paragraph alone can save your tenant a significant amount of difficulty.
Keep a Copy
Save a dated copy once it’s sent. Home Office verification of landlord letters is rare, but it does happen. You’ll want to know exactly what you said.
Get the Free Template
Rather than starting from a blank page, download the template below. It’s a straightforward Word document with placeholder fields – adapt it to your property, your tenants, and your tenancy situation.
→ Download the free landlord confirmation letter template
(No faff. Just a working document.)
This article is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. If your tenant’s visa situation is complex, refer them to a qualified immigration adviser.
