All private sector landlords in England will be required to sign up to a new database which is being introduced under phase two of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.
Regional rollout of the new compulsory landlord database will begin this December in the West Midlands, with landlords required to register themselves and their properties.
Sign up for the Yorkshire & The Humber region is timetabled from 15 April 2027, with a 14 July 2027 deadline. Landlords will be given a three-month window to comply with the new rules, with all landlords to register by 14 November next year.
Sophie Kerry, Associate in Wake Smith Solicitors’ Litigation & Dispute Resolution team and the firm’s expert on the Renters’ Rights Act, looks at the forthcoming registration service.
Who needs to sign up?
Landlords of homes occupied under assured or regulated tenancies must sign up to the Register Your Rental Property Service (referred to as the Private Rented Sector Database in the RRA) and include all existing tenancies and any signed during the roll out period. Each property will need to be added individually. The charge will be £65 per property per year to register.
Empty homes being marketed to let do not need to be registered at this stage, however this will change in future when landlords will need to provide a registration number before advertising their property.
Who can sign up the properties onto the database?
Landlords. Agents cannot register homes on the database on landlords’ behalf.
What happens if you don’t sign up?
Landlords who fail to sign up could face civil penalties of up to £7,000 rising to £40,000 for multiple or continued breaches.
How do I join the register – and what do I need to include?
It is expected landlords join the database via the Government website.
Details required will include:
- The address of the property
- The type of ownership (freehold, leasehold, commonhold)
- Type of property (detached, semi, terraced)
- Whether the property is licensed
- How many people live in the property and whether it is a house in multiple occupation (HMO)
- The rent, whether it includes bills, and the rent frequency
- The relevant safety certificates (gas, EPC, EICR/EIC)
Sophie Kerry added: “Historically there has been no single national source of information on landlords and rental properties. This database will mean every landlord has to disclose all their properties and have required standards and proof of certification. While it is intended to streamline the information, the registration requirement will add to the regulatory burden on private landlords, coming amid broader changes to the rental sector.
“Increased compliance costs and potential penalties could accelerate the exit of smaller landlords from the market, potentially reducing rental stock availability and placing upward pressure on rents.”
Are you a landlord and need advice on changes to the Renters’ Rights Act? Contact Sophie Kerry here or on 0114 266 6660 for further information.