England’s New Private Rental Property Database Begins Rolling Out on 15th December 2026

INFORMATION LAST CHECKED: 6th November 2026

This guide explains how England’s new private rental property database will work, which landlords need to register, when registration opens in each region and what information will be required. It also covers the registration fee, potential penalties for failing to comply, and what the changes mean for tenants and letting agents.

Under the Renters’ Rights Act, the government is introducing a national service called Register your rental property. It will create a record of private landlords and the properties they let in England, giving local councils information to help them check compliance and take action where necessary.

What is the new private rental property database?

The government’s Register your rental property service is a national registration system for private landlords and the properties they let in England. It is part of the next phase of the Renters’ Rights Act reforms. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will operate the service.

Landlords will need to create a registration and provide information about themselves and each eligible rental property. The database is intended to give local councils better information about the private rented sector so they can identify landlords who are not meeting their legal obligations and take enforcement action where necessary.

The service is being introduced in stages. At launch, landlord and property information will not be publicly searchable. The government plans a public-facing service in a later phase. Landlords who cannot use the online service will be able to ask for a paper-based application.

When does landlord registration begin?

The service opens on 15th December 2026, starting with the West Midlands. Each region has its own three-month registration window. The deadline depends on where the rental property is located, not where the landlord lives.

Landlords can register properties before their region’s registration period begins, once the service opens. This may be useful for landlords with properties in more than one region. They must still meet the deadline for each property’s location.

Who needs to register?

During the regional rollout, landlords must register properties let under an assured periodic or regulated tenancy at the registration deadline for the property’s region, as well as properties that become let after that deadline. This includes individual landlords, sole traders, partnerships and organisations such as companies, charities and trusts that act as private landlords.

Where a property has more than one landlord, each joint landlord must register. One of the joint landlords starts the property registration and invites the others to join it. A person who owns part of a rental property and is entitled to possession may also count as a joint landlord, even if they are not named on the tenancy agreement.

There is an exception for tenancies that fall within the definition of supported exempt accommodation under section 12 of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023.

Do empty rental properties need to be registered?

Not during the initial rollout. For each region, landlords must register properties that are let under an assured periodic or regulated tenancy on the registration deadline, as well as properties that become let after that deadline. Empty properties that are not being let do not need to be registered during this first phase.

What information will landlords need to provide?

Landlords must provide details about themselves and each property. The service asks for basic registration information first, followed by tenancy details and evidence of relevant safety requirements. Some information can be added later, but anything outstanding must be supplied within 28 days.

Landlords can submit the property information and supporting documents together, or provide anything outstanding within 28 days of starting the registration. If the required information is not supplied in time, the property registration may be deactivated. A property must have an active registration to meet the requirement when it is let.

How much does registration cost?

The standard annual fee is £65 for each property. There is no separate fee to register as a landlord, and landlords will not be charged for updating their records. The service provides a landlord registration number and a separate rental property number for each registered property.

The £65 fee is payable when each property is registered and then annually to keep it on the database. The fee is not subject to VAT and is tax-deductible.

All properties registered by the same landlord share one annual renewal date. This is set one year after the first property is registered, so a landlord does not have a different renewal date for every property.

During the regional rollout, the first payment will be reduced to reflect the date the landlord registers. The government is applying a pro-rata calculation so that landlords who register earlier do not pay for the period before the full annual charging period begins on 15th November 2027.

Can a letting agent register a property for a landlord?

Letting agents and property managers can help with parts of the registration, but the arrangement is voluntary. The landlord must start the registration, pay the fee and remains legally responsible for making sure the property record is complete.

Once the landlord has registered the property and it is occupied, they can invite their agent or property manager to provide or update specific information. This can include:

• Rent, whether bills are included and the number of tenants or households.
• Whether the property is furnished, partly furnished or unfurnished.
• HMO, additional or selective licensing details.
• Gas safety, electrical safety and Energy Performance Certificate information, including issue and expiry details.

The service sends the agency a unique access link for each property. The first person to use the link sets a password. Anyone in the agency with both the link and password can update the relevant sections, so agencies should store these details securely and agree who is responsible for updates. The landlord receives a notification when the agent submits information.

Agents are responsible for the accuracy of the information they submit. Landlords remain responsible for ensuring all required information is provided within 28 days and that the record stays up to date. Agents must also belong to a relevant redress scheme to carry out lettings agency or property management work.

Keeping the rental property database up to date

Registration is not a one-off task. Landlords must keep their records accurate throughout the time a property is registered. If a gas or electrical safety certificate expires and is replaced, for example, the new information must be added within 28 days. There is no charge for making updates.

Where an agent has been given access to the property record, they can update the sections they are responsible for. The landlord remains responsible for making sure the information is correct and submitted on time.

What happens if a landlord does not register?

Local councils can take enforcement action if a landlord fails to register, provides false or misleading information knowingly or recklessly, or commits certain continuing or repeated breaches. The maximum penalty depends on the type of breach.

Tenants may also be able to apply for a Rent Repayment Order in specified circumstances involving false or misleading information or certain repeated breaches. This route becomes available for a property once its regional registration period has opened.

A landlord without the required active landlord and property registrations may also face restrictions on obtaining a possession order. The Renters’ Rights Act provides exceptions for certain serious anti-social behaviour cases, including claims relying on Ground 7A or Ground 14. This is a separate consequence from the financial penalties. See the legislation notes.

Landlords with banning orders

Landlords who are subject to a live banning order may not be allowed to register on the service. Whether registration is permitted depends on the conditions of the banning order. This is a specific restriction and does not mean that every landlord with a previous enforcement action is automatically barred.

What will tenants be able to see?

At launch, landlord and property information will not be publicly searchable. The initial service is for landlords to register and for local councils to access information to support their enforcement work.

The government plans to introduce a public-facing part of the database in a later phase. This is intended to give tenants and prospective tenants access to relevant information about landlords and properties. The exact information that will be made public, and when this part of the service will begin, have not yet been confirmed. The government has said the service will balance tenants’ need for useful information with landlords’ privacy.

Does the new database apply in Scotland?

No. The new Register your rental property service applies to private rented properties in England. It does not create a registration requirement for landlords whose properties are in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

The location of the property is what matters. A landlord who lives in Scotland but owns an eligible rental property in England will need to follow the English registration rules for that property.