Register Your Rental Property Service: England Landlord Database Guide

Private landlords in England will need to register themselves and their actively let properties through the new **Register your rental property** service. The regional rollout opens on **15 December 2026** and runs until **14 November 2027**.

This service is the first stage of the new Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database created under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. This guide explains the published rules as at 10 September 2026. It is practical information, not legal advice, and should be checked against the latest government guidance before you act.

Who needs to register?

The initial rollout applies to landlords of properties in England that are let under an assured or regulated tenancy. A currently empty property does not initially need an entry, but it must be registered if it becomes occupied under an assured tenancy during the rollout.

The government says a later phase will require properties to be registered before they are marketed and registration numbers to appear in adverts. That requirement is **not yet in force**, and no start date for the public-facing property search has been confirmed.

Registration is separate from selective, additional and mandatory HMO licensing. Holding a property licence does not remove the database registration requirement.

Regional registration dates

You can register from 15 December 2026 even if your property's regional deadline is later. The deadline follows the location of each property, so landlords with properties in several regions should track them separately.

• **West Midlands:** starts 15 December 2026; register by midnight on 14 March 2027.
• **East of England:** starts 15 January 2027; register by midnight on 14 April 2027.
• **East Midlands:** starts 15 February 2027; register by midnight on 14 May 2027.
• **South East:** starts 15 March 2027; register by midnight on 14 June 2027.
• **Yorkshire and the Humber:** starts 15 April 2027; register by midnight on 14 July 2027.
• **North West:** starts 15 May 2027; register by midnight on 14 August 2027.
• **North East:** starts 15 June 2027; register by midnight on 14 September 2027.
• **London:** starts 15 July 2027; register by midnight on 14 October 2027.
• **South West:** starts 15 August 2027; register by midnight on 14 November 2027.

Information to prepare

Gather the information property by property before the portal opens. The published requirements include:

Landlord details

• For individuals: name, date of birth, residential address, telephone number and email address.
• For organisations: legal identity and type, address, contact details, nominated contact and the person making the entry.
• Companies House or charity registration details where applicable, plus additional controller, partner, trustee or governing-body details where required.
• Details for every joint landlord; joint owners who are landlords must each register.

Property and tenancy details

• Full property address, dwelling type, number of bedrooms and freehold or leasehold status.
• Relevant landlord, freeholder, superior landlord or property manager details.
• Whether it is let and furnished, part-furnished or unfurnished.
• Rent amount, payment frequency and whether bills are included.
• Number of residents and households, including whether the property is an HMO.
• Applicable selective, additional or mandatory HMO licence details.

Safety and energy records

• Latest gas safety record and issue date where the property has gas fittings.
• Current EICR or Electrical Installation Certificate and relevant expiry date.
• EPC details, whether it needed to be given to the tenant, or the latest tenancy start date where an expired EPC does not need replacing.
• Any registered Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards exemption.

Keep this evidence organised using the landlord document storage guide and add the registration dates to your portfolio compliance calendar.

Registration workflow

• List every property you let under an assured or regulated tenancy and assign its English region.
• Record the regional start date and deadline for each property.
• Gather identity, ownership, tenancy, rent, licensing, safety and energy information.
• From 15 December 2026, use the government service to create the landlord entry and a separate dwelling entry for each property.
• Pay the £65 annual fee for each property and record the landlord and property registration numbers.
• Supply all required property information within 28 days if it was not supplied when the entry was created.
• Store the confirmation, reference numbers, submitted information and payment evidence against the property.
• Schedule the annual renewal and a process for reporting changes within 28 days.

The regulations generally require the landlord to register. Letting agents cannot complete the landlord's registration in the ordinary case, although limited exceptions apply and agents may be able to help supply information. Government guidance for agents and the service link are expected before registration opens.

Keeping the entry active

Registration is not a one-off task. The £65 property fee is payable annually, on or before the registration anniversary, and the entry must remain active throughout the tenancy.

Update relevant details within 28 days when something changes. Common triggers include a renewed gas or electrical certificate, a new EPC or MEES exemption, a rent change, or a change in occupier numbers. Add these checks to your landlord compliance checklist.

What happens if a landlord does not comply?

Local authorities will be able to enforce the database rules after the applicable deadline. Published consequences include:

• Civil penalties of up to **£7,000** for specified registration, advertising or updating breaches.
• Civil penalties of up to **£40,000** for knowingly or recklessly supplying false or misleading information, or certain repeat or continuing breaches.
• Possible rent repayment orders in specified cases.
• Restrictions on obtaining a possession order while the required landlord and dwelling entries are not active, except for specified anti-social-behaviour grounds.

Because the consequences can be significant, confirm your position against the legislation or obtain professional advice if the tenancy type, ownership structure or registration duty is unclear.

How RentPilot can help you prepare

RentPilot compliance tracking can keep the supporting certificates, property details, deadlines and follow-up tasks together. Create a registration task for each property, attach the confirmation and reference numbers, and schedule annual renewal and 28-day update checks.

Sources reviewed

• GOV.UK: Stronger protections and greater confidence for renters (9 September 2026).
• Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026.
• Renters' Rights Act 2025.
• NRLA: Register Your Rental Property Service.

Next step

Identify the region and deadline for every actively let property now. Then add registration, the 28-day information/update window and annual renewal to your England landlord compliance hub workflow.