The private rental sector database

What you need to know as a landlord 

One of the provisions of the Renters' Rights Act is a new Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database. If you let a property in England, you'll need to register on it. The service will be run through a new Government website called "Register your Rental Property". 

The database goes live in the West Midlands on 15 December 2026, and it'll then roll out region by region across England over the following 12 months. 

A quick note before you read on: the regulations are still going through Parliament, so some of the detail could still change. Everything below is correct at the time of writing, 13th October 2026. 

Why is the database being introduced? 

The database is one of the key parts of the Renters' Rights Act, which the Government brought in to make the private rented sector more open and more transparent for tenants. 

The thinking behind it is fairly simple. Tenants get more information about a property before they commit to renting it, and local councils get better data so they can check that landlords are meeting the necessary lettings legislation. 

What will you need to register? 

There are two separate things to set up: 

1. A landlord entry. This is your name and contact details, or your company details if you hold the property through an incorporated business. 

2. A dwelling entry. You'll need one of these for every individual property you rent out. 

What information will you need to provide? 

For each property, you'll be asked for: 

• The property address and the type of dwelling it is 

• How many people and how many households are living there 

• A current gas safety record 

• A current Electrical Installation Condition Report, known as an EICR, which is a safety check on the property's wiring, or an Electrical Installation Certificate 

• The Energy Performance Certificate, or EPC, which rates how energy efficient the property is. If your latest certificate expired part way through a tenancy, you'll be asked for the date that tenancy started instead 

• Details of any Selective, Additional or Mandatory licence that applies, including licences for a House in Multiple Occupation 

How much does registration cost? 

The Government has confirmed a fee of £65 per property, per year, and you'll need to renew each property's registration annually. If you've got a portfolio, that cost will scale with the number of properties you own. 

When does your region open? 

The rollout is based on where your property is, starting in December. Once your region's window opens, you'll have three months to register. 

Here's how the regions are expected to roll out. 

Do you have to wait to register until your window opens? 

No, if you'd rather get it done early, you can register as soon as the database goes live in December. 

Is registering optional? 

No. Every landlord in England has to register themselves and their properties. If you let or market a property without a valid entry in place, you'll be in breach of the Renters' Rights Act. 

What happens if you don't register? 

Local councils will have enforcement powers behind this. Civil penalties start at up to £7,000 for a first breach, and they rise to up to £40,000 if you don't comply or keep not complying. 

It's also expected that future legislation will stop an unregistered property being marketed or let, and that a missing entry could affect whether you can pursue possession through the courts. That part hasn't been confirmed yet. 

How to get ahead of it 

Once your region's window opens, you've got three months. The good news is that most of what you'll be asked for is paperwork you already hold, so the next few months are a good opportunity to get everything in order. It's worth checking your certificates are in order, your licensing requirements and your ownership details are up to date.

How we can help 

As we get closer to the launch of the PRS Database, guidance may change so we will update details here for you. If you'd like to talk it through, get in touch with your local branch and we'll walk you through what the PRS Database means for you.