Every private landlord in England will soon have to register on a government database, along with every home they rent out. It's called the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database. On GOV.UK the service is called “Register your rental property”. It was created by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and opens region by region from 15 December 2026.
- Who: every private landlord in England, plus each property let on an assured or regulated tenancy (that's most private lets).
- When: in your region's three-month window. The West Midlands opens first on 15 December 2026 and the South West last, with a deadline of 14 November 2027.
- Cost: £65 per property, every year, renewing on the anniversary of registration.
- Miss it: fines up to £7,000 (or £40,000 for repeat or false entries). Once the rules are in force you also won't be able to advertise the property for let, and your options for getting possession will be restricted.
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What is the PRS Database?
It's a national register of private landlords and the homes they let in England. It is run by the government and is separate from council licensing. You create a landlord entry for yourself or your company, and a property entry for each home you rent out. Each entry gets a reference number.
The register has three jobs. It shows tenants who their landlord is and whether the home's safety certificates are in date. It helps councils find and enforce against landlords who aren't meeting the rules. And it gives the government a picture of the sector. Some information will be publicly searchable, so tenants can check a property before they rent it.
Who has to register (and who doesn't)
- Only let homes need registering. A vacant property needs an entry before you let it or advertise it.
- Individual landlords who let a home in England on an assured or regulated tenancy. That covers almost every private let now that the Renters' Rights Act has moved tenancies onto periodic assured terms.
- Company landlords, including limited companies and SPVs. You register the company and give its Companies House number and a nominated contact.
- Joint landlords: each joint owner registers their own landlord entry, linked to one shared property entry.
- HMOs are included. You'll also record the HMO licence details where one applies.
- Letting agents can't register for you. The landlord has to make the registration, although your agent may help supply property information.
Exempt (per the draft regulations): purpose-built student accommodation and accommodation run by accredited educational institutions. Other student lets count as ordinary private lets. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are not covered. They have their own systems, such as Rent Smart Wales and the Scottish Landlord Register.
When you need to register: the regional timetable
Registration opens on the 15th of each month, one region at a time. Each region then has three months to register every landlord and every let property.
| Region | Register by | Opens |
|---|---|---|
| West Midlands | 14 Mar 2027 | 15 Dec 2026 |
| East of England | 14 Apr 2027 | 15 Jan 2027 |
| East Midlands | 14 May 2027 | 15 Feb 2027 |
| South East | 14 Jun 2027 | 15 Mar 2027 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 14 Jul 2027 | 15 Apr 2027 |
| North West | 14 Aug 2027 | 15 May 2027 |
| North East | 14 Sep 2027 | 15 Jun 2027 |
| London | 14 Oct 2027 | 15 Jul 2027 |
| South West | 14 Nov 2027 | 15 Aug 2027 |
How much it costs
The fee is £65 per property per year. Every entry renews on the anniversary of your first registration, so all your properties fall due on the same date each year. The government says the fee will be pro-rated during the rollout, so registering in a later region shouldn't mean paying for months you weren't on the register.
| Properties | Annual fee |
|---|---|
| 1 | £65 |
| 3 | £195 |
| 5 | £325 |
| 10 | £650 |
| 30 | £1,950 |
The fee is charged per property, not per building. A block of six flats is six property entries. Ask your accountant whether the fee is an allowable expense for your circumstances.
What you'll need to register
Gather these before your window opens. Most delays will come from out-of-date certificates.
- A GOV.UK One Login for yourself and anyone acting for your company.
- Your details: full name, date of birth, home address, phone and email. For a company, give its name, legal entity type, Companies House number, address and contact details, plus details of the person making the entry.
- Each property: full address (including flat or unit number), type of property, number of bedrooms, ownership type, whether it's let, and freeholder or managing agent details if it's leasehold.
- The tenancy: rent amount and how often it's paid, whether bills are included, number of occupants and households, whether it's an HMO, and how it's furnished.
- Safety certificates with their expiry dates: the current gas safety record, electrical certificate (EICR) and EPC, plus any MEES exemption.
- Payment for the fee.
How to register, step by step
- Check your region and window using the table above. Note the deadline in your diary, or let Lettfolio track it.
- Get your certificates in date. If a gas safety record, EICR or EPC is due to expire around your window, renew it first.
- Set up GOV.UK One Login and open the “Register your rental property” service once your region is live.
- Create your landlord entry. You'll get a landlord reference number.
- Add a property entry for each home and upload its certificates. Each property gets a property reference number.
- Pay £65 per property (pro-rated during the rollout).
- Keep your references safe. Future rules will require both numbers on written adverts for the property.
After you've registered
- Update within 28 days. Change your entry within 28 days of anything going out of date or changing. That includes a renewed gas certificate, a new EPC, a rent change, new occupants or new contact details.
- Renew every year on the anniversary of registration, or the entry becomes inactive.
- Don't market a property without active entries. The Act bans advertising a property for let unless both the landlord and property entries are active. Sources differ on exactly when this applies in each region, so treat it as applying from your window.
- Watch for the advert rules. Later legislation will require your landlord and property reference numbers in written adverts. Guidance will be published first.
Know every deadline without the spreadsheet
Lettfolio shows each property's region and registration deadline from its postcode. Record your registration and reference numbers, and we'll remind you before every renewal and every certificate expiry.
Start freePenalties for not registering
Councils enforce the register. Penalties can be appealed to the First-tier Tribunal.
| Breach | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|
| Not registering, or marketing or letting a property without active entries | Civil penalty up to £7,000 |
| Repeat breach within five years, or a continuing breach after a penalty | Civil penalty up to £40,000, or prosecution |
| Giving false or misleading information | Civil penalty up to £40,000, or prosecution with an unlimited fine |
There's a bigger practical risk too. Once the possession rules are in force, courts won't grant a possession order while you're unregistered, except on the anti-social behaviour grounds (7A and 14). Now that Section 21 has gone, that would block rent-arrears and sale claims under Section 8. The government hasn't confirmed the exact start date, so register in your window rather than waiting.
Frequently asked questions
When do I have to register on the PRS Database?
In your region's three-month window. Registration opens from 15 December 2026 (West Midlands first), and the South West, the last region, must register by 14 November 2027. The dates come from the draft regulations.
How much does it cost to register as a landlord?
£65 per property per year, renewing on the anniversary of your first registration. The government says the fee will be pro-rated during the rollout. Ten properties cost about £650 a year.
Can my letting agent register for me?
No. The landlord must make the registration. Agents may help supply property information once guidance is published.
What happens if I don't register?
You could face a civil penalty of up to £7,000, or up to £40,000 or prosecution for repeat or false entries. Once the rules are in force you also won't be able to advertise the property for let, and courts won't grant possession except on anti-social behaviour grounds.
Do I need to register a property that's empty?
Only let properties need registering. Register a vacant property before you let it or advertise it.
Does the PRS Database apply in Wales or Scotland?
No. It's England only. Wales has Rent Smart Wales and Scotland has its own landlord register.
Do joint landlords each need to register?
Yes. Each joint landlord registers their own landlord entry, and the property has one entry linked to all of them.
Lettfolio can't register for you, because the law says the landlord must do it. What it does do is keep the whole job in one place. It shows the regional deadline for every property and tracks the gas, EICR and EPC certificates you'll need to upload. It stores your reference numbers and reminds you 60, 30 and 7 days before each yearly renewal. Start free.
Sources
- GOV.UK Housing Hub — Get ready: “Register your rental property” service (regional dates, fee, what to prepare)
- GOV.UK — Stronger protections and greater confidence for renters (September 2026 announcement)
- legislation.gov.uk — Renters' Rights Act 2025, Part 2 Chapter 3 (the database)
- NRLA — Register Your Rental Property service (joint landlords, agents, update duties)
Facts checked 4 October 2026 against the draft Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026. We'll update this guide when the final regulations are made.
Related guides
- The complete UK landlord compliance checklist: the gas, EICR and EPC certificates you'll upload to the register.
- The Renters' Rights Act 2025: a landlord's guide: the wider reforms that created the database.
- The UK HMO management guide: licensing details you'll also record for an HMO.