If you rent out property in England, a new legal requirement is heading your way this winter. The government's 'Register your rental property' service — better known to many in the sector as the Private Rented Sector (PRS) database — starts rolling out on 15 December 2026, and every landlord with an assured or regulated tenancy will need to sign up.
This guide breaks down what the service is, who needs to register, how much it costs, the regional deadlines, what information you'll need to have ready, and what happens if you don't comply — all in one place.
The 'Register your rental property' service is the public-facing name for the PRS database, a new national register created under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. It forms part of the second phase of the Act's rollout and requires landlords to record themselves and each of their rental properties in a central government system.
The goal is straightforward: give councils a clearer picture of who is operating in the private rented sector, make it easier to identify non-compliant landlords, and eventually let tenants check whether a landlord is meeting its legal obligations before they sign a tenancy.
You'll need to register if you're a landlord of an assured or regulated tenancy in England.
You're exempt if you let supported exempt accommodation, as defined under Section 12 of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023. Landlords who fall into this category should check the legislation to confirm the exemption applies to them.
For now, registration only applies to properties that are currently let or that become let during the rollout period. Once the public-facing side of the service goes live under future legislation, landlords will also need to register empty properties before marketing them, and adverts will need to display the landlord and property's unique identifiers.
Registration costs £65 per property, per year, and must be renewed annually. This fee applies per property, so a landlord with three rental properties will pay £65 for each one.
The government says the fee reflects a balance between affordability for landlords and the cost of running the service and funding council enforcement against non-compliant landlords. During the initial rollout, fees will be pro-rated so early registrants aren't penalised for signing up first.
Rather than launching everywhere at once, the service is being introduced region by region to avoid overwhelming the system. Your deadline depends on where your property is located, not where you live. A landlord based in London with a property in Birmingham must meet the West Midlands deadline.
Once your region's rules take effect, you'll have a 3-month window to register before councils can begin enforcement action.
Region Registration Opens Deadline to Register West Midlands 15 December 2026 14 March 2027 East of England 15 January 2027 14 April 2027 East Midlands 15 February 2027 14 May 2027 South East 15 March 2027 14 June 2027 Yorkshire and Humber 15 April 2027 14 July 2027 North West 15 May 2027 14 August 2027 North East 15 June 2027 14 September 2027 London 15 July 2027 14 October 2027 South West 15 August 2027 14 November 2027
If you own properties across multiple regions, you can register all of them from 15 December 2026 onwards — you don't need to wait for each individual regional deadline.
You'll register using a GOV.UK One Login. Have the following ready before you start.
Tip: Gather your gas, electrical and EPC certificates now. Missing or expired documents are likely to be the biggest hold-up for landlords when the service opens in your region.
If you use a letting agent or property manager, you're still personally responsible for starting the registration process — this can't be delegated entirely. However, your agent will be able to upload certain compliance information on your behalf once further guidance is published.
Ultimately, you as the landlord remain legally responsible for making sure all required information is accurate and submitted on time, even if your agent is handling parts of the process.
Letting a property without registering it — or providing false information — carries real financial risk. Reported penalties for non-compliance include:
Beyond the fines, an unregistered property could flag you to local council enforcement teams, who will use the database specifically to identify landlords operating outside the rules.
In future, tenants will be able to use the service to check whether a landlord meets key legal requirements before renting from them. The government has said it will publish a specific list of what's publicly visible, aiming to balance landlord privacy with tenants' need for transparency. Your personal contact details are not expected to be published — only compliance-related information.
You don't need to register today, but there's real value in preparing early, especially if your properties span multiple regions or your compliance paperwork isn't fully up to date:
When does landlord registration become mandatory? The requirement is phased in region by region from 15 December 2026, with the last region (South West) required to register by 14 November 2027.
Can I register before my region's deadline? Yes. You can register from 15 December 2026 onwards, regardless of where your property is located, including registering properties in several regions at once.
Do I need to register empty properties? Not yet. Registration currently only applies to occupied properties. Unoccupied properties will need to be registered before marketing once the public interface launches, with further guidance to follow.
Can my letting agent register my property for me? Your agent can support you and submit certain information on your behalf, but you must personally start and remain responsible for the registration process.
How much will it cost me if I have multiple properties? The £65 fee applies per property, per year — so the total cost scales with your portfolio size.
This guide is based on published government information about the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and the 'Register your rental property' service. Requirements may be updated ahead of full rollout — check GOV.UK for the latest official guidance before you register.
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