New landlord registration rules are coming: key dates, costs and how to prepare

From December 2026, private landlords in England will begin registering their rental properties through the government’s new ‘Register your rental property’ service.

The scheme will be introduced region by region, with registration costing £65 per property each year. Landlords will also need to keep their information up to date, while later rules will require registration identifiers to appear in rental adverts.

In this blog, we look at how the new service is expected to work, the key dates to know and the practical steps landlords can take now to prepare.

What is the ‘Register your rental property’ service?

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 and the government’s November 2025 implementation roadmap refer to the underlying system as the Private Rented Sector Database. ‘Register your rental property’ is the name now being used for the public-facing registration service.

For landlords, this will mean more than simply noting another deadline. Each qualifying property will need to be registered, supporting documents will need to be readily available and the annual fee will need to become part of the ongoing cost of letting a home.

When will landlord registration begin?

Registration will follow the location of the property, rather than where the landlord lives.

The West Midlands will be the first region to join the service on 15 December 2026. The East of England will follow one month later, with a further region joining every month until the South West in August 2027.

Landlords will have three months from the start date for their property’s region to complete registration. The final deadline for actively let properties will be 14 November 2027.

For example, if you live in Leeds but let a property in Birmingham, the West Midlands timetable will apply to that property.

Key landlord registration dates

The main milestones are:

• 15 December 2026: the service opens and the West Midlands requirement begins

• 14 March 2027: the first registration deadline for West Midlands properties

• 15 July 2027: the requirement begins for properties in London

• 14 November 2027: the final deadline, covering properties in the South West

The government says landlords will be able to register early once the service opens, provided they still meet the relevant regional deadline.

How much will landlord registration cost?

Registration will cost £65 per property, with the same fee payable each year when the registration is renewed.

A landlord with one rental property will therefore pay £65 a year. Those with several rental properties will pay the fee for every home they register, so the total cost will increase accordingly.

Whether you already let a property or are thinking about a new investment, it is sensible to budget for the fee alongside management, maintenance, insurance, licensing and other compliance costs.

The registration charge would generally be expected to qualify as an allowable property-business expense under HMRC’s rules, provided it is incurred wholly and exclusively for the rental business and is not capital expenditure. However, individual circumstances can differ, so landlords should confirm the position with a tax adviser.

It is also important to remember that a tax deduction is not the same as receiving the fee back. An allowable expense reduces taxable rental profit; it does not provide a pound-for-pound refund of the £65 charge.

Can landlords reflect the registration fee in the rent?

The registration fee will not give landlords an automatic right to increase the rent.

Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, rent for an existing private tenancy can generally be increased only once in any 12-month period. The landlord must use the revised section 13 process, give the tenant at least two months’ notice and propose a rent that reflects the open-market rate.

The tenant can challenge the proposed amount if they believe it is above the market rent.

What information will landlords need to provide?

Landlords will be asked for information about themselves, the tenancy and the property being registered. Using the registration process as an opportunity to review each rental property could make the exercise more valuable than simply completing a form.

Check your property information

Bring together the address, ownership details and dwelling type for each property, along with the number of bedrooms. You should also expect to provide information about occupants, households and whether the property is furnished.

Organise tenancy and rent records

The service is expected to record how much rent is charged, how often it is paid and whether utilities are included. Gathering this information now should help make registration more straightforward later.

Review licences and safety certificates

Landlords may need to provide details of HMO, additional or selective licences. The service will also request relevant health and safety evidence, including gas safety records, electrical reports or certificates and EPC information.

Reviewing these documents in advance gives landlords an opportunity to identify expired certificates or gaps before their registration window opens.

Confirm contact and ownership details

Individual landlords will need to provide personal and contact information.

Organisational landlords will be asked additional questions about their legal entity and nominated contacts, as well as Companies House or charity details where applicable.

Will landlords need to keep registration details updated?

Yes. The responsibility will continue after the first registration has been submitted.

Information about the landlord, property and tenancy will need to remain accurate. This includes relevant gas safety, electrical safety and energy performance details.

It will therefore be important to make the register part of your ongoing property administration, updating the entry whenever information changes or a certificate is renewed.

An initial breach of the database requirements could lead to a civil penalty of up to £7,000 per breach. Serious or repeated non-compliance, including the provision of fraudulent information, could result in a civil penalty of up to £40,000 or criminal prosecution.

The action taken and the amount imposed will depend on the circumstances and the decision of the local council.

What does registration mean when buying a rental property?

When the service launches, registration will focus on properties that are already let or become occupied during the phased rollout.

The government intends to extend the requirement at a later stage so that an unoccupied property must be registered before it can be marketed for rent.

Once that future stage takes effect, neither a private landlord nor an agent acting on the landlord’s behalf will be able to advertise an unregistered property. Rental adverts will need to include both the unique landlord identifier and the property identifier.

This restriction will not form part of the initial regional registration stage. Its commencement and practical details remain subject to further legislation and guidance.

Prospective landlords should therefore add registration readiness to their property-buying checklist. Before completing on an investment property, it may be sensible to establish:

• which licences apply

• whether the safety and energy documents are available

• which regional deadline will apply if the property is occupied during the rollout

Can a letting agent complete the registration?

A letting agent or property manager will be able to help by adding certain information, but they will not be able to take over the entire process.

The landlord will need to begin and complete the registration and will remain legally responsible for making sure the required information is provided.

Depending on the landlord service level, an agent may also be able to support the landlord with keeping the information up to date.

Further government guidance on exactly what agents will be able to do is expected before the service launches. Landlords should therefore confirm responsibilities with their agent rather than assuming that registration or later updates have been completed.

Why is the government introducing a landlord register?

The register is intended to give local councils a clearer picture of the private rented sector and help them identify non-compliance. It is also expected to give responsible landlords a way to demonstrate that they meet important legal requirements.

A public interface is planned for a later stage. This will allow tenants to check whether a current or prospective landlord is registered, although the government has not yet confirmed the full set of information that will be visible.

A separate change to rent increase disputes

Alongside the registration announcement, the government confirmed a future change to the way challenges to rent increases will be handled.

HMRC’s Valuation Office will make initial rent determinations, with the aim of resolving cases more quickly and reducing pressure on the First-tier Tribunal.

Until the new process is introduced, tenants must continue to take a challenge to the First-tier Tribunal. If a proposed increase is challenged, the higher rent will not become payable until the Tribunal gives its final decision.

How can landlords prepare for registration now?

There is still time to get ready, but starting early could make the process much easier. Landlords can begin by:

• noting the region in which each rental property is located and recording the relevant registration deadline

• setting aside £65 per property in the annual budget and seeking tax advice where appropriate

• reviewing tenancy, rent and occupant information

• checking gas, electrical and energy documents

• confirming whether each property requires a local licence

• deciding which information an agent will be able to provide

• planning to review the registration entry whenever property, tenancy or certificate information changes

• following government updates about the final registration process

Treating these preparations as a wider property health check can help landlords organise their records, identify potential gaps and be ready when their regional registration window opens.