Register Your Rental Property: Landlord Guide | SevenLiving

 

If you’re a landlord in England, there’s a new registration requirement you need to prepare for.
The Government’s new Register Your Rental Property Service will form part of the Private Rented Sector Database, creating a central record of landlords and rental properties in England. Registration opens on 15 December 2026, with the requirement being introduced region by region.

For landlords with rental properties in the West Midlands, the registration deadline is 14 March 2027.
In this guide, we explain what landlords need to know, what information you’ll need, how much registration costs, when you need to register and what could happen if you don’t comply.

Register Your Rental Property: Key Dates

Launch: 15 December 2026

First region: West Midlands

West Midlands deadline: 14 March 2027

Fee: £65 per property per year

Who needs to register: Landlords of assured or regulated tenancies

Online access: GOV.UK One Login

Responsibility: Landlords remain responsible for registration

More about The Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026

Confirm: This is draft legislation and is not yet legally in force. It sets out the Government’s proposed requirements for the Private Rented Sector Database and has been laid before Parliament under section 140(5) of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 for approval by resolution of both Houses. The regulations must therefore complete the Parliamentary approval process before becoming law.

Important: The rules and implementation guidance may develop before registration opens. This guide is based on the legislation and Government information currently available and will be updated as further guidance is published.

What is the Register Your Rental Property Service?

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 introduced a requirement for landlords in England to register themselves and their rental properties on a government database.

The detailed requirements are set out in the draft Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026, which provide further detail on how the database will operate.

The database is designed to hold key information about landlords, rental properties, tenancies and certain safety requirements.

Initially, the registration requirement will apply to properties let under an assured or regulated tenancy.
Landlords will need to create:

• A landlord entry
• A separate property/dwelling entry for each relevant rental property

Once registered, landlords will receive unique landlord and property identifiers.

When do landlords need to register?

The service begins rolling out across England on 15 December 2026, with registration requirements introduced region by region. The first region is the West Midlands.

Regional registration deadlines

 

Region	Registration opens	Deadline
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 & 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

 

Landlords can register properties from 15 December 2026, even if registration is not yet mandatory in their region.

West Midlands landlords: start preparing now

If you own rental property in Birmingham or elsewhere in the West Midlands, your deadline is 14 March 2027.

If you have several properties, it is worth preparing your information early rather than waiting until the deadline.

How much does registration cost?

The fee is £65 per property per year and must be paid each time you register a different property. During the rollout, fees will be pro-rated so landlords registering earlier are not disadvantaged.

Who needs to register?

Initially, the database requirements apply to landlords with properties let under an assured or regulated tenancy.

This includes landlords who own:

• Houses
• Flats and apartments
• Buy-to-let properties
• Properties within a portfolio
• Relevant HMO properties

Having another licence does not remove the requirement to register.

For example, a property with a selective, additional or mandatory HMO licence will still need to be registered on the database.

Joint landlords will also need to register where they are landlords of an assured or regulated tenancy.

There is an exception for landlords of supported exempt accommodation as defined under the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023. Landlords are responsible for starting and completing the registration process.

Do landlords have to register themselves?

Yes. Landlords are responsible for starting and completing the registration process.

However, landlords can agree with their letting agent or property manager that they can provide certain information on their behalf. Further guidance for agents and property managers will be published before the service launches.

At SevenLiving, we can support landlords with the ongoing management of their property and help keep relevant property and compliance information organised. The landlord remains responsible for their registration.

Need help preparing your portfolio for Register Your Rental Property?

Subject to the legislation being passed by Government, SevenLiving will be able to administer and maintain Private Rented Sector Database registrations on behalf of landlords. This can include completing property registrations, uploading and maintaining compliance documents, managing updates and renewals, and helping ensure your property information remains up to date and compliant with the new requirements.

Alongside this, SevenLiving can support you with the ongoing management of your rental property, including maintenance, inspections, tenant communication, rent collection and wider compliance support.

Speak to the SevenLiving landlord team today.

Call: 0121 272 5320
Email: hello@sliving.detypedev.com

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How do landlords register?

You will need a GOV.UK One Login to use the online registration service. Offline registration routes will also be available for landlords who need them.

What information will landlords need?

Landlords should start preparing their information now.

The registration process will require information about the landlord, property, tenancy and relevant safety requirements.

Information about the landlord

For an individual landlord, this includes:

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Residential address
• Telephone number
• Email address

 

Company landlords will need to provide additional information relating to the organisation, its legal structure and relevant individuals.

This can include:

• Organisation name
• Type of legal entity
• Registered address
• Telephone number
• Email address
• Companies House registration number, where applicable
• Details of the person making the registration
• Details of the nominated contact

What information will be needed about the property?

Landlords will need to provide key details about each rental property.

This can include:

Property details

• Property address
• Landlord details
• Ownership type
• Freeholder, property manager or superior landlord details
• Property type
• Number of bedrooms
• Whether the property is currently let

 

Tenancy and rent information

You may also need:

• Current rent amount
• Whether bills are included
• Rent payment frequency
• Number of tenants and permitted occupiers
• Number of households
• Whether the property is an HMO
• Relevant HMO or selective licensing information
• Whether the property is furnished, part furnished or unfurnished

What safety information will be required?

Landlords will also need to provide Relevant safety and energy-efficiency information, including gas safety records, electrical safety information and EPC information where applicable.

Depending on the property, this can include:

Gas safety

If the property has gas fittings, the latest gas safety record and issue date will be required.

Electrical safety

Details of a current valid Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) or Electrical Installation Certificate may be required, including the relevant expiry information.

Energy Performance Certificate

Landlords will need to provide relevant EPC information, including details of any applicable exemptions.

If an EPC has expired in circumstances where a new EPC is not required, landlords may need to provide the start date of the current tenancy instead.

Landlords should check their records now

Before registration opens, it makes sense to check that your key compliance documents are current and easily accessible.

Do I have to provide everything immediately?

A landlord can create a property entry without entering all the required property information immediately.

Under the draft regulations, where an occupied dwelling entry is made without certain required information or documents, the outstanding information generally needs to be provided within 28 days.

This means landlords should have their documents and property information ready before starting the registration process.

What happens after registration?

Registration isn’t a one-off task.

Landlords will have an ongoing responsibility to keep their database entry accurate and active.

Active registrations will need to be renewed every 12 months.

You will also need to update your information when relevant details change.

Examples include:

• A change in rent
• A change in occupiers
• Renewal of gas or electrical safety certificates
• A new EPC
• A new MEES exemption
• Changes to other relevant property information

Where information or documents in an active entry become out of date, they generally need to be updated within 28 days.

What happens if I don’t register?

This is one of the most important reasons landlords should prepare early.

The Renters’ Rights Act provides enforcement powers for non-compliance.

Failure to comply can result in enforcement action and civil penalties. Certain breaches can attract penalties of up to £7,000, while serious, persistent or repeat non-compliance can result in penalties of up to £40,000. Other consequences may apply depending on the circumstances.

There may also be consequences involving:

• Rent Repayment Orders
• Possession proceedings
• Local authority enforcement
• Restrictions on letting property
• Banning orders in serious cases

The legislation also provides restrictions on obtaining possession in certain circumstances where a landlord does not have the required active registrations.

What about empty properties?

Currently, the registration requirement applies to properties that are under let or become let during the regional rollout. Unoccupied properties do not currently need to be registered.

The Government has said that future legislation will require unoccupied properties to be registered before you or your letting agent markets them for let. Further guidance will be published before this requirement comes into force.

No date has currently been set for this change.

What about properties that are already being advertised?

At present, landlords are not required to register an empty property simply because it is being marketed for let.

However, future legislation is expected to introduce restrictions on marketing unregistered properties.

Once those requirements come into force, advertisements may also need to display the relevant Landlord and Property Reference Numbers.

Landlords and letting agents should therefore keep an eye on further Government guidance.

Can I register multiple properties at once?

If you have a portfolio of properties, start preparing your information early. You can register properties from 15 December 2026, including properties in different regions, before their individual deadlines.

This is particularly important for landlords with larger portfolios.

Our advice?

Don’t leave your entire portfolio until the last few weeks.

Start preparing:

• Property details
• Tenancy information
• Rent information
• Gas safety records
• EICRs
• EPCs
• Licensing information
• Landlord details

Having everything together should make the registration process easier.

Download Our Landlord’s Checklist for Register Your Rental Property

What if I already have an HMO or selective licence?

You will still need to register.

The new database is separate from existing licensing requirements.

So, if your property already requires a:

• Mandatory HMO licence
• Additional HMO licence
• Selective licence

you will still need to complete the database registration where the requirements apply.

What information will tenants be able to see?

Local authorities and relevant mayoral authorities will have access to the database for housing and tenancy-related functions.

In the future, tenants are expected to be able to access some information through a public-facing database.

The Government has indicated that tenant access will focus on key legal requirements while taking landlord privacy into account.

The timing of the public search function has not yet been confirmed.

What does this mean for landlords?

The new database adds another ongoing responsibility for landlords in England.

While the registration process itself is relatively straightforward, landlords will need to maintain accurate information and keep their property records up to date.

For landlords managing several properties, preparing early could help avoid last-minute administration and potential compliance issues.

And remember registration is only one part of your responsibilities as a landlord.

You also need to keep on top of property safety, compliance, maintenance, rent collection, inspections, tenant communication and other ongoing management responsibilities.

Stay Ahead of the New Landlord Requirements

The new Register Your Rental Property is just one of several changes affecting landlords across England.

If you own rental property, preparing your records early can help you stay organised and ready for the new requirements.

How SevenLiving can help

Managing a rental property involves more than finding a tenant.

At SevenLiving, we provide professional property management services designed to take the day-to-day work off landlords’ hands.

Our services include:

• Tenant sourcing and management
• Rent collection and arrears management
• Property inspections
• Maintenance coordination
• Compliance management
• Safety certificate monitoring
• Tenant communication
• Rent reviews
• 24/7 emergency repair support
• Monthly income and expenditure reporting

 

Compliance documents support includes:

• Gas Safety Records
• EICRs
• EPCs
• Selective Licences
• Rent and tenancy information
• Property compliance documentation

We can also help landlords review how their property is currently being managed and identify areas where they could improve their property’s performance and day-to-day management.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. When does landlord registration open?

Registration opens on 15 December 2026.

2. What is the West Midlands deadline?

Landlords with properties in the West Midlands must register by 14 March 2027, where the registration requirements apply.

3. How much does registration cost?

The fee is £65 per property per year.

4. Can my letting agent register for me?

No. Landlords generally need to register themselves, although agents may be able to help provide certain information.

5. Do I need to register every property?

Initially, the requirement applies to properties let under an assured or regulated tenancy. The requirements for empty properties are expected to change in the future.

6. Do joint landlords need to register?

Yes, where they are landlords of an assured or regulated tenancy.

7. Do I need to update my registration?

Yes. Landlords will have an ongoing responsibility to keep their database information accurate and up to date.

8. How quickly do I need to update changes?

Relevant changes generally need to be updated within 28 days.

9. Can I register several properties at once?

If you have properties in different regions, you can register them from 15 December 2026. Each property will still need to meet the registration requirements and deadline that applies to its location.

10. Do empty properties need to be registered?

Not initially, unless and until they become occupied under an assured tenancy. Future legislation is expected to introduce requirements relating to properties being marketed for let.

 

This article provides general information based on legislation and Government guidance available at the time of publication. It is not legal or tax advice. Requirements and implementation guidance may change. Landlords should check the latest Government guidance and obtain professional advice where appropriate.