Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, the Government is introducing a mandatory Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database, sometimes referred to as the landlord registration database. Registration is being rolled out from 15 December 2026 on a region-by-region basis.  Starting with the West Midlands, who will have until 14 March 2027 to register, other regions are going to be phased in throughout early 2027.

Deadlines per Region

The implementation roadmap is set out in this detailed Gov.UK paper.

Here is a breakdown of everything you need to know:

However, Landlords can register any property from 15 December 2026 onwards, even if the regulations don’t yet apply to their region.

Repercussions

There are some key consequences for landlords who fail to register. These include:

• Financial penalties, potentially up to £7,000 for breaches and up to £40,000 for serious or repeated breaches.

• Restrictions on obtaining possession of the property through the courts. In other words, an unregistered landlord may be unable to rely on certain possession grounds to evict a tenant.

• Potential exposure to Rent Repayment Orders in some circumstances.

This is effectively the “round 2” of the reforms.

The database is intended to become a central compliance tool for councils, tenants and landlords. Each Landlord must create a separate dwelling entry for each property they let out.

What’s Required?

It is not as simple as you have to provide lots of information and documents.

The government will require Property details, Tenancy and rent details and Safety standards, which are detailed here:

Property details

• The address

• Name(s), email address, and service address of the landlord

• Ownership type (freehold, leasehold, etc)

• The name and email address of the freeholder, property manager, or superior landlord

• The type of dwelling (flat, terraced, semi-detached, etc)

• Number of bedrooms

• Whether the dwelling is currently let

Tenancy and rent details

• The amount of rent, whether it includes bills, and how often it needs to be paid

• The number of people living in the property (tenants and permitted occupiers but not short term guests)

• The number of households (i.e. how many unrelated people live in the property and whether it is a HMO)

• Whether the property needs a selective, additional or mandatory HMO licence and whether it has one

• Whether it’s furnished, part furnished or unfurnished

Safety standards

• If the property has gas fittings, the most recent gas safety record and the date it was issued.

• A current valid Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) or an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) and the date it expires on

• The most recent energy performance certificate (EPC) and information on whether one needed to be given to the tenant.

• If the EPC has expired, the start date of the latest tenancy.

• If the property does not meet the current minimum energy efficiency standards, details of any exemptions that have been registered for the property.

This will create a significant new administrative burden for landlords, particularly those with multiple properties, who will need to gather the required information and keep their records up to date.

It is important to prepare these early to avoid last-minute pressure and reduce the risk of penalties. Reviewing property records, tenancy details and safety certificates now can make the registration process more straightforward when the relevant deadline approaches.

As the Renters’ Rights Act reforms continue to take effect, landlords should keep track of the new requirements and ensure they are ready to meet their obligations.

At Phillips Law, we advise landlords and property owners on a range of legal matters, including commercial property, property disputes and business-related issues. Our team provides practical advice to help you understand your obligations and plan ahead.

Find out how Phillips Law can help: Contact our team

Written by Hayley Eachus