Landlord Advice Centre

What Is the Private Rented Sector Database?

The new database is intended to provide a central source of information about privately rented properties and their landlords.

Once implemented, landlords will be required to register themselves and the properties they let on the database.

The Government intends the database to help:

• landlords understand and demonstrate their compliance responsibilities;
• tenants access information about a property and landlord;
• local authorities identify properties and landlords and target enforcement more effectively; and
• provide better information about the private rented sector.

For landlords, this will ultimately mean an additional administrative requirement when letting a property.

What Information Will Landlords Have to Provide?

The precise information landlords will need to provide will be determined through regulations and the implementation of the database.

The Government's current plans indicate that the database will contain information relating to the landlord, the property and its compliance with relevant legal requirements.

This is expected to include information associated with areas such as:

• Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs);
• gas safety;
• electrical safety; and
• other relevant property and compliance information.

It is important not to treat every proposed detail as a current requirement. The final registration process and information landlords will need to provide will become clearer as the database is implemented.

Will Registration Be Compulsory?

Yes. Once the relevant provisions are brought into force, landlords within the scope of the legislation will be required to register themselves and their properties.

The legislation also provides for restrictions on landlords who fail to comply with the database requirements, including restrictions on marketing or letting a property where the required registration has not been completed.

However, these requirements are not currently in force.

Landlords therefore do not need to search for a registration portal or worry that they should already have registered.

Will Landlords Have to Pay?

The Government intends landlords to pay a registration fee, with an annual fee expected to support the operation of the database.

At the time of writing, the final fee has not been confirmed.

We would therefore recommend being cautious about figures quoted elsewhere until the Government publishes the final charging arrangements.

When Will the Database Start?

The Government's implementation roadmap states that it intends to begin a regional rollout of the Private Rented Sector Database from late 2026.

This means the database is not expected simply to become a nationwide requirement for every landlord on one date.

The rollout will take place in stages, and landlords should be given information about when they are required to register and what they need to do.

At present, there is no action landlords need to take to register.

What Should Landlords Do Now?

There is no need to make changes specifically for the database at this stage.

However, the introduction of a central property database makes good compliance and record keeping increasingly important.

Landlords should continue to make sure that the certificates, inspections and other documentation required for their property are kept up to date.

That includes, where applicable:

• a valid EPC;
• current Gas Safety Records;
• a satisfactory EICR and any required remedial documentation;
• appropriate smoke and carbon monoxide alarms; and
• any other documentation or licensing required for the particular property.

Having accurate and accessible records should make it considerably easier to deal with the new registration requirements when they arrive.

How Wrights Residential Can Help

We appreciate that announcements about new landlord regulations can sometimes make it sound as though immediate action is required.

The Private Rented Sector Database is coming, but landlords do not currently need to register.

As the Government confirms the registration process, fees, regional rollout and information that landlords will need to provide, Wrights Residential will keep our landlords updated and explain what needs to be done and when.

For landlords using our Fully Managed service, we will also review the practical requirements as they are introduced and help our clients prepare for the changes.

For now, landlords should concentrate on meeting the requirements that already apply to their properties rather than worrying about a registration process that has not yet opened.

Please note: This article provides general guidance for landlords in England and is based on Government information available at the date of publication. The detailed registration requirements, fees and implementation arrangements are subject to further regulations and guidance and may change as the database is rolled out.