PRS database, Ombudsman and more

It is now unlawful for landlords and letting agents to discriminate against prospective tenants because they receive benefits or have children.

The Act provided for the creation of a “private rented sector database” intended to help landlords understand and demonstrate compliance with their legal obligations, while giving tenants better information when deciding whether to enter into a tenancy. Registration will also be a prerequisite for relying on certain possession grounds.

• The database, referred to as the “register your rental property service”, will launch on 15 December 2026.
• Registration will be introduced on a regional basis, beginning in the West Midlands and rolling out across England over the following 12 months.
• Once registration opens in an area, landlords will have three months to register.
• Initially, the requirement will apply only to landlords whose properties are already let, or become occupied during the rollout period.
• All landlords actively letting property must be registered by 14 November 2027.
• In due course, landlords will also be required to register vacant properties before letting them. Registration numbers will then need to be included in property advertisements.
  Registration will be a legal requirement, with financial penalties for non-compliance.

Also in late 2026, an ombudsman will be set up. All private landlords will be required to join this service once it is up and running (which it is expected to be in 2028) and may have to pay a small annual fee per property. The ombudsman will aim to provide quick, fair, impartial and binding resolution for tenants’ complaints about their landlords.

Awaab’s Law, which requires landlords to fix damp, mould, and other emergency hazards within strict timeframes, will be extended to apply to the private sector. The Act also envisages that a Decent Homes Standard will be extended to apply to the private sector. The date on which these measures will be brought into force will be announced after a government consultation has taken place.