Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database Regulations 2026: what landlords need to know

• 30 September 2026
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• Real estate disputes
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• Residential property

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (the “Act”) introduces a compulsory registration system called Register Your Rental Property, for private landlords to register both themselves and their properties on the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database. 

The obligations will be set out in the PRS Database Regulations 2026 (the “Regulations”), which have just been laid before Parliament. 

The draft Regulations provide for the requirement to register to come into force at different times across the country, starting in the West Midlands on 15 December 2026. It will come into force in London on 15 July 2027 and will be in force nationwide by 15 August 2027.  Landlords will have three months from the relevant commencement date to register themselves and their properties on the database.

What landlords need to know

The Regulations set out how the database will work and how entries can be made. Some of the key requirements that will apply to landlords are summarised below:

• Entries into the database must be made by the landlord through the online portal provided by the database operator. It is anticipated that the database operator will be the Secretary of State or someone appointed by them. The information required for the database entry includes:
  • the address of the property;
  • the landlord’s name;
  • the type of ownership;
  • the type of dwelling including the number of bedrooms and number of occupants;
  • if it is currently let and whether or not it is furnished;
  • the contact details of the freehold owner, the superior landlord or the property manager;
  • the rent payable and the frequency it is paid; and
  • health and safety information such as the gas safety certificate, EPC, and Electrical Installation Condition Report
• Registering as a landlord is free, but there is a registration fee of £65 per property, paid annually on renewal.
• Any amendments to the database can generally only be made by the person specified as the landlord. Letting agents or property managers can provide certain information on the landlord’s behalf but the landlord remains responsible for providing all of the required information. Further guidance for letting agents and property managers is expected to be published soon. 
• When information recorded on the database becomes out of date, this must be updated within 28 days of the information changing. If an entry was not complete when it was made, the information needs to be updated within 28 days of a tenancy starting.
• If a tenancy is renewed, the database entry must be renewed on or before the tenancy renewal date to avoid becoming inactive.
• Where there are errors in database information or entries do not meet the requirements of the Act, the database operator and local housing authorities may verify, correct, or remove entries.
• The database operator is responsible for setting the fees for making, renewing, or reactivating a property entry. The registration fee is currently set at £65 per dwelling per year.
• If landlords have properties in more than one region, they can be registered at any time from 15 December 2026 provided registration takes place before the deadline applicable to that region.

What does this mean for landlords? 

Registration on the database is a new requirement for landlords, who will need to be familiar with both the initial registration process, and their ongoing responsibility to maintain accurate and up-to-date entries on the register.

If landlords fail to comply with the Regulations, they could be faced with a fine. Additionally, a property cannot be advertised or lawfully let if its database entry has become inactive. This could happen if registration details are inaccurate, incomplete or have not been kept up to date.

Landlords should begin preparing for registration now, by addressing any gaps in the required information to avoid delays while the Regulations are rolled out.

Learn more about the Renters’ Rights Act on our hub, and get in contact with our team if you need support with next steps.