The New Landlord Register Is Coming – Are You Ready?

There is another major change heading towards the private rented sector, and this one will eventually affect virtually every private landlord in England.

Following the first wave of the Renters’ Rights Act reforms introduced in May, the Government has now confirmed the next stage: its new “Register your rental property” service.

For landlords, this is much more than another box-ticking exercise. It creates a national record of landlords, their rental properties and key compliance information – and registration will become a legal requirement.

The good news is that we finally have some firm dates and a much clearer idea of what landlords will need to do.

When does it start?

The register will not be switched on across England overnight. Instead, the Government is introducing it region by region, beginning with the West Midlands on 15 December 2026.

Once registration becomes compulsory within a region, landlords will have three months to complete it.

The timetable is:

Region	Registration starts	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

Importantly, the deadline follows where the property is situated, not where the landlord lives.

So, for example, a London-based landlord with a property in Birmingham will have to comply with the West Midlands timetable for that property. Portfolio landlords with properties in several regions will therefore need to keep an eye on several different deadlines, although the Government will allow landlords to register properties early from 15 December 2026 if they prefer to deal with their portfolio together.

What will it cost?

Registration will cost £65 per property, per year, and it will need to be renewed annually.

During the initial rollout the Government says the fee will be adjusted on a pro-rata basis so that landlords registering earlier in the programme are not disadvantaged.

For somebody with one or two properties, £65 may not appear particularly significant. For landlords with larger portfolios, however, it becomes another annual operating cost – and, more importantly, another compliance obligation that needs to be monitored.

That is really the point here. This is not simply about registering once and forgetting about it.

What information will landlords have to provide?

he register is considerably more detailed than simply entering your name and the property address.

Individual landlords will be required to provide information including their name, date of birth, residential address, telephone number and email address.

Information about each property will include matters such as:

• the property address and type
• number of bedrooms
• ownership details
• whether the property is currently let
• number of occupants and households
• whether it is furnished, partly furnished or unfurnished
• rent being charged and payment frequency
• whether utilities are included
• HMO, additional or selective licensing information where applicable
• details of the property manager
• Gas Safety documentation
• electrical safety documentation
• EPC information and any applicable MEES exemption.

Landlords will need a GOV.UK One Login to use the online service, although the Government has confirmed that an offline route will also be available for those who require it.

For well-managed properties where documentation is already properly recorded and monitored, much of this information should be readily available. Where records are scattered between emails, filing cabinets, different contractors and expired certificates, the exercise may be rather less straightforward.

And that is why I believe preparation should start well before the registration deadline arrives.

What if I use a managing agent?

This is an important distinction.

Using a managing agent does not transfer the legal responsibility for registration away from the landlord.

The Government has confirmed that landlords themselves will have to start and complete the registration process. A letting or managing agent will be able, with the landlord’s agreement, to provide certain information on their behalf, and further guidance is expected before the system goes live.

A good managing agent should therefore be able to make the process considerably easier – ensuring that the information relating to the property, tenancy, licensing and compliance documentation is properly organised and up to date.

But ultimately the landlord remains responsible for making sure that the required information has been supplied and is accurate.

That distinction matters.

With another layer of regulation being introduced, one of the biggest risks will simply be assumptions: the landlord thinks the agent has dealt with something, while the agent assumes the landlord has completed it.

Good property management increasingly depends upon having very clear systems, responsibilities and records.

What happens if you don’t register?

This is where landlords need to pay particular attention.

Registration will not be something that can be completed once and then forgotten about. Landlords will need to keep both their own entry and the entry for each rental property active and up to date, including dealing with the annual renewal requirement.

Failure to comply can result in enforcement action by the local authority. A breach of the registration requirements can attract a financial penalty of up to £7,000. Repeat or continuing breaches, and certain more serious offences such as knowingly or recklessly providing false or misleading information, can result in penalties of up to £40,000 as an alternative to prosecution.

There is also another consequence which, in my view, landlords should take just as seriously. If either the landlord or the property does not have an active entry on the database, the court can be prevented from granting a possession order, except in certain cases involving anti-social behaviour.

The detailed procedure for annual re-registration and late renewals will be set through regulations. The legislation allows for a grace period of up to 28 days, and the Government’s explanatory guidance illustrates how an entry could ultimately become inactive if a landlord fails to re-register within the required period, potentially resulting in both a late fee and the re-registration charge.

So this should be treated in much the same way as Gas Safety, electrical certification, licensing or deposit compliance: somebody needs to be responsible for monitoring it and making sure it never lapses.

What about properties that are currently empty?

During the first phase, registration applies to properties that are already let or become occupied during the rollout.

Unoccupied properties do not initially have to be registered.

That will change.

The Government intends, through a later stage of the legislation, to require properties to be registered before they are marketed for rent. Unique landlord and property registration numbers will then also have to appear in property advertisements.

This is when the register will start becoming embedded into the everyday letting process in much the same way as EPCs, Right to Rent, deposit protection and the other compliance requirements we already deal with.

Propertymark has also indicated that a later public-facing phase is expected in 2028, when tenants will be able to check whether landlords are meeting key legal requirements. Exactly which information will ultimately be publicly visible has not yet been confirmed.

Is the register necessarily a bad thing?

I don’t think responsible landlords should necessarily view the principle of a register as something to fear.

The private rented sector has become considerably more regulated, and there is an argument that one central system could make it easier for landlords to understand what is required of them while allowing properly run properties to demonstrate compliance.

It should also give local authorities better information with which to target landlords and properties where genuine problems exist rather than treating the entire sector in the same way.

The real test will be how efficiently the system operates in practice and how much additional administration it creates for landlords who are already complying with their obligations.

What is certain is that the direction of travel is very clear.

Being a landlord today involves considerably more than collecting the rent and arranging the occasional repair. Compliance, record keeping and active property management are increasingly central to protecting both the investment and the tenancy.

My advice: don’t leave this until the deadline

For London landlords there is still time – registration does not become compulsory until 15 July 2027, with a deadline of 14 October 2027.

But I would not wait until July next year before looking at it.

Now is the sensible time to make sure that your portfolio records are complete: check your Gas Safety Certificates, EICRs and EPCs; make sure licensing requirements have been dealt with; check ownership and tenancy information; and ensure that somebody is actively monitoring expiry and renewal dates.

The landlords who will find the new system easiest are going to be those whose properties are already being properly managed.

At Ashmore Residential, this is exactly the approach we take. We believe property management is about staying ahead of the legislation rather than reacting to it after a problem has occurred.

If you own a rental property and would like us to review how the forthcoming registration requirements affect you, or you would simply like a second opinion on whether your property is fully compliant and properly prepared for the next stage of the Renters’ Rights Act, get in touch with us.

We will be happy to have a conversation, review your current position and help you prepare well before your registration deadline arrives.