The government has set out the first details of a new national landlord registration service, part of its wider reforms to the private rented sector. As your local estate agent, here is what landlords need to know.
The register will roll out region by region from 15 December 2026, starting in the West Midlands and reaching other areas over the following 12 months. Once a region is called forward, landlords with properties there will have a three-month window to sign up, and registration will be a legal requirement with a risk of a fine for those who do not comply. All landlords actively letting property in England must be registered by 14 November 2027. Initially this covers properties already let or occupied during rollout, though under future legislation landlords will also need to register unoccupied properties before marketing them, and registration numbers will need to appear on adverts. Councils will use the database to help them identify rogue landlords, and further down the line tenants will be able to check whether their landlord or prospective landlord has signed up.
Alongside this, HM Revenue and Customs’ Valuation Office is taking over responsibility for initial decisions on challenges to rent increases in England, which the government says should resolve disputes more quickly and ease pressure on the tribunal system. For now, while this change is developed, renters challenging a rent increase must still apply to the First-tier Tribunal, and they will not have to pay the higher rent until the Tribunal reaches its final decision.
Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook described the register as “an important first step” toward a wider database of private rented sector properties, intended to support responsible landlords and help councils enforce the Renters’ Rights Act.
At Drivers & Norris, we track regulatory changes like this closely, so as the rollout schedule for our areas becomes clearer, our advice to landlords will reflect exactly what is required and when, rather than the national timeline alone. If you have any questions about how this affects your property, get in touch with the team.
Source: Estate Agent Today
Drivers & Norris