The PRS Database: what landlords in England need to do
Last checked 28 September 2026
The PRS Database (Private Rented Sector Database) is England's new register of private landlords and the homes they let, created by the Renters' Rights Act 2025. The government runs it through a GOV.UK service called "Register your rental property". Registration is compulsory, costs £65 a year for each property, and rolls out region by region from 15 December 2026.
"PRS" here means the private rented sector, not PRS for Music.
Independent guide. PRS Database Guide is an independent guide to England's landlord register. It is not the government's Private Rented Sector Database, it is not an official government site, and you cannot register here.
The government's own service is called "Register your rental property". It opens on 15 December 2026 and is not live yet; until then its guidance is on the GOV.UK Housing Hub 'get ready' page, and you can sign up for GOV.UK email alerts.
Opens
15 December 2026, starting in the West Midlands. Anyone can register early from that date.
Deadline
3 months after your region starts. Every let property in England by 14 November 2027.
Fee
£65 per property, per year, pro-rated during the rollout.
If you don't
Fines up to £7,000 (£40,000 for repeat or false-information offences) and no possession order on most grounds.
Find your deadline Work out your fee
Who must register?
Every private landlord in England who lets a home on an assured or regulated tenancy, which covers almost all private lets, must register themselves and each of those properties. Social housing is not included, and for now you don't need to register a property that is empty (the government will say later when empty homes must be registered before they are marketed). Details and exceptions: who must register.
When: deadlines by region
The date depends on where the property is. Each region gets three months:
| Region | Rules apply from | Register by |
|---|---|---|
| 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 and the 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 |
Not sure which region you're in? Pick your council area.
What you need to do: a checklist
- Find your window. Check your region's dates. If you let in several regions you may register everything at once from 15 December 2026.
- Get a GOV.UK One Login. The service uses it (GOV.UK One Login). The government says offline routes will be available for landlords who need them.
- Gather your certificates: the current gas safety record, the EICR (or an electrical installation certificate) and the EPC for each property.
- Gather the property and tenancy details: ownership type, property type, bedrooms, number of occupants and households, whether it is an HMO or licensed, furnishing, the rent, how often it's paid and whether bills are included.
- Agree with your letting agent which details they will supply. You still start the registration and stay responsible for it. See letting agents.
- Register yourself and each property, and pay £65 per property before your deadline. How to register, step by step.
- Finish the tenancy and safety details within 28 days of making a property entry, or the entry becomes inactive.
- Keep it up to date and renew every year. Changes must be recorded within 28 days, and all your properties share one renewal date.
Key dates
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 May 2026 | Phase 1 of the Renters' Rights Act in force: section 21 "no fault" evictions end and tenancies become periodic. |
| 9 September 2026 | Government confirms the 'Register your rental property' service, the £65 fee and the regional rollout. |
| 15 December 2026 | The service opens. West Midlands landlords must register first; landlords anywhere in England can register early from this date. |
| 14 March 2027 | Deadline for let properties in the West Midlands. |
| 14 November 2027 | Final deadline (South West): every let property in England should be registered. |
| 2028 (expected) | Landlords expected to have to join the new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman. No firm date yet. |
Guides
When do I need to register?
Pick your council area and see your registration window and deadline.
Fee calculator
What registering costs at £65 per property per year.
How to register
Step by step, and the documents and details to get ready now.
Who must register
Which landlords and lettings are covered, and which are not.
Fees and penalties
The £65 fee, fines up to £7,000 or £40,000, and the block on possession.
Rollout by region
All nine regions, their dates and the councils in each.
Letting agents
What agents can do for landlords, and their own duties when marketing.
Database and licensing
How registering fits with HMO, selective and additional licensing.
Landlord Ombudsman
The other new duty: joining the ombudsman, expected in 2028.
For tenants
What tenants will be able to check, and what the register means for you.
FAQ
Short answers to the questions landlords ask most.
Sources
- GOV.UK Housing Hub: Get ready for the 'Register your rental property' service
- GOV.UK news, 9 September 2026: Stronger protections and greater confidence for renters
- GOV.UK: Guide to the Renters' Rights Act
- The Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026 (draft, legislation.gov.uk)
- Explanatory memorandum to the Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026
- Renters' Rights Act 2025, section 91 (financial penalties)
- Renters' Rights Act 2025, section 90 (restriction on gaining possession)
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change: check GOV.UK, and get legal advice for your own situation.