The PRS Database: When English Landlords Must Register, What It Costs and What You Need

England is getting a national landlord register. The government calls the service "Register your rental property", and the law calls it the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database. It was created by the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Registration is due to open on 15 December 2026, region by region.

Some details are still being finalised, so this guide separates what is set out in law and draft regulations from what has only been announced.

Where things stand

• The Act. Part 2, Chapter 3 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 sets up the database and the rules around it.
• The regulations. The Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026 were published in draft in September 2026. They need the approval of both Houses of Parliament. They set the regional dates, what information you must give, and the 28-day update and yearly renewal rules.
• Commencement. The government still needs to make a commencement order to switch on the database duties in the Act. Watch for it before December.

When your region opens, and your deadline

The draft regulations open registration one region at a time. The government says each region then has a three-month window to register.

The region is decided by where the property is, not where you live. If you own homes in two regions, you will have two deadlines.

What it costs

The government's Housing Hub guidance says the fee will be £65 a year for each property, paid when you register and again at each yearly renewal, and pro-rated for early registrants during the rollout. Under the regulations the fee is set by the database operator, so treat the figure as announced rather than fixed in law.

What you will need

The draft regulations list the information for each entry.

About you: name, date of birth, home address, phone number and email. For a company: its name, legal type, address, contact details, Companies House number and details of the directors.

About each property:

• address, type of home and number of bedrooms
• who owns it, and whether it is currently let
• how many people and households live there
• whether it is an HMO or needs a licence
• your gas safety record, if there is a gas supply
• your electrical safety report (EICR) or electrical installation certificate
• the EPC details
• the rent, how often it is paid, which bills are included, and whether it is furnished

Gathering this now will make registration quick. If your gas safety record or EICR is close to expiring, renew it before your region opens.

Keeping it up to date

• Changes: if any information becomes out of date, you must update the entry within 28 days.
• Renewal: entries must be renewed every year, or they become inactive.

What happens if you are not registered

Once the rules apply in your region, the Act says:

• You cannot market or let a property without active entries for you and the property (section 82).
• Adverts must show your landlord and property identifiers. The Act requires this for written adverts, but the government says guidance on timing will follow. Do not assume it starts on your registration date until that is confirmed.
• A court cannot make most possession orders while you are in breach (section 90). The exceptions are Grounds 7A and 14, for anti-social behaviour.
• Financial penalties. Councils can fine you up to £7,000 for a breach, and up to £40,000 for the more serious offences.

That possession bar sits on top of the deposit rule. If you ever need a Section 8 order, an out-of-date entry or an unprotected deposit can stop it. See what changed after Section 21.

What to do now

1. Find your region and diary the opening date and the deadline.
2. Gather your certificates: gas safety record, EICR, EPC, and any HMO or selective licence.
3. Check your tenancy details are current: rent, payment frequency, who lives there. An up-to-date tenancy agreement makes this easy.
4. If you let through a company, have the company number and director details ready.
5. Set a yearly reminder for renewal, and a habit of updating the entry whenever something changes.

This article is general guidance as at 3 October 2026. The regulations are in draft and dates or fees may change before they take effect. It is not legal advice.