Following our recent blog about the new Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database, landlords may be wondering what they will actually need to do when registration opens.
The government expects the Database to begin rolling out regionally from late 2026, with registration mandatory for PRS landlords.
The information and advice provided, are based on beta testing of the government's “Register your rental property” service by Suzanne Smith. The final process may change before the Database launches.
Landlord Registration Number
The first step will be for landlords to register themselves on the Database and obtain a Landlord Registration Number.
During beta testing, Suzanne Smith used a GOV.UK One Login to access the service and found that the process was very quick.
Landlords will need to make sure they register using the correct legal owner of the property. This could be an individual, joint owners, a limited company or a limited liability partnership.
The Landlord Registration Number will be important once the Database is fully operational and will need to be included in property marketing. Where a property has more than one owner, the registration number for each owner will need to be provided.
Landlords using letting agents should also be prepared to obtain their own registration number and provide it to their agent.
Property Registration Number
Landlords will also need a separate Property Registration Number for each rental property in England covered by the scheme.
Suzanne Smith tested the “Register your rental property” service and received the Property Registration Number by email after submitting the property details.
The government says the Database is expected to collect information about the landlord, property, occupants and safety documentation, including gas, electrical and EPC information.
What information should landlords have ready?
Suzanne's beta testing took around 10 minutes and required information including:
- the property's address and type;
- ownership type;
- details of any selective or HMO licence;
- whether the property is occupied;
- the number of households and people living there;
- the number of bedrooms, excluding rooms smaller than 4.64 square metres;
- whether bills are included in the rent;
- whether the property is furnished, part-furnished or unfurnished;
- how frequently rent is charged and the amount of rent; and
- whether the property has gas or gas appliances.
The service also required information about safety documentation.
For properties with gas, the gas safety certificate needed to be uploaded. During testing, Suzanne was told that the certificate must be uploaded within 28 days to keep the property registered.
Landlords also need to identify whether they have an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), or neither.
The service automatically checked the EPC Register and asked Suzanne to confirm whether she wanted to use the EPC it had found.
What happens after registration?
The final stage is to check and submit the property details. Following submission, the Property Registration Number is emailed to the landlord.
Landlords with several properties should therefore prepare the required information for each property in advance.
The government says registration will be mandatory and landlords will have to pay an annual fee, although the fee will be confirmed closer to launch.
For now, landlords can prepare by checking their ownership details, certificates, EPC, licensing information, rent details and property records.
This article is based partly on beta testing carried out by Suzanne Smith (Suzanne became a landlord in 2019 after 25 years as a life sciences solicitor, including 12 years as General Counsel. She founded The Independent Landlord in 2022 and is the author of Penguin’s bestselling The Good Landlord Handbook, which helps landlords navigate the Renters’ Rights Act.)
The registration service is still being developed and the final requirements may change before the PRS Database launches. You can read the full article by Suzanne here.
