Landlord Register: What Landlords Get Wrong

The new Private Rented Sector Database is often described as a landlord register. That description is accurate, but it can make the system sound simpler than it is.

Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, landlords in England will need to create an active landlord entry and a separate dwelling entry for each rented property. Registration will not be a one-off formality. Landlords will need to provide information, keep it accurate, pay an annual fee and renew each entry.

The most important practical point is that the database will affect more than advertising and administration. An inactive or missing entry can create serious problems when a landlord wants to let a property or recover possession through the courts.

This guide focuses on the operational issues that landlords, particularly portfolio landlords, need to address now. For the wider rollout timetable and the confirmed fee, see our earlier guide: Landlord Register: The 2026 Rollout.

The database is not designed for bulk registration

The NRLA’s guidance on the Register Your Rental Property service confirms that landlords should not expect a bulk-registration facility when the service opens.

Each property will need its own dwelling entry. There will be no straightforward process allowing a landlord to upload a spreadsheet containing 50 or 100 properties. There is also no confirmed API or agent bulk-upload route that removes the need for property-by-property registration.

That creates a very different burden for different landlords:

• A landlord with one property may be able to complete the process in a single sitting.
• A landlord with 50 properties will need to repeat the process 50 times.
• A landlord with 100 properties will need to coordinate 100 separate property records, fees, document sets and renewal dates.

Each entry may require details about the property, tenancy, rent, occupants, licensing and safety records. The information may already exist across different systems, spreadsheets, emails and agent files. Bringing it together is likely to be more time-consuming than completing the online form itself.

What can a letting agent do?

A letting agent or property manager may be able to provide some of the property information and documents. For example, an agent may hold:

• The current rent and payment frequency;
• The number of occupants;
• The tenancy start date;
• Gas safety records;
• Electrical safety documents;
• EPC information; and
• HMO or other licensing details.

However, the agent cannot simply register the landlord and every property on the landlord’s behalf as though the landlord has no involvement.

The landlord must make the landlord entry and the relevant dwelling entries, subject to limited exceptions such as a power of attorney, personal representative or mortgagee exercising specific powers. Agents may provide permitted information, but the landlord remains responsible for ensuring that the entry is made and maintained correctly.

This division of responsibility needs to be agreed in writing. A landlord should establish:

1. Who creates each entry;
2. Who supplies the information and documents;
3. Who checks the information before submission;
4. Who monitors changes during the tenancy;
5. Who receives renewal reminders; and
6. What happens if the agent’s management agreement ends.

An agent’s mistake may contribute to the problem, but that will not necessarily prevent enforcement action against the landlord. Landlords should therefore treat agent involvement as administrative support, not as a transfer of the underlying legal responsibility.

The cost is per property, not per landlord

The confirmed fee is £65 per property per year, as explained in our earlier rollout article.

That means the annual cost increases directly with the size of the portfolio:

• 1 property: £65 per year;
• 5 properties: £325 per year;
• 50 properties: £3,250 per year; and
• 100 properties: £6,500 per year.

The NRLA has estimated that the database could cost the private rented sector approximately £327 million per year. That figure reflects the cumulative effect across landlords rather than an additional charge payable by every individual landlord.

Landlords will need to decide how the registration cost fits into their business model. It may form part of general operating costs and cashflow planning, alongside insurance, licensing, repairs, agent fees and safety compliance.

However, landlords should not assume that every regulatory cost can automatically be passed directly to tenants through a rent increase. Rent-setting remains subject to the tenancy terms and the applicable statutory rules. The safer approach is to budget for the fee in advance rather than treating it as an unexpected cost when renewal becomes due.

Registration must be renewed every year

Registration is not permanent. An active landlord or dwelling entry becomes inactive if it is not renewed by the renewal date.

The renewal process requires the relevant fee to be paid. For landlords with several properties, the regulations provide for later entries to align with an existing portfolio renewal date in certain circumstances. That may simplify the annual cycle, but it also creates a single point of failure: missing the portfolio renewal date may place several properties at risk at the same time.

Landlords should not rely solely on an email reminder. They should:

• Record the renewal date for every landlord and dwelling entry;
• Set reminders at least 90, 60 and 30 days beforehand;
• Allocate responsibility to a named person;
• Keep evidence of payment and confirmation;
• Check that the entry remains active after renewal; and
• Reconcile the database against the property schedule each year.

An entry may also become inactive if required information or documents are not supplied within the relevant 28-day period. Changes such as a new rent, updated safety certificate or change in occupiers should therefore trigger a review.

Inaccurate information is not harmless

The database is intended to contain current information about the landlord, property and tenancy. Landlords must update information when it becomes out of date, generally within 28 days.

A small administrative error may not automatically prevent a landlord from bringing a claim. Nevertheless, inaccurate information can cause several problems:

• The landlord may face a civil penalty;
• The database operator or local authority may verify or correct the entry;
• Knowingly or recklessly providing false information can have more serious consequences;
• A missing safety document may cause an entry to become inactive; and
• Inconsistencies may be raised by a tenant or local authority in possession proceedings.

The information should be checked against the tenancy agreement, certificates, licensing records and rent ledger. A landlord should keep a dated copy of the information submitted and every subsequent update.

Why an inactive entry matters at possession stage

This is the point that many landlords may underestimate.

The Renters’ Rights Act restricts the court’s ability to grant possession where the landlord does not have both an active landlord entry and an active dwelling entry. The restriction does not apply in the same way to possession sought on anti-social behaviour grounds, but landlords should not assume that exception covers other situations.

In practical terms, before issuing a possession claim, the landlord should be able to show that:

• The landlord entry is active;
• The specific property’s dwelling entry is active;
• The annual fee has been paid;
• The entry has not lapsed;
• Required information and documents were provided;
• Updates were made when circumstances changed; and
• The registration details correspond with the property and tenancy in the claim.

A court may scrutinise registration in much the same practical way that it considers other landlord compliance requirements. If the entry is inactive, the landlord may be unable to obtain a possession order until the problem is resolved. That could result in an adjournment, delay, additional costs or the need to correct the claim and reassess the possession strategy.

This is not merely an administrative technicality. A landlord who has let a property without the required active registration, or whose registration has lapsed, may face a substantive legal obstacle to recovering possession.

An inaccurate entry can also create difficulties where the landlord says the property was properly registered but the database record does not support that position. Before serving notice or issuing proceedings, landlords should obtain a current registration record and have the overall possession file reviewed.

Rollout timetable

Registration opens from 15 December 2026, beginning with the West Midlands. The system then rolls out region by region, with a three-month window for each region:

• West Midlands: 15 December 2026;
• East of England: 15 January 2027;
• East Midlands: 15 February 2027;
• South East: 15 March 2027;
• Yorkshire and Humber: 15 April 2027;
• North West: 15 May 2027;
• North East: 15 June 2027;
• London: 15 July 2027; and
• South West: 15 August 2027, with the final deadline falling on 14 November 2027.

All actively let properties within scope should be registered by 14 November 2027. Landlords should use the deadline for each property’s location rather than waiting for the final national date.

Practical checklist for landlords

Portfolio landlords should begin preparing now:

1. Create a property-by-property tracker. Include the address, region, tenancy status, agent, licensing position, registration status and renewal date.
2. Gather information in advance. Locate tenancy agreements, rent details, gas records, EICRs, EPCs and licence numbers.
3. Decide who is responsible. Name an internal employee, director or agent responsible for each stage.
4. Agree the agent’s role. Confirm what the agent will provide and what the landlord must submit personally.
5. Keep an audit trail. Save submitted information, confirmation emails, reference numbers and payment records.
6. Diarise updates. A rent change, new certificate or change in occupiers may require an update within 28 days.
7. Build the fee into cashflow. Treat the annual £65 charge as a recurring cost for every property.
8. Check registration before possession action. Do not serve notice or issue a claim without verifying that the relevant entries are active and accurate.

Frequently asked questions

Can I register multiple properties at once?

Current guidance indicates that there will be no bulk-registration or bulk-upload facility. Each property will need its own dwelling entry.

Can my letting agent do it for me?

An agent may provide permitted information and documents, but the landlord generally must make the landlord and dwelling entries. Limited exceptions apply, such as where someone has formal authority to act for the landlord.

What happens if my registration lapses?

The entry becomes inactive. The landlord may face enforcement action and may have difficulty obtaining a possession order until the landlord and dwelling entries are active again.

Will an inactive registration stop me evicting a tenant?

It can prevent the court from granting possession in many circumstances, subject to statutory exceptions including certain anti-social behaviour cases. Obtain advice before starting possession proceedings.

When must I register?

The first regional deadline applies to West Midlands properties from 15 December 2026, with a three-month registration period. The rollout completes in the South West on 14 November 2027.

Does the fee apply per property or per landlord?

The confirmed fee is £65 per property per year, not one fee covering the landlord’s entire portfolio.

Related Posts

• Landlord Register: The 2026 Rollout
• Unlawful Eviction: What to Do If Your Landlord Locks You Out
• Awaab’s Law Phase 2: What Landlords Must Do

Need advice from landlord and tenant solicitors?

Registration errors, missed renewals and inactive entries can affect a landlord’s ability to let property and pursue possession proceedings. Tyndel Solicitors advises landlords and tenants on registration, tenancy disputes, compliance and possession claims.

Contact our landlord and tenant solicitors for advice on your circumstances.

This article provides general information about the Private Rented Sector Database in England as understood in October 2026. It is not a substitute for advice on an individual property, tenancy or possession claim.