The Landlord Database – what you need to know
Photograph: istock
Farmers who let out residential properties should prepare for new registration requirements under the Renters' Rights Act.
Key information
- Landlords must register themselves and rented properties on the Landlord Database
- Registration to be renewed yearly with a £65 annual fee per property
- The staggered rollout is happening regionally – make sure to register before your region’s deadline
- Currently applies to let properties and does not apply to properties let on Rent (Agricultural) Act tenancies
- Registration and documents must be kept up to date
- Failure to register could result in financial penalties and other enforcement action
The Renters’ Rights Act introduced an obligation for landlords of assured or regulated tenancies in England to register themselves and their rented properties on a new Landlord Database.
Read: GOV.UK | Get ready: ‘Register your rental property’ service
The ‘Register your rental property’ service is being rolled out regionally from 15 December 2026 onwards, starting with the West Midlands.
Each region has a date on which registration opens and the deadline by which landlords must register to remain compliant.
How it will work
There’s an annual £65 registration fee per property, and registration will need to be renewed each year.
The renewal date will be the date on which the first property in the landlord’s portfolio was registered.
If properties are not registered, there is the risk of a fine.
For landlords who need them, offline registration routes will be available.
The fee will be adjusted (pro-rated) during the service rollout to ensure fairness so that those signing up first don’t have to pay more.
What properties does this apply to?
At the moment, only properties which are currently let or become let during the rollout period are required to be registered. However, under future legislation, as government roll out the public interface, unoccupied properties will be required to be registered before they are marketed for let.
Initially the requirement to register will only apply to properties on Assured Periodic Tenancies, Assured Agricultural Occupancies and Rent Act tenancies. At this stage, landlords will not be required to register properties on Rent (Agricultural) Act tenancies.
In the early stages, only tenancies of buildings will need to be registered but it is expected that properties such as static caravans will be included in the requirement to register at a later date.
How to register
A GOV.UK One Login will be required to use the service and registration is in two parts – landlord details and then property details.
The type of information you will need to record for properties can be found on the government website but includes the address and the number of residents and bedrooms, as well as the amount of rent you are receiving for a property.
Landlords also need to demonstrate they meet health and safety standards by uploading gas, electric, and energy performance certificates.
Periods of inactivity
It is important to remember that a landlord entry may become inactive if no dwelling is then registered within 3 months of the landlord registration. In these situations, landlords will have to reactivate their registration.
Where any of the documents required to be uploaded or other property information becomes out of date, the entry must be updated before the end of the 28-day period beginning with the day the information or documents became out of date. Typically these will be:
- a new gas safety or electrical certificate,
- a new EPC,
- a new/different rent, and/or
- a change in the number of tenants.
Even if landlords use a letting agent, they will still need to start the registration process themselves. There will be an option for agents or property managers to upload certain information on their behalf.
Landlords can receive penalties of £7,000 or £40,000 if they fail to register themselves or register a property or provide false or misleading information.
To discuss specific questions relating to rental properties, contact NFU CallFirst on 0370 845 8458.
Registration deadlines
The service is being rolled out as a requirement regionally across England, although landlords will be able to register from that date regardless of where their property is located.
| Region | Date regulations commence | Deadline to register |
| 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 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 |
