Residential Landlord Registration Starts December 2026: Is Your Rental Portfolio Ready?

This article was written by Lucy Mostyn, Trainee Solicitor.

From 15 December 2026, residential landlords in England are due to begin registering themselves and their properties on the Government's new 'Register your rental property' service as part of Phase 2 of the implementation of the Renters' Rights Act 2025, which received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025.

The rollout will take a staggered, regional approach. Landlords of residential rental properties in the West Midlands will be the first required to register, while the South West will be the final region to enter the scheme. Each region will have a three-month registration window, as set out in the table below.

Registration will be required for properties that are let or become let during the rollout period from 15 December 2026 to 14 November 2027. For residential landlords, this is a significant new requirement, and one with potentially serious consequences for non-compliance. 

Here is what landlords and their advisers need to know.

What is changing?

Landlords of assured or regulated tenancies in England will be required to register both themselves and each relevant property with the new service, as part of the private rented sector database introduced by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

Failure to comply:

Registration is mandatory. Failure to comply can expose a landlord to financial penalties of up to £7,000 for an initial breach and, for repeat offences, penalties of up to £40,000 or criminal prosecution. Directors of companies which fail to register may have personal criminal liability where they have consented to or connived in the company committing the offence, or it is attributable to any neglect on their part. Significantly, the reforms also link registration status to a landlord's ability to obtain possession: a possession order will not be made on most possession grounds unless the landlord has complied with the registration requirements.

Improved transparency and monitoring:

The database is intended to improve transparency in the private rented sector and provide local authorities with better information. In due course, tenants will also be able to use the service to check whether a landlord is meeting key legal requirements, although the Government has not yet confirmed what information will be publicly accessible.

Annual fee:

There is an annual fee of £65 per property, with registration needing to be renewed each year. During the initial rollout, the fee will be adjusted on a pro rata basis to avoid landlords in earlier regions paying more.

Excluded tenancies:

Tenancies of supported exempt accommodation falling within section 12 of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023 are specifically excluded from the scope of the registration regime.

Other lettings may also fall outside the scope of the regime because they do not meet the underlying definition of a relevant tenancy.

When will landlords need to register?

As part of the regional rollout, landlords will have three months from the commencement date for their region to register. The key dates are set out below:

Note that landlords with portfolios of properties spanning multiple regions will not have to wait for each regional start date, as any property can be registered from the initial date of 15 December 2026.

What information will landlords need to provide?

Registration will involve providing information about the landlord, the property and the tenancy, together with details of the property's safety documentation, such as gas and electrical safety information and energy performance certificates.

Corporate landlords:

Corporate and other organisational landlords will face additional information requirements, including details about the organisation and the individual completing the registration on its behalf. Depending on the type of organisation, further information about directors, trustees, partners or members of its governing body may also be required.

Agents and property managers:

Although letting agents and property managers will be able to assist by supplying certain information, responsibility for registration will remain with the landlord, who will need to start and complete the registration process. The Government intends to issue further guidance for agents and property managers ahead of the launch.

Further information:

For further information on what will be required for registration, please see the Government’s guidance here: Get ready: 'Register your rental property' service - Housing Hub.

What about vacant properties?

Initially, the registration requirement will apply to properties that are already let or become let during the rollout period. Landlords will therefore not need to register vacant properties simply because they may be offered to the rental market in future.

However, this is expected to change. Future legislation is intended to require relevant vacant properties to be registered before being marketed for letting. At that stage, landlords and letting agents will also be expected to include the relevant landlord and property identifiers in advertisements. Further Government guidance on these requirements is yet to be published.

For further information, please see the Government's press release here: Stronger protections and greater confidence for renters - GOV.UK.

What should landlords do now?

• Map your portfolio by region and diarise each registration deadline, considering whether early registration from 15 December 2026 would simplify matters where portfolios span regions.
• Check that gas safety, electrical safety and energy performance documentation is up to date and readily accessible for each property.
• For corporate landlords, gather details of directors, trustees, partners or governing body members, and agree who will complete the registration.
• Speak to your letting agents or property managers now about what information they can supply, remembering that responsibility remains with the landlord.

If you would like to discuss how the new requirements affect your portfolio, please get in touch with Kevin Kennedy.

Our guide to the Renters' Rights Act 2025 can be downloaded for free:  The Renters' Rights Act 2025.

Our webinar on the Renters' Rights Act 2025 can be watched here:  Renters Rights Act 2025 - what you need to know.   

Our hub bringing together all of our Renters' Rights Act 2025 material is here:  The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 hub.