On 9 September 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) confirmed that the next phase of reforms under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 (RRA) is underway. At the centre of these reforms is the introduction of a mandatory registration system for private landlords in England — the "Register Your Rental Property" service, referred to in the legislation as the Private Rented Sector Database. 

The draft Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026 (the Regulations), to be made under powers conferred by the RRA, set out the detail of the new registration framework. Below, we summarise the key draft provisions which have been laid before Parliament and the practical implications for landlords and their advisers.

Regional rollout

The Regulations will come into force on a staggered, region-by-region basis, beginning in the West Midlands on 15 December 2026. Registration will then extend across England, reaching London on 15 July 2027 and completing nationally on 15 August 2027. Landlords will have a three-month window from the commencement date in their region to register, with all landlords who are actively letting properties required to be registered by 14 November 2027. 

Who must register?

The registration requirement applies to landlords of assured or regulated tenancies in England. Supported exempt accommodation within the meaning of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023 is excluded. Initially, the requirement will apply only to landlords with properties that are currently let or which become occupied during the rollout period; future legislation will govern registration of unoccupied properties ahead of marketing. 

How the register works: Landlord and dwelling entries

The Regulations follow the two-tier registration structure as defined in section 75 of the RRA, consisting of landlord entries and dwelling entries. 

• Landlord entries require the provision of identifying information. For individuals, this includes name, date of birth, residential address, telephone number and email address. For corporate or other entities, additional details are required such as entity type, Companies House registration number (if applicable, or otherwise similar details), and nominated contact information. 
• Dwelling entries capture information about the property itself, including the address, landlord details, ownership type, dwelling type, number of bedrooms and whether the property is currently let. Importantly, landlords must also provide health and safety documentation — including gas and electrical certificates, energy performance certificate details (including any exemptions under the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015), and licensing information where applicable. Rent amount, payment frequency and furnishing status must also be disclosed. 

A dwelling entry cannot be made unless there is an active landlord entry for the person who is, or intends to become, a residential landlord in relation to the dwelling. Only one active dwelling entry may exist per property at any given time, with an exception to facilitate sales where the purchaser intends to continue letting the property. The Regulations enable certain other parties to make entries on behalf of a landlord, including a mortgagee who is entitled to exercise a power of sale.

Keeping entries up to date

Both landlord and dwelling entries have a validity period of 12 months before they become inactive, unless renewed. Where a landlord holds multiple dwelling entries, they will all share the same renewal date. Landlords are required to update the information in their entries (both landlord entries and dwelling entries where they’re the landlord) within 28 days of any change. Failure to provide certain required documents within 28 days of making a dwelling entry will also result in that entry becoming inactive. 

An active landlord entry will become inactive where no dwelling entry has been made specifying that landlord within 3 months of the date the landlord entry was made. An inactive dwelling entry may not be reactivated unless there is an active landlord entry for a person who is, or intends to become, a residential landlord in relation to the dwelling.

Consequences of non-compliance

Registration, updating and renewing entries are legal requirements, and landlords risk a fine for non-compliance. Crucially, a relevant rental property cannot be advertised, marketed for let, or let under a residential tenancy if the landlord or dwelling entry is inactive — a requirement contained in section 82 of the RRA. In future, landlords and letting agents will also need to include registration numbers on property advertisements. 

Landlords subject to banning orders (under the Housing and Planning Act 2016) cannot make an entry or reactivate a landlord entry. 

Fees and verification

A fee is payable when making, renewing or reactivating a dwelling entry, with the amount to be determined by the database operator by reference to relevant costs as defined in section 81(4) the RRA. Neither the identity of the database operator nor the applicable fees have yet been confirmed. The database operator and local housing authorities will have powers to verify entries, correct errors and remove entries that do not meet the requirements. There is currently no further detail on how verification will be carried out in practice.

Looking ahead

Several aspects of the new regime remain to be finalised. A separate statutory instrument will specify what information on the database will be made publicly available, and guidance for users will be published before the service launches, alongside a dedicated support centre for landlords. It is also worth noting that questions have been raised about how the new database will interact with existing local licensing schemes, given the potential for duplication. 

The government's stated aim is to improve housing quality in the private rented sector, give tenants greater transparency before entering into a tenancy, and support local authority enforcement against non-compliant landlords. Landlords should begin planning for registration now, particularly those with properties in the West Midlands, where the service goes live in December 2026.