Renters’ Rights Act 2025: Private Rented Sector Database to go live from 15 December 2026

The long-anticipated Private Rented Sector Database (PRSD), provided for under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (the Act), is now taking shape. The government has confirmed that the service will launch on 15 December 2026, beginning in the West Midlands before rolling out to other regions across England over a 12-month period.

Key points for landlords:

• Registration will be a legal requirement. Failure to register will risk a financial penalty and landlords will not be granted a possession order from the courts without having an “active” entry on the PRSD.
• When a region is called forward, landlords with properties in that area will have a three-month window to sign up. All landlords actively letting property in England must have registered by 14 November 2027 – see the timetable for registration in all regions below.
• Initially, the requirement applies to properties that are currently let or become occupied during the rollout period. Under future legislation, landlords will also need to register unoccupied properties before marketing them to let and registration numbers will need to be included on property adverts.
• There will be an annual £65 fee per property for registration on the PRSD. For landlords of significant numbers of residential properties, this could amount to a new and significant additional outlay.
• Landlord’s will have to provide key documents and information about their property when registering on the PRSD (including gas safety, electrical safety and EPC documentation). See a full list of the information that will be required below.

In future, prospective landlords will also be required to register, and tenants will be able to check whether a current or prospective landlord has signed up. The government has said this will give renters more confidence that their landlord is genuine and meeting their obligations.

From an enforcement perspective, the register will give local authorities access to data that should help them identify rogue landlords and take quicker action, a welcome development for councils seeking to use the investigatory powers that came into force in December 2025.

Rent increases

The government has also confirmed that HMRC’s Valuation Office will become responsible for making initial decisions on challenges to proposed rent increases in England. Applications must still be made to the First-tier Tribunal, as discussed in our article here.

This change should be read alongside the rent review provisions already contained in the Act, which provide that contractual rent review clauses will be of no effect and that landlords may only increase rent by serving a Section 13 notice, no more than once a year and with a minimum of two months’ notice.

Practical implications

For landlords, the message is clear: preparation is key. There is a finite window in which to act and Landlords should now be reviewing their property portfolios and ensuring that they are ready to register their properties on the PRSD within the appropriate 3 month time period for each region.

Given that it has now been confirmed that Landlord’s will have to supply a significant number of compliance documents when registering on the PRSD, Landlords should also be making sure that they have accurate information about the properties that they own or manage and should be checking all compliance documents in preparation for registration.

Finally, Landlord’s should be taking legal advice if unsure of their obligations. The private rented sector is becoming increasingly regulated and the PRSD is only one part of the significant changes which are being introduced. Taking legal advice before a problem arises can therefore help prevent potentially costly mistakes.

Comment

These announcements represent a tangible step forward in the implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act. The PRSD, which we flagged following Royal Assent as a key area to watch, is now moving from legislative provision to operational reality.

For tenants, these reforms offer greater access to information and a potentially faster route to resolving rent disputes. The ability to verify a landlord’s registration status will be a useful tool when assessing the credibility and compliance of a prospective landlord before entering into a tenancy.

For Landlords, these new changes will require significant additional responsibilities and/or expense. Landlords and letting agents operating in the private rented sector (PRS) should therefore ensure that they are fully prepared for registration and should continue to monitor developments under the Act closely and/or take legal advice to ensure they are prepared for each stage of implementation as it arrives.

Information Required to Register on the PRSD

• Property address and type
• Ownership type
• Number of bedrooms
• Whether the property is currently let
• Number of occupants and households
• Rent charged and payment frequency
• Whether utilities are included in the rent
• Whether the property requires an HMO, additional or selective licence and, where available, the relevant licence numbers
• Furnishing status
• Gas safety information
• Electrical safety information, including an EICR or relevant EIC
• EPC information
• Details of any relevant Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) exemption.