Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database

The Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database is a mandatory national register of private landlords and their rental properties in England, established by sections 73 to 94 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Every private landlord letting under an assured or regulated tenancy must register themselves and each of their properties on the Database before advertising or letting. A unique registration number is issued for each property and must be displayed on rental listings. The Database has been described by the government in its Guide to the Renters' Rights Act as a "one-stop shop" for landlords, tenants, and local councils. Registration is expected to open on a regional rollout basis from late 2026, with full national compliance required from 2027.

Why the PRS Database is being created

Before the Renters' Rights Act, England had no central national register of private landlords or rental properties. Local councils had limited visibility of who was operating in the sector, making targeted enforcement difficult. Tenants had no reliable way to verify a landlord's identity or compliance status before signing a tenancy. The PRS Database addresses all three gaps. It serves three distinct purposes, as set out in the government's implementation roadmap: enabling tenants to make informed decisions before entering a tenancy; helping landlords understand and demonstrate compliance; and giving local housing authorities the tools to identify and act against non-compliant operators. It also replaces the existing Database of Rogue Landlords, bringing banning order records and offence information into a single publicly accessible system.

The Database and the PRS Ombudsman are the two institutional pillars of Part 2 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025, and the government intends to link registration for both through a single portal once the Ombudsman scheme is operational.

Who must register

All private landlords in England letting under assured or regulated tenancies are required to register both themselves and each of their properties. This applies regardless of whether a managing agent is used, the obligation falls on the landlord directly, not on the agent. However, an agent who markets or manages a property for an unregistered landlord is themselves liable for a penalty, which gives agents a strong commercial incentive to check registration status before accepting a new instruction.

Social landlords, covering housing associations and local authorities, are outside the scope of mandatory registration, as they operate under separate regulatory frameworks. New landlords must register before advertising or letting; existing landlords will be given a transition window once the database goes live, with deadlines confirmed through secondary legislation.

What landlords must register

The government's implementation roadmap sets out the minimum information required for registration. For each property, landlords must provide their contact details (including a UK address for service of notices and relevant information for all joint landlords), the property's full address, type, number of bedrooms, number of households and residents, and whether the property is occupied and furnished. Compliance documentation is also required: Gas Safety Certificates, Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs), and Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). HMO licence details must be provided for licensed HMOs. A unique reference number will be issued per property and must appear on rental advertisements.

An annual registration fee will apply per property, not per landlord. The fee amount will be confirmed in secondary legislation closer to launch; comparable schemes in Scotland and Wales suggest a range of £50–£200 per property per year. Portfolio landlords should budget accordingly.

What the Database shows and who can see it

The Database will be partially public. Tenants and prospective tenants will be able to search by landlord name or property address to verify registration status, view compliance certificate information, and see any relevant enforcement history or offence record. Local housing authorities will have a more comprehensive view, including the ability to cross-reference the database against licensing records, identify unregistered rental properties, and proactively target enforcement action without waiting for a complaint. The database does not replace selective licensing schemes, which continue to operate in parallel.

From working with self-managing landlords across the UK, the prospect of public registration is a significant mindset shift. Landlords who have always operated informally, no written tenancy agreement, no certified safety compliance, will find that the Database makes their non-compliance visible in a way that was not previously possible.

Penalties for non-registration

Letting or advertising a property without registering on the Database carries a civil penalty notice of up to £7,000 for a first offence, rising to £40,000 for continuing or repeated breaches, with criminal prosecution possible for the most serious cases. Providing false or fraudulent information to the Database is a distinct offence carrying a civil penalty of up to £40,000. If the Database Operator revokes a registration, for example because a landlord has persistently failed to comply with housing standards, continued letting after revocation is an offence carrying a separate penalty.

A landlord who has not registered on the Database cannot obtain a court order for possession on most grounds for possession, the only exceptions being Ground 7A and Ground 14, which cover serious anti-social behaviour and criminality. This possession restriction is, in practice, the most powerful incentive for compliance: a landlord who cannot possess cannot manage their portfolio lawfully, regardless of how legitimate their grounds otherwise are.

Tenants and local councils can also pursue rent repayment orders for persistent registration offences. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, the maximum rent repayment order has been doubled to 24 months' rent.

Implementation timeline

The PRS Database provisions were enacted by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 but have not yet commenced. The government's implementation roadmap confirms the following phased approach: regional rollout beginning from late 2026, with specific registration deadlines staggered across regions; full national registration required by 2027; and the PRS Ombudsman scheme following, with mandatory landlord membership expected from 2028. The core tenancy reforms (abolition of Section 21, conversion of all ASTs to assured periodic tenancies) came into force on 1 May 2026. The Database and Ombudsman represent Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the implementation respectively.

August's compliance checklist will integrate PRS Database registration status as the rollout progresses, so landlords can track their registration alongside certificates and deposit protection in one place.

For a detailed breakdown of the information landlords must submit, the graduated penalty structure, agent responsibilities, the Scotland and Wales comparators, and how to prepare now, see our guide to the PRS Database.

Frequently asked questions

Does the PRS Database apply in Scotland and Wales?

No. The PRS Database is established under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and applies to England only. Scotland has operated its Landlord Registration scheme since 2006 under the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, administered by local councils and requiring three-yearly renewal. Wales operates Rent Smart Wales under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, which requires both registration and, for self-managing landlords, a licence. English landlords with properties in Scotland or Wales are already legally required to register under those separate national schemes.

Do I need to display my PRS Database registration number on rental listings?

Yes. Once registration is live, landlords will be required to display the unique property registration number on all rental advertisements, including listings on property portals, lettings agent windows, and any other medium used to advertise the property. Advertising a property without a registration number will be treated as an offence and may trigger a civil penalty.

Does my letting agent register the property for me?

Letting agents are not required to register as landlords, but many are expected to offer database registration as part of their service. Under the Act, an agent who markets or manages a property for an unregistered landlord can themselves face a penalty, creating a strong incentive for agents to verify registration before accepting instructions. Landlords using agents should clarify in their management agreement who is responsible for maintaining the registration and keeping it up to date. The registration obligation ultimately remains with the landlord.

What happens if my registration is revoked?

If the Database Operator revokes a registration, which may occur where a landlord has persistently failed to comply with housing standards, the landlord cannot legally continue letting. They cannot serve a valid Section 8 notice, cannot instruct a letting agent, and cannot renew an HMO licence. Continued letting after revocation is a distinct offence carrying a civil penalty of up to £30,000.