New Landlord Register to Launch in December – What Landlords Need to Know

Landlords across England will face another major change under the Renters’ Rights Act, with the Government confirming that its new national landlord registration service will begin rolling out from 15 December 2026.

The new system will ultimately require landlords who actively let residential property in England to register themselves and their properties, with registration becoming a legal requirement.

The rollout will take place region by region, giving landlords a three-month window to register once the service opens in their area.

For landlords, this is another important date to note.  It's another reason to ensure property records, safety certificates and compliance documentation are fully up to date.

When will landlords need to register?

The new service launches on 15 December 2026, beginning in the West Midlands. It will then be introduced region by region across England throughout 2027. Once registration opens in a landlord’s region, they will have a three-month window to register, so the deadline will depend on where their property is located.

All actively let properties across England are due to be registered by 14 November 2027.

What will landlords need to do?

Registration will be a legal requirement, and landlords who fail to comply could face financial penalties.  Initially, the requirements will apply to properties that are already let, or which become occupied during the rollout period.  Under future legislation, landlords will also be required to register unoccupied properties before marketing them.

The changes will affect letting agents too. Both landlords and agents will eventually need to include the relevant registration number when advertising a rental property.  Agents are therefore expected to play an important role in helping landlords understand and navigate the new system.

Andrew Bradford of Bradford & Howley comments:

“Landlords are dealing with an increasingly complex regulatory environment, and this is another important requirement they will need to prepare for.  From a letting agent’s perspective, our role is to make these changes as straightforward as possible for our landlords. That means helping them understand what is required, ensuring the right information and documentation is in place and, where we are permitted to do so, assisting with the registration and ongoing compliance requirements".

“Most responsible landlords will already have much of the information that is likely to be required. The key will be making sure everything remains up to date and that deadlines aren’t missed. With the amount of regulation affecting the private rented sector continuing to grow, professional property management can take a great deal of that burden away from landlords.”

Propertymark: Letting Agents will have a crucial role

Propertymark has highlighted the important role letting agents are expected to play as the new registration system is introduced.  Timothy Douglas, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Propertymark, said:

“Letting agents have a crucial role in supporting landlords through the registration process.”  Propertymark says agents will be able to signpost their clients to the service and, in time, will need to ensure registration numbers are included within property listings. Where agreed with the landlord, agents are also expected to be able to upload health and safety information and certificates on their behalf.

However, Propertymark is calling for greater clarity from the Government about exactly what agents will and will not be permitted to do for their landlord clients.  Douglas added: “Letting agents will be central to making the service work in practice.”

Changes to rent increase challenges

The landlord register isn't the only forthcoming change.  The Government has also announced plans for HMRC's Valuation Office to take responsibility for initial decisions when tenants challenge proposed rent increases in England.  Until the new system is introduced, tenants wishing to challenge a rent increase will continue to apply to the First-tier Tribunal.  The Government says the change should enable rent disputes to be determined more quickly while reducing pressure on the tribunal system.

What should landlords do now?

Although the landlord register is being introduced gradually, we would encourage landlords to prepare rather than wait until registration opens in their region.  Now is a good opportunity to check that your property and ownership information is correct and that your safety certificates and other compliance documentation are complete and up to date.  The introduction of the register forms part of a much wider change to the private rented sector under the Renters’ Rights Act. For landlords managing their own properties, keeping on top of the growing number of legal and regulatory responsibilities is becoming increasingly important.

Need help with your rental property?

At Bradford & Howley, our letting agents in St Albans and Harpenden work with landlords to help take the stress out of letting a property, from finding and managing tenants to keeping on top of changing legislation and compliance requirements.