New Rental Property Registration: What Landlords Need to Know

A new legal requirement is coming for landlords in England

The private rented sector continues to change following the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, and landlords now need to prepare for another important requirement.

The Government is introducing a new national “Register your rental property” service.

Landlords of assured or regulated tenancies will be required to register themselves and each rental property they own.

The service begins its regional rollout from 15 December 2026, with different registration dates depending on where the rental property is located.

For landlords with properties in London, including East London and the surrounding areas, registration begins on 15 July 2027, with a deadline of 14 October 2027.

How much will registration cost?

The annual registration fee will be:

£65 per property, per year

Each property must be registered separately and registration will need to be renewed annually.

Landlords who fail to register their properties when legally required risk financial penalties.

The Government has confirmed that the fee will be adjusted on a pro-rata basis during the initial rollout so that landlords registering earlier are not disadvantaged.

When do landlords need to register?

The new system is being introduced gradually across England.

RegionRegistration StartsDeadlineWest Midlands15 December 202614 March 2027East of England15 January 202714 April 2027East Midlands15 February 202714 May 2027South East15 March 202714 June 2027Yorkshire & Humber15 April 202714 July 2027North West15 May 202714 August 2027North East15 June 202714 September 2027⭐ London15 July 202714 October 2027South West15 August 202714 November 2027

Importantly, your registration date is determined by where your rental property is located – not where you live.

Landlords with properties in more than one region will therefore need to be aware of the relevant deadlines for each property.

Landlords can also choose to register properties earlier once the service becomes available.

What information will landlords need?

This will be more than a simple landlord registration.

Landlords will need to provide information about themselves, their property, tenancy and compliance.

This is expected to include:

Property details

• Property address

• Ownership type

• Type of dwelling

• Number of bedrooms

• Whether the property is currently let

• Property manager details, where applicable

Tenancy details

• Number of occupants

• Number of households

• Whether the property is furnished, part-furnished or unfurnished

• HMO, Additional or Selective Licence information, where applicable

Rent information

Landlords will need to provide the rent being charged and frequency of payment.

They will also need to confirm whether utilities are included in the rent and, if so, which utilities.

Safety & compliance information

This is an important part of the new system.

Landlords should be prepared to provide information and, where applicable, copies of:

Gas Safety Record
Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) or relevant EIC
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
MEES exemption information, where applicable

Landlords will also need a GOV.UK One Login to use the service.

What about property licensing?

Landlords will be asked whether their property requires:

• an HMO Licence

• an Additional Licence, or

• a Selective Licence

Where applicable, the relevant licence number will also need to be provided if available.

This makes it increasingly important for landlords to understand whether a licensing scheme applies to their property.

For landlords operating across East London, this is particularly important as licensing requirements can vary considerably between local authorities.

Can my letting agent register my property?

This is an important point.

Your letting agent can help – but the landlord remains responsible.

The Government has confirmed that landlords will need to start and end the registration process themselves.

However, landlords will be able to agree for their letting agent or property manager to provide certain information on their behalf.

Further guidance explaining exactly what agents will be permitted to complete is expected before rollout.

What happens with empty rental properties?

During the initial rollout, landlords only need to register properties that are already let or become let during the rollout period.

However, this is expected to change.

Under future legislation, landlords will also be required to register an unoccupied property before it can be marketed for rent.

The Government also plans to require unique landlord and property identifiers to appear on rental advertisements.

Further guidance will be issued before these requirements take effect.

What should landlords do now?

Don't wait until 2027 to get organised.

Although London landlords have until 14 October 2027, now is a good opportunity to make sure your property records are complete.

We recommend checking:

✓ Your Gas Safety Record is current
✓ Your EICR is valid
✓ Your EPC is valid
✓ Your property has the correct licence, where required
✓ Your tenancy and occupancy information is accurate
✓ Your landlord and ownership information is up to date
✓ Your property records are stored and easily accessible

How Marlborough Homes can help

For landlords whose properties are fully managed by Marlborough Homes, we already maintain much of the property and compliance information likely to be required under the new registration system.

As further Government guidance is released, we will continue to keep our landlords informed and help them prepare for the changes.

If you are unsure whether your property has the correct certificates, licensing or compliance documentation, speak to our team.

Need help getting your rental property ready?

Contact Marlborough Homes

020 8989 8796
info@mbhomes.co.uk

Marlborough Homes – Established 2012
It’s about finding a home where life feels right.

This article is provided for general information only and should not be considered legal advice. Requirements and Government guidance may change or be updated before implementation.