Government announces PRS Database

The exact details of what will need to be in a registration is not totally clear from the announcement, but it mentions landlords needing to provide:

• The property address (perhaps, obviously…);

• Number of residents and bedrooms (clearly a means to catch out unregistered HMOs);

• Amount of rent received;

• Evidence by way of uploads of required certificates (gas, electricity and EPC).

I am sure there will be more. 

In the meantime, I am slightly concerned by the rent requirement. Tenant groups were keen on this and I suspect it will be a key part of the new rent valuation service that is also being announced. But if this data is public, it will also tend to drive rent up in areas to meet whatever the perceived local level is. Be careful what you wish for on rents is my message!

I am also still concerned by aspects of the upload process, especially in relation to speed and the security of these systems. 

Finally, the fee. The registration fee is to be £65 per property and is payable each year. This is startling! The impact assessment said that landlords would not need to re-register every year, only every three years, so there is a large increase in workload here.

The impact assessment also assumed a per property fee of £28.58. This fee is more than double and again needs to be paid each year, not every three years as the impact assessment suggested. That means a fee over three years of £195 per property as against the £28.58 per three years suggested by the impact assessment, an increase of almost seven times. Across a larger property portfolio this is a considerable sum. 

The RRA does allow for some of this fee to be paid to local authorities. If this was to be the case, and it was to then replace other licensing fees charged to landlords, then I could see this as being justifiable on the basis that it would provide a clear and settled income stream for local authorities to deal with housing issues and reduce the overall burden of admin and fees on landlords. If it is just going into government coffers, then the fee seems grossly excessive and very hard indeed to justify given its increase as against the impact assessment.

More details will be appearing shortly via the Government’s new campaign page. And while the West Midlands is first in line, this is a nationwide change, so landlords everywhere should be keeping a close eye on forthcoming announcements.

David Smith is a Partner in the Bishop & Sewell Landlord & Tenant team. 

You can subscribe to David’s LinkedIn updates here.

The above is accurate as of 9 September 2026.

The content of this note should not be considered legal advice, and each matter should be considered on a case-by-case basis.